SoonerSpock
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OU Soccer coach Matt Potter not returning next year
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SoonerSpock
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Technically contract not renewed.
Oliver Hardy
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They have had a hard time developing the women's soccer program into a program that is winning against better teams in the Big 12 and around the country.
OU has wonderful facilities but simply has not been able to find their Patti Gasso or Lincoln Riley. So, I'm not sure what the problem is. Possibly the recruiting budget, the salary, the reputation of the school or the coach. I have never really investigated it.
Texas and Oklahoma have long been a hotbed for youth soccer and have consistently fielded some of the best teams in the country. At least they did when in my daughters' played. Teams went to national tournaments and often made it to quarter finals or higher. My oldest daughter's Oklahoma team made it to the national youth semi-finals one year.
I hold a college-level coaching license, but have never wanted to coach at that level and now I'd be considered too old and out of date.
I meant to take some of my retirement time earlier this year to begin going to games consistently again, but life got in the way.
I should have more time next season. I miss being on a pitch.
A funny aside, one of my daughters played club ball with one of Dewey Selmon's daughters years ago - as well as on of Coach Gibbs kids. Dewey once said to me that he thought soccer players were the best athletes, both in conditioning and skills, in all of competitive sports.
His reason -- a soccer player rarely ever stops running and they do with their feet and head whatever everyone other player in every other sport does with their arms and hands.
Food for thought.
OU has wonderful facilities but simply has not been able to find their Patti Gasso or Lincoln Riley. So, I'm not sure what the problem is. Possibly the recruiting budget, the salary, the reputation of the school or the coach. I have never really investigated it.
Texas and Oklahoma have long been a hotbed for youth soccer and have consistently fielded some of the best teams in the country. At least they did when in my daughters' played. Teams went to national tournaments and often made it to quarter finals or higher. My oldest daughter's Oklahoma team made it to the national youth semi-finals one year.
I hold a college-level coaching license, but have never wanted to coach at that level and now I'd be considered too old and out of date.
I meant to take some of my retirement time earlier this year to begin going to games consistently again, but life got in the way.
I should have more time next season. I miss being on a pitch.
A funny aside, one of my daughters played club ball with one of Dewey Selmon's daughters years ago - as well as on of Coach Gibbs kids. Dewey once said to me that he thought soccer players were the best athletes, both in conditioning and skills, in all of competitive sports.
His reason -- a soccer player rarely ever stops running and they do with their feet and head whatever everyone other player in every other sport does with their arms and hands.
Food for thought.
Some twenty years ago, I sat in the stands at Highland Park HS in Dallas and watched as an English Club from Munich played a rather highly-rated Junior High team from Highland Park. It wasn't actually a German team, but a touring English club more aligned with English literature than sports. It just happened to stop over in Dallas. Of course, the German team included no members of their school's soccer team. But, it did include the teacher and about four girls. They hadn't really ever played soccer together before. But, every kid in Germany knows how to dribble a soccer ball.
I watched them simply pass the ball from one to the other with Highland Park chasing the ball like puppies playing keepaway.. Even the girls simply remained calm and passed the ball calmly to a teammate when they converged on her. Finally,, someone would score. Highland Park never did. It was an amusing game of people who understand it because they had grown up with it vs those who learned it at ten or twelve.
When I watched the OU team, I was often reminded of that game. OU never seemed to be able to keep the ball, making one or two passes before it was intercepted. IF they didn't strike quickly, it seemed that they had difficulty just putting the pressure on until they scored. Ball control was an issue.
I haven't watched enough college soccer to know if that is a pattern for all schools. If so, maybe we need to get some of the kids off that German literary club to come be the coach.
I watched them simply pass the ball from one to the other with Highland Park chasing the ball like puppies playing keepaway.. Even the girls simply remained calm and passed the ball calmly to a teammate when they converged on her. Finally,, someone would score. Highland Park never did. It was an amusing game of people who understand it because they had grown up with it vs those who learned it at ten or twelve.
When I watched the OU team, I was often reminded of that game. OU never seemed to be able to keep the ball, making one or two passes before it was intercepted. IF they didn't strike quickly, it seemed that they had difficulty just putting the pressure on until they scored. Ball control was an issue.
I haven't watched enough college soccer to know if that is a pattern for all schools. If so, maybe we need to get some of the kids off that German literary club to come be the coach.
SoonerSpock
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Potter is English and was trained there so he should know how to teach passing from a European perspective. Regardless he couldn't develop a winner.
From Mere, England, Potter graduated from West London College of Brunel University in 1992 with an honors degree in physical education and religious, social and moral education. In 1991, he helped lead West London to the National British College title.
It is going to be interesting to see who Joe C. hires.
Oliver Hardy
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Holding on to the ball too long is a frequent problem in US youth soccer and at the public school and college/smaller university level.
My experience tells me that, particularly girls at a younger age, typically hang on to kthe ball too long. They dribble when the should pass more.
Another problem is not moving when you don’t have the ball (particularly with girls/women). Girls and women frequently also want to take their shots too quickly from too far out to avoid having the defense collapse on them. They worry about not getting off a good shot or having to make a move.
Of course, the US women’s team has absolutely no such problems.
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My experience tells me that, particularly girls at a younger age, typically hang on to kthe ball too long. They dribble when the should pass more.
Another problem is not moving when you don’t have the ball (particularly with girls/women). Girls and women frequently also want to take their shots too quickly from too far out to avoid having the defense collapse on them. They worry about not getting off a good shot or having to make a move.
Of course, the US women’s team has absolutely no such problems.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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