Why did you choose to play soccer?

To be honest my parents put me in soccer at a very young age because I was an extremely hyperactive child. Soccer was a perfect fit for me because I was constantly engaged and there was a lot of freedom for creativity. Also I had an older brother and sister who both played and I really loved watching their games. I enjoyed a variety of sports as a kid but at a certain point, my love for soccer was greater than my love for any other sport. I literally lived every moment of it, from scoring a goal to making a tackle. My mom, who along with my sister Beth, was always my biggest fan, tells me often how the parents on other teams would complain that I played “with abandon” It was true, the soccer field was always the place where I put everything aside and played each game with everything I had. I loved working hard and being disciplined and seeing the positive results that my hard work brought on the field. Additionally, the camaraderie between me and my teammates was, and is to this day, one of the things I most value in my life.

Why did you choose to coach soccer?

After playing soccer in college, I became a special education teacher and really enjoyed it but, I knew I was missing something in my life, soccer. Soccer was such an extremely important part of my life growing up, soccer introduced me to all different sorts of people, cultures , and experiences, all of which made me the person I am today. I learned about teamwork and individual drive, discipline and leadership. I knew firsthand what it was to face adversity and work hard to overcome it. I also formed important relationships with my coaches growing up, all of whom had important influences on my life as a player and as an individual. I chose to coach because it combines my love of teaching young people with my love of soccer, and give me an opportunity to influence the players with whom I work, both as players and more importantly as people.