Travel Coach Selection Process

Andover Soccer encourages interested parents and friends to submit a coaching profile if you would like to be considered for the role of Travel Soccer Coach (Coach). ASA selects coaches in the spring for the fall travel teams. The Coach is responsible to contact and welcome assigned players, choose Assistant Coaches, set the practice schedule, set the tone for the team, organize and run practices, oversee the team on the field during games, and evaluate players after each season. In an ideal situation each team will be assigned a travel coach early enough so that the coach will be identified to players when they are informed of their team assignment.

The Coach Selection Process will be advertised as widely as possible, so that every interested parent and friend is aware of the opportunity to be considered. The process is intended to identify and select the most appropriate Coach for each travel team. Typically, but not always, that most appropriate Coach will have a son or daughter on the team, as parents of players are more often motivated to volunteer for this role. The ASA particularly encourages interested women to apply to coach girls teams to act as role models for these players in their formative years. Of course women and men are equally invited to coach boy’s and girl’s teams.

In order to review Coach candidates and have Coaches in place by the time rosters are selected, we request that coaches indicate their interest in coaching by May 15. Prospective Coaches must provide a summary of their experience and their qualifications, either by answering questions on the Travel Coach Profile Form or through an interview. Those who choose to fill out the Travel Coach Profile Form will receive a follow-up phone call or letter after the Profile Form has been reviewed; those who prefer the interview format should email Bill Souza at bsouza@excelmechanical.com and provide their contact information. A member of the Travel Coach Selection Committee will then contact the prospective Coach to gather the information.

At this stage, there is no commitment on the part of ASA to assign an applicant to a team.

Evaluating Prospective Coaches

Coaches are expected to be strong in three areas:

A. They must enjoy young people and be able to develop good working relationships;

B. They must be able to coach, teach and train others;

C. They must enjoy and have some proficiency at the game of soccer.

These attributes are ranked in order of importance. Appreciation of soccer can be learned; affinity for young people is a more difficult quality to master.

Choosing Coaches

As noted, ASA will select Coaches who are the best fit for a particular team. The following criteria will be considered:

· Previous experience coaching youth soccer (travel or in-town)

· Feedback from players and parents on previous teams

· License courses

· Previous experience playing soccer (high school, college, adult league)

· Willingness to commit to building good fundamental skills for every player on the team by providing organized and progressive training

· Ability to work well with children

All of these factors will be considered in the decision making process. Excellence as a player does not equate to excellence as a coach. Andover Soccer is looking for individuals who want to be more than coaches; they want to be soccer teachers. Coaches teach you what to do on the field. Soccer teachers impart life lessons through soccer such as good decision making, fair play, teamwork, and sportsmanship that are applicable in everyday life.

Travel team rosters are selected around the time the public school year ends, toward the end of June. Just before players are notified of their team assignment, accepted coaches will be notified of their selection by a member of the ASA Travel Coach Selection Committee.