Author Vanessa Martínez Lagunas is a FIFA Women’s Soccer Instructor, UEFA/DFB Pro License and NSCAA Premier Diploma holder and former player of the Mexico WNT. She has coaching experience at several levels of the game in Germany, Mexico and the United States in addition to being a featured clinician at the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City.

The main purpose of this article is to explain the specific ways in which the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) has supported my development as a coach. After a short introduction on how I got interested in getting into coaching, this article will provide a brief overview of the NSCAA events, activities and mentors that have significantly strengthened my coaching skills. The article will conclude with a summary of the strategies that have worked well for me to shape my coaching path, which might be useful to fellow NSCAA members.

In order to continue my academic studies and soccer-playing career, I moved to the U.S. from my natal Mexico in August 2002. I enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) as a transfer student and became a member of its Women’s Soccer Varsity Team. Chris Petrucelli, my former UT soccer coach, got me very interested in getting into coaching. I was always curious to know more about his coaching methods because I loved his professionalism and the attention he devoted to coaching the details.

One year after my arrival to UT, I decided to start taking coaching courses parallel to my college studies and playing career. By 2006, I had already completed the USSF (United States Soccer Federation) A Coaching License. Additionally, I took every opportunity to coach during my spare time. I got involved with the Lonestar-Westlake Soccer Club coaching U-11 and U-13 girls’ teams, worked several summer camps (for boys and girls, including UT, University of North Carolina and Soccer Plus camps), ODP (Olympic Development Program) camps and became a STYSA (South Texas Youth Soccer Association) state coaches instructor.

I did not become aware of the NSCAA until the end of 2006, when I was looking for other potential coaching courses I could take to strengthen my coaching knowledge. At this time, I became a NSCAA member and attended my first NSCAA event − the 2006 NSCAA College Cup Women’s Soccer Symposium. I really enjoyed attending this event. The course instructors were Lauren Gregg and Tony DiCicco, who were just outstanding, passionate about teaching and friendly to all participants. After attending this symposium, I could not stop attending more NSCAA events.

In January 2007, I took the NSCAA Premier Diploma. Janet Rayfield, one of the course instructors, has been a great mentor and role model for me since then. In the same month, I also attended my first ever NSCAA Annual Convention in Indianapolis. I had never attended such an event before. I was impressed by its size, the quality of the presenters and the amazing networking platform it offered. It was here where I got inspired to become a presenter and/or clinician for a future NSCAA convention. In March 2007, I attended the NSCAA Algarve Symposium in Faro, Portugal. The course instructors were April Heinrichs and Colleen Hacker, who did an amazing job. This was the first time I could have access to several live elite international soccer matches, training sessions and short talks with current and former national team coaches (who were invited guests speakers in this course) − all in one place. Furthermore, it was here where I established first contact with Tina Theune, former national coach of Germany. She gave me valuable advice on admission requirements and formalities of the German coaching education system. This information was very useful for me since at this time, I was already planning to move to Germany.

I graduated from UT in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology. Thereafter, I moved to Germany with three objectives in mind: to complete my PhD in Sports Science at the University of Leipzig, to continue my soccer playing career and to continue my coaching education through the German Soccer Federation (DFB). I worked very hard to learn the German language. I took German classes during high school in Mexico and at UT for about two years before moving to Germany. I also attended an intense German course during my first six months in the country. In November 2007, I completed successfully my first German coaching course, the UEFA/DFB B License. In December 2008, I completed the UEFA/DFB A License and in March 2012 the UEFA/DFB Pro License.

During my stay in Germany, I took every opportunity to combine coaching with my academic studies and playing career. At the local women’s soccer club (1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig), I coached at the U-17 and senior levels. I also had the great honor to serve as an assistant coach to Ralf Peter, Head Coach of the U-17/U-16 German Women’s National Team, for two years (2009-2011) during several training camps. In 2008, I was appointed a FIFA Women’s Soccer Instructor, and since then, I have conducted coaching courses in several countries around the world (in either Spanish, English or German). Additionally, during the internship period of the UEFA/DFB Pro License, I had the opportunity to be part of the coaching staff of the FC Energie Cottbus (a men’s professional team of the 2^nd German national league) for eight weeks. I was allowed to attend all training sessions, team meetings and official matches. In several occasions, I also had the opportunity to coach the players myself during the introductory phases of their training sessions. This internship made possible for me to experience for the first time men’s professional soccer from the inside. It was an incredible learning experience!

Although I have been in Germany since the end of 2007, I have maintained tight contact with the NSCAA. In January 2008, I attended the NSCAA Annual Convention in Baltimore and conducted my first ever lecture session at this event. To be sincere, I was very nervous about it but at the end, it went pretty well. Furthermore, after attending the LASCC (Latin American Soccer Coaches Committee) open meeting at this event, I volunteered to become a committee member. Since then, I have served as one of the LASCC Women’s Representatives. Moreover, I published my first article in the NSCAA Soccer Journal in the January-February 2008 issue, titled: “Report from the Fourth FIFA Women’s Soccer Symposium in Shanghai, China”. Later on, at the beginning of 2011, the NSCAA contacted me and invited me to conduct a lecture and a field session for the NSCAA Women’s World Cup 2011 Coaches Tour at the DFB Pro License Coaching Academy in Hennef, Germany. Of course, I enthusiastically accepted this invitation and conducted these sessions for the participating coaches. Finally, I attended the NSCAA Annual Convention in Kansas City as a featured clinician in January 2012. I offered both a lecture and a field session for the first time at the event. It was a challenge, but at the same time, also a very enriching experience for me!

Maybe you might be asking yourself what are some of the strategies that have been useful for me to shape my coaching path. I have tried to summarize them as follows:

• Having passion and love for the game.

• Having dreams and setting high goals/objectives for myself.

• Learning foreign languages.

• Becoming a student of the game by:

  • Starting my coaching education as early as possible, which significantly helped me to improve my understanding of the game when I was still an active player. Furthermore, at the end of my playing career, I did not have to wait long time to coach and teach soccer at a high level. At this time, I had already completed most of the required coaching certifications and coaching experience for this purpose.

  • Being exposed to many different levels of the game (e.g. youth to senior levels, both in men’s and women’s soccer), either as a coach, volunteer or trainee, in order to become a more complete coach.

  • Watching/attending as many soccer matches of high level as possible.

• Looking and applying for scholarship/funding opportunities: you can find the required funding for academic or coaching education if you proactively look for it. There are many scholarship opportunities out there. However, you need to find them and apply for many of them. Never give up! Some applications will not be successful but many of them will. Keep applying for them! I have been able to afford most of my academic and coaching education through scholarships or by reinvesting the money, I have earned from my coaching jobs.

• Having mentors and role models: although is not possible to name them all, some of the outstanding coaches/instructors, who I have met through NSCAA events and have had a great impact in my coaching career and development, are Anson Dorrance, Tony DiCicco, Lauren Gregg, April Heinrichs, Janet Rayfield, Horst Wein, Jeff Tipping, Sam Snow, Nancy Feldman and Randy Waldrum. I am forever grateful with all of you for all your teachings and with the NSCAA for providing me with so many world-class coaching education and networking opportunities!

• Being ready to give back to the game and to your soccer community: through soccer, I have met some of my best friends and I have had the opportunity to experience some of the most beautiful moments in my life. Therefore, I am devoted to furthering the development of our loved sport and to help as many players and coaches to have such a rewarding life experience through soccer as well.

I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the educational opportunities offered by the NSCAA. It is an honor to be a member of this wonderful soccer community and have the opportunity to share with all of you the specific ways, in which the NSCAA has significantly supported my development as a coach. I am already looking forward to attending another NSCAA event soon!

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