Coaches Corner.
Billy McNicolMy philosophy on coaching youth soccer is this : "Teach the players to love the game, allow them to develop at their pace and provide the appropriate challenges to their abilities". By adhering to this I have ensured that all the players I have worked with and teams that I've coached have had fun and have got better. This is what I intend to bring to the members of the Montana Youth Soccer Association. If we improve the quality of play then it stand to reason that more people will enjoy it. By setting standards of performance people will raise their levels of commitment and dedication. With the availability of on-going coaching education the volunteer coaches will have access to the knowledge needed to help them conduct correct practices and training programs.If we can instill some passion and ambition into our players, coaches, and administrators I believe it will not be too long before Montana is successful. About the ODP and the Nomad UMBRO Tournament... In March, I traveled to San Diego with the U18 Boys ODP team. Tim Guenzler (team coach) Nancy Warneke (ODP Administrator) handled the particulars of the event and MYSA President Ravi DeSilva & Rick Warneke were also in attendance as chaperones - drivers. The UMBRO College Coaches Showcase hosted by the San Diego Nomads Soccer Club was a marvelous experience for everyone. I doubt whether any of our team had encountered a tournament of this caliber before and I am grateful to Nomads Head Coach Derek Armstrong for allowing us the opportunity to participate in this inaugural event (Derek and I have known each other for many years and served on the USSF Coaching School Staff together). These college coaches showcase tournaments have really taken off in the past 10 years or so and are the best way to expose our players to the competitive demands of the game. The Brain child of former German National player Wolfgang Suhnholz at the Capital Soccer Club in Austin, by invitation only, showcase tournaments provide our Nations College Coaches the ideal means in which to see prospective student athletes. Most every major college soccer program had a representative at the UMBRO showcase in San Diego. I cannot endorse these type of events enough and will strongly encourage our upper-level teams to attend them. As to the games...understandably we were a bit rusty as it was our 1st outing as a team. We played the Oregon State Champions and saw the benefits of organization, discipline and playing to a plan/system. Our second game was against the impressive Valley Blast whose Latin-flavored individuality was a joy to observe. While I was Region IV boys ODP Head Coach I often commented that I could have picked a team of players from Southern California Club programs that would be better than any regional team in the country...such is the depth of talent and the quality of coaching in that area. Our last two games saw us improve tremendously. this is usually the case when players rise to the challenge of competition. The 2-1 loss to Los Angeles Heat and the 1-1 tie with San Jaun are great results considering that in both games we were leading for a greater part of the contest. These two clubs play year around, have paid coaches, travel to tournaments regularly etc.. So, it was a high note we finished, tired, sore, bruised...but better...better for the experience gained, better for the lessons learned. |
Ed CurnowEd started playing soccer while on a ski team in the 1950's. The European skiers played soccer even in snow covered parking lots. He later played in a league while training for skiing. In 1976 he started coaching when the Missoula YMCA included soccer. He coached thirty six teams over sixteen years. He later became Chairmen of the MYSA Soccer Committee in Missoula and still holds that position. Ed has coached Strikers and was Montana State Cup Director for two years before becoming Vice President for Development for the MYSA. |
Rich DeJanaRich DeJana is the Vice President for competitive soccer. His involvement like many of you in soccer started on the sidelines watching his oldest child play recreational soccer. Then came coaching at the U-6 and U-8 level. Seven years ago Rich was asked to help coach the Flathead Force U-19 girls team, the Force's first team. Two years later he was the head coach and in the four years he served as head coach the team lost in a shoot out in the Semi-Finals at State, took a second and were twice the State Champions. Rich is now with a new team the Flathead Force U-19 Girls.Rich also officiates and is one of the instructors for officials in Montana. Besides his position in MYSA, he is president of the Greater Kalispell Youth Soccer Association, MYSA's largest recreational club with over 1,300 players. Rich resides in Kalispell with his wife, Mary and his daughters Megan (Force U-18 Girls) and Kathy (Force U-14 Girls). His Son Ryan is a freshman at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. |
Debbie CrawfordDebbie started eight years ago as a true volunteer and for the love of the game. She now has two children who play soccer. Justine plays for the U-12 Helena Blue and Machaela plays U-10. Debbie has spent 4 years as the registrar and 2 as secretary to MYSA. Debbie does all of this as a volunteer. We all commend her and thank her for countless hours of work. Its people like this that makes MYSA work. Debbie founded the Girls Soccer League in 1993 in Great Falls. |
Carol LockwoodCarol first became involved in Soccer when son, Sean, started playing recreational soccer at age 6 in 1979. Through the years served as team manager and "team mom" for Sean's teams.Elected President of Helena Youth Soccer Association in 1986. During term as HYSA president, Carol started a girls program with a U-19 team. Her club also selected official colors, name and logo and hosted the MYSA State Cup in 1989. During term as HYSA President she also served as board member of the MYSA. In 1989, Carol was elected Treasurer of MYSA and has served as treasurer since that time. She started out with a "Shoebox" of blank statements and bills and now MYSA's accounts are computerized. We have come a long way ! Carol also has been a member of the Region IV Protest and Appeals Committee since 1993. Carol lives in Helena and has one son, Sean. Our thanks also to Carol and all the volunteers of MYSA ! |
Nancy WarnekeCurrent Montana ODP Administrator comes to us from the Flathead Valley. A Montana native, Nancy resides in Kalispell with her family. Nancy got involved in Soccer through her son who will be playing soccer for the university of Missouri Miners this fall in Rolla, Missouri. With two soccer stars on the horizon it may be enough to keep her interested in helping soccer kids for a while longer. If it were not for her true love for children and soccer it would not be something that she would undertake.As the co-owner of three Insty-Print franchises with 14 employees, three children and two foster children she takes on the challenge of youth soccer. In 1992 she was selected as Women Entrepreneur of the Year out of 400 franchises in the nation. This year her company won three National awards based on leadership, sales volume (top 20 in nation), and won an elite graphics design award. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Salish Kootenai College. |
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Attitude is one of the few things that you have complete and absolute control over in your life. Attitude and hard work." - Tracy Bates-Leone | I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But, I cannot accept not trying. - Michael Jordan |
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