The program through my eyes
After taking the job as the new head women's soccer coach for Centre College, the first question I asked myself was, "What makes a strong program?" The question may seem easy to answer if you evaluate your success through winning and losing. A strong program is a program that wins more than 80% percent of its games and a losing one doesn't. However, you can't measure a program by success. You have to dig deeper and find out what causes a team to win over 80% of its games. What is it that both the coaches and the team do to accomplish this goal?
First of all, this goal is not accomplished over one season. Sure, it may be possible for us to win 80% of our games this year or the next. However, can we win 80% every year? Based on my philosophy and work ethic, I know we can. I realized building this program would take time and hard work, but I never lost sight of the foundation of what our program was built on. This foundation is what will help guide the team to achieving continued success.
As a coach, I realize all the time and effort you have spent on the game of soccer. The game itself has become part of your life. You probably remember your first soccer game. You also probably remember the first time you won a tournament and you got to take home that plastic trophy that meant the world to you. That trophy probably is still on your shelf in your room representing all of the hard work that you have put forth up to this day. It also symbolizes the friendships that were built, the family vacations built around your soccer schedule and the many eight o'clock morning games that were scheduled in the tournaments you played. All of these experiences were because you loved the game of soccer. You had a burning desire to be a part of a team and compete because you wanted to win.
I assure you that when you play for this program, you will be reminded many times about the passion you have for this sport. The foundation I am building this program on is the reasons why you played in the first place.
I believe that every practice has to challenge each individual. To do this I believe in many challenges that make the individual player or small teams compete in game-like situations. I also hold high expectations on and off the field. Each player who wears the Centre College uniform is aware of the expectations when she sets foot on the campus. Through the training and many team bonding activities, I will create an environment where each player wants to succeed and be a part of this team. By the end of four years of play, I hope that each player learns more about life than just the game of soccer. I hope each player knows that in order to have success one must make sacrifices. It is those sacrifices that define the true meaning of the word "Team."
When you commit to the Centre College women's soccer program, you are committing to something very special. You are committing to a team where everyone is pursuing the same goal and dream; a dream to win the national championship. When we accomplish this goal, we will remember that first plastic trophy and have the same feeling of accomplishment we had when we were playing for the first time. The feeling that says, "We did it!"
- Jay Hoffman '96
Head Coach, Centre women's soccer
