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| Featured Member: Miguel Garcia |
This is a new feature of NSCAA.com. The Member Spotlight will showcase the talented member coaches of the NSCAA. If you'd like to be featured, please download and complete the Spotlight Questionnaire. Submission instructions are included on the form.
Name: Miguel Garcia
Hometown: Rio Linda California
1. Tell us about yourself – how long you’ve been coaching, how you got started, your education background, your current involvement in soccer, etc.
I’ve been coaching for 20 years now. I got started when my sons' team needed a coach and I was the only parent with any soccer playing experience.
I grew up playing soccer in Chula Vista (California) at the age of 6 and continued to play until I was 40. I played Club, High School (Castle Park High School), 2 years of College (Southwestern College), 6 years with the Air Force and 14 years on adult soccer teams throughout northern California.
I've coaching varsity (boys & girls) high school (Rio Linda, Hiram Johnson, Del Campo) soccer since 1999. I'm also coach the District 6 ODP 1997 girls' team.
I graduated from Chapman University in 1987 with a B.S. in Computer Science.
2. How long have you been a member of the NSCAA and why did you decide to join?
I joined the NSCAA after reading about the organization back in 2001 I believe.
3. What NSCAA benefits do you find most useful?
I really enjoy the soccer journal and the perspective it lends. I enjoy reading articles by others who I admire. I also enjoy gaining a different perspective on the fundamentals of the game.
4. How did the NSCAA influence your coaching?
The sharing of ideas and by watching clinicians and listening to lectures at the conventions. It continues to influence my coaching through the NSCAA magazine features and articles.
5. What are your thoughts about the NSCAA coaching programs?
The coaching programs I have attended have been excellent. The NSCAA has been a breath of fresh air in coaching education.
6. What inspired you to become a soccer coach?
Like many, my high school and college coaches were outstanding. I became involved in coaching because I thought it a more effective avenue to impact students’ lives.
It was the next best thing to playing
7. What is your coaching philosophy?
I take my job as coach very serious and strive to work as hard as possible at that task. We train, prepare, and compete very hard and at the highest level that we possibly can. The more you prepare, the better your chances of “overachieving”. This takes a lot of time and effort. I want our soccer players to be recognized on and off the field for excellence – true student-athletes with good citizenship and character.
8. How do you prepare yourself before a game?
On game day I try to stay as relaxed as possible. I try to make sure all the details are taken care of so we can relax and enjoy playing the game. If I’ve done all I can to prepare the team to the best of my ability, then I must have trust in the players when the whistle blows. I try to follow the John Wooden approach: make sure you are good at what you do and dictate your style on the other team.
9. How do you keep yourself motivated to coach?
I put myself in different soccer environments to help keep things fresh and motivating.
10. What is your most memorable moment as a coach?
I have many vivid memories from my time on the sideline. I would have to say that one of my most memorable moments was with my 2007 boy’s team. Retuning from our first conference championship and a Sacramento Bee high school soccer coach of the year award in 2006, we were looking to repeat our conference championship and make a run at the Sac-Joaquin section title. We faced a heavy favorite nationally rank Jesuit High school of Sacramento. We fought back from a 1 goal deficit with less than 5:00 left in the game to finish with 1-1 draw. I couldn’t have been prouder of the way our team performed that day. A couple of days later, I got a letter from the head referee expressing his appreciation for my team’s character when they were behind and the class they displayed when they won. That group of young men made me proud to be their coach.
Click here to visit the Member Spotlight Archive. |
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