Kenny began playing soccer while in the Marine Corps in 1996.  He then became a player-coach in 2001 and, consequently, started coaching youth soccer in 2003.  Today, he coaches both competitive and academy teams in north Texas and is on the Board of Directors for a local recreational soccer association.  He is also the Club Director for the Cleburne Dynamos FC (a competitive soccer club).  He currently holds a National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America National Diploma, Director of Coaching Diploma, Goalkeeping Level III Diploma, National Youth License and USSF National D License.  Kenny will be attending the NSCAA Advanced National Diploma Course this summer in Fayetteville, N.C. and the USSF National C Course in Carson, Calif.  Furthermore, he is currently working towards his Masters in Coaching Education at Ohio University.  He has a wife who is a soccer player, coach and referee and a 14-year-old daughter who also plays competitive soccer.

I’m a coach because I want to make a difference in the lives of the youth who love the game of soccer.  Each day they show up and look to me to teach them how to become better players.  They look to me to lead them to victories on the pitch by giving them courage and knowledge to make the right decision during the game.  I love watching them develop week after week and take their game to new levels.  They absorb what I teach them and use it for good tactical and creative decisions during the game.  As I spend time at the soccer complex each weekend, I watch players and former players of mine grow from the youngest levels into great players.  I watch them treat the game with respect and exhibit great sportsmanship.  I know that I planted that seed in them and they know I expect nothing less.  I spend every free moment I have each season to make this happen.  It's a great feeling and an even better accomplishment to be a good coach.

What are your thoughts on coaching education and its role in developing coaches?

Given the overall lack of nationalized and required coach education program for individuals entering youth sport coaching, each coach is on his or her own in their professional development for most sports.  The sport of soccer in the United States is fortunate enough to have formalized and accredited coaching education programs with the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America (NSCAA) and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) who both provide diplomas and licenses, respectively. 

While the majority of youth sport coaches believe coaching education is important, they often feel there are too many obstacles to overcome in obtaining that training or that obstacles are just not worth it to try and overcome. These include the short-lived nature of the position, cost, time, access, quality and format of the training.  I have been fortunate enough to attend this training and have very few obstacles in obtaining the education.  I do find the quality and format of training varies depending on the course and location.

Coaching education is important to the player’s development and will only help a team’s primary objectives to have fun and win. Coaching education is the basis of understanding ethics, diversity and athlete-centered coaching in addition to creating better athlete, coach and parent behaviors on and off the field.

What has NSCAA meant to you?

The NSCAA has given me a greater understanding of the sport.  As a player, I could just perform what was expected of me ,and for many skill sets, I just performed without actually knowing the technical details of what I was doing. As a coach, I need to be able to translate what I know into coachable moments that define the technical and tactical aspects of the game.

Every contact with the NSCAA has been fantastic.  From the residential National Diploma course to the annual NSCAA Convention, it has been great.  Even attending smaller courses such as the Director of Coaching course and Goalkeeping Level I-III courses have completely changed the way I coach and interact with my players, coaches and administrators.

NSCAA has assembled some of the finest minds in this sport.  It has always been a pleasure learning from them.  I hope one day to be a part of that and be able to pass on the knowledge gained from those who have gone before me.

What is your most memorable moment as a coach?

There are many memorable moments in my career as a coach.  I think the moments that stand out the most are when I am able to completely change the way a player plays the game in a technical or tactical aspect.  Moments like spending 10 minutes with a few strikers to teach them the proper technique of driving a ball over distance and then watching them do it are the reasons I love to coach.  They are so happy when they have that missing puzzle piece given to them and it makes them a better player.

Teams can always win games and place in tournaments or in league play.  I look for the moments that I can develop a player into a better athlete and player regardless of the team's overall record. 

What sort of qualities do you think should a coach have? How do these qualities influence players and team?

I feel that coaches should understand their role in the sport.  The players on the field have to make the decisions during the game.  Unlike many other sports, soccer doesn’t have any timeouts or plays that are run.  The game is very dynamic and decisions are made on the fly by the players.  Training should incorporate their ability to make decisions and encourage players to be creative with their skill set. 

Coaches should be prepared to allow the athletes to make mistakes.  In training, mistakes are critical for learning as long as the athletes are not making the same mistakes over and over again.  Coaches need to train their players during the week and let them play the game on their own and without interference and distraction from the sidelines.  Coaches are merely facilitators at the game.

How do you describe the relationship between you and the players during coaching?

I am there to help my players develop into instinctive soccer players.  I want them to be creative and make their own decisions with guidance from me.  Using a logical approach to guided discovery, I will raise questions for players to answer about the session we are running.  The question must be easy to follow and not consist of vague wording that seems designed to make a player feel bad about themselves, such as “Why can’t you pass the ball right?”  Instead, I guide them through the technical aspects of passing a ball by asking them questions concerning things I have already taught them.  A good idea would be to find the technical breakdown and ask something like, “What part of the ball do you strike when driving the ball over distance?”  Guide the player to the proper answer and they will learn it over a lifetime.  Athletes should be given frequent opportunities to make their own decisions, as well as mistakes, in game-type situations.

An important thing to keep in mind is that “over-coaching” can be detrimental to the player’s development.  Asking too many questions can serve to confuse the player and not allow them learn by doing.  I believe that positive reinforcement is much more effective than negative feedback.  Players naturally want to please their coach and will try harder when the objective will result in rewards with praise.

What motivates you to keep coaching?

I coach soccer because of the impact I feel I have on the player’s lives.  I feel that youth coaching is a good model of how we can maximize the development of their interests and personal skills.  When working with these young players, I have the opportunity to influence them when they are most vulnerable. Helping them develop their character and positive self-perceptions is enormously rewarding and satisfying.  In addition, they get a deep appreciation for the sport they are playing.

While each player may have dreams of playing professional sports when they are young, it is important for them to play it now and learn the game as it is instead of what they could be.  Sports provide opportunities to the players to develop decision-making skills. In this way, the personal satisfaction I get from coaching is much like that of the player’s.  My leadership skills and character have developed immensely since I started coaching years ago. 

I believe in the good of coaching so much that I enroll my willing players into coaching courses when they are eligible to attend at the age of 14.  This makes them better players, good assistants to my younger teams and hopefully great coaches when they are older.

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