A Saturday in the Life of a Tiny Troops Soccer Coach
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Ever wonder what a Saturday in the life of a Tiny Troops Soccer coach is like? Saturday sessions at Tiny Troops Soccer are a blast, but a lot goes on behind the scenes to prepare for a morning of Saturday sessions. Parents see coaches smiling and ready to greet them as they enter the field with their little ones. Our area is set up for play- the cones mark the boundaries, the goals are in place, the Coach’s ball is in the goal, and the center cone is in place. Once everyone’s arrived, the coaches go into action, welcoming everyone to the center cone for introductions. The session goes off mostly without a hitch. Little ones work on learning the skills with us as we play games and give time to practice the skills discussed. In the end, we do our Tiny Troops cheer, pass out stickers, and the session ends, the next one ready to begin. But did you ever wonder how coaches prepare for each session?
My name is Rachel Moravec, and I’m currently the Fort Bragg, North Carolina coach. I will have been a coach for three years come this September. I started in Fort Bliss, Texas, and then became the primary coach once we moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In my time as a coach, I’ve worked with many little ones and seen them grow and learn as they continued throughout the months with me. Being a coach is an enriching experience. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure my sessions are engaging and energizing.
Before the month’s sessions even start, there are lesson plans to review. We receive them shortly before registration ends for the upcoming month. Reviewing them comes first, and I also print copies to bring with me to the field for review as needed. I look at the games played during the month. I also check the required materials for each game. Since I’ve been with the program for a while, I try to remember what happened the last time we played the game. There is also consideration of how I may want to do things differently this time.
I have a 40-minute commute to the field, so I need to eat breakfast, get ready, and get ready for the babysitter to arrive. I always make sure to have coffee in my system. My gear needs to be double-checked and I ensure I have snacks and a water jug. Finally, 7:30 arrives, and I’m out the door.
I try to get my head in the zone on my drive to the field. Typically, I’m playing my favorite hard rock playlist, volume up. It’s my favorite way to get energized. When we did Encanto lessons, I had the Encanto soundtrack blasting!
I have a lot of gear and a distance to walk, so I have a little red outdoor wagon to carry everything. It gets loaded with my gear bag, snacks, cleats, water, and anything else I might need for my session.
I trek to my field area and begin setup. First, I set the goals, then lay out my cones. Sometimes, this is a challenge because I don’t always manage to get them straight. Finally, I put my cleats on and review my lessons one last time before my first session begins. At the same time, I’m keeping an eye out for my players to arrive. As soon as one does, it’s go time!
I currently run sessions for almost 4 hours each weekend. There are breaks between some of them, allowing me to reset, hydrate, and munch on my snacks. I typically run three 2-year-old sessions and 2 3/4-year-old sessions. It is crucial to make sure that my energy is the same throughout sessions. I compare it to performing; I need my last performance to have the same energy as the first one. Parents expect the same energetic coach each session. No one, not even me, wants to see a tired coach running a dull session. That’s no fun, and that’s certainly not how we coach in Tiny Troops Soccer!
Once my sessions are over, it’s time to take down the field, pack up my gear, and haul it back to my car. Drained and tired, I did well. I gave my best for my Tiny Troopers. My drive home is much quieter; I typically have an audiobook playing as I let myself wind down and think about the hot shower waiting for me. I know the rest of my Saturday will be slow and easy, and I’ll go to bed much earlier than usual. But, at the end of the day, it’s all worth it, and I wouldn’t trade anything for my time with my Tiny Troopers on the field.
And that is a Saturday in the life of a Tiny Troops Soccer Coach!
Rachel Moravec is the coach for Fort Bragg and the Technology Specialist for Tiny Troops Soccer. She brings her experience with children and working in the education sector to Tiny Troops Soccer. She’s always up for learning something new, and also enjoys helping her Tiny Troopers to grow and learn!
