|| PRESIDENT ’ S CORNER

DR . DAVID CARR

As I write this , it is a beautiful fall day . As you read this , I will be preparing to become the 75th President of United Soccer Coaches . This moment fosters a period of reflection on a life that has had soccer as a most influential part of who I am . My journey has been deeply influenced by my teachers , coaches and colleagues and also by my players and students . There are many who have contributed to my development who counseled , advised and taught me . As I reflect , I will use this forum to talk about the importance of being a mentor and publicly thank all who have guided me to this moment and acknowledge a few , of so many , who significantly shaped my life .

My first exposure to soccer came in the early 1960s in elementary school in Ho-Ho-Kus , New Jersey . Coach Tom Simos introduced us to soccer in physical education and I was fortunate to play for him in grades 6-8 , not only in soccer but also in basketball and baseball . He helped me develop a love of sport and , in particular , a love for soccer . While preparing us in practice , he created a positive environment , rarely raised his voice and was fair . We loved playing for him .

I moved to Vermont for high school in the late 1960s and played for Bob Knisley at Springfield High School . He contributed to my development as a player but also as a future coach . Based on how he coached me , I decided that a career in teaching physical education and coaching was something I would like to pursue . He left Springfield to pursue a master ’ s degree at the University of Maine . Upon my graduation a year later , I followed him there .

These two coaches helped me develop a strong connection to the game prior to my four years at Maine . In 1972 , I joined an adult summer league team in Ludlow , Vermont . I was a center back and saw the game from that perspective . My vision of the game changed that summer as I played with outstanding college players in a very competitive league . I improved technically but my tactical understanding of how to play came by watching a gifted player orchestrate the game in front of me . It was a moment of discovery that enhanced my understanding of the game . For that , I have Ron McEachen , former pro player and Middlebury College , University of Vermont and Skidmore College Coach to thank . We have been close friends ever since and I am forever grateful for our two seasons together 50 years ago .

I was a high school soccer coach for the first eight years of my career . I can ’ t say enough about the players I was fortunate enough to coach . Soccer was a “ new sport ” in many communities and I was very involved in foundation building . I moved to the college level in 1983 and re-started the Men ’ s Team at the University of Charleston . Those players taught me so much . I became a mentee as much as a mentor ! The players from those early UC teams have formed a special bond and I am most fortunate to be a part of their lives .

After coaching the New Mexico Chiles in the APSL in 1990 , I shifted my focus from coaching players to coaching coaches . Dr . Mike Metzler , my advisor and mentor during my doctoral work at Virginia Tech , guided me in my quest to become a sport pedagogy scholar that would lead to a teaching career as a coaching educator . Mike is the author of Instructional Models for Physical Education which became a big part of the Master ’ s Degree in Soccer Coaching Program at Ohio University , my professional home for 25 years . Sadly , we lost Mike last October .

My career in coaching education was shaped in many ways by two outstanding people who had great insight into both coaching players and teaching people of all ages . Dr . Tom Fleck was a visionary at all levels of the game but particularly at the youth level . He gave us the National Youth License . He is one of the newest inductees into the United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame . Dr . Ron Quinn has been a professional colleague for nearly 40 years . “ The Game in the Child ” motivates us every day . I am honored to have been able to work with them both .

All of the people mentioned in this letter were my mentors . My goal as President is to continue to advocate for coaches and teachers to relish the role of being a mentor : an experienced and trusted advisor , counselor or teacher . You have the opportunity to make a positive contribution to someone ’ s life and to society as a whole .

Professionally , I have been blessed . There are dozens of professional colleagues and hundreds of players and students that I have learned from but the most significant and influential person in my life is my wife , Sarah . Without her support , guidance and love , I would not have been able to become the 75th President of United Soccer Coaches .

Dr . David Carr United Soccer Coaches President Member since 1974

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