NSCAA Women’s Committee member Tracey Leone is currently the Head Coach of the Northeastern Women’s Soccer Team. She has also served at the international level as head coach for the USSF U19 Women’s National Team (2000-03) and as assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team during the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

I've either played or coached soccer all of my life. It seems like soccer gave me my identity in many respects. Both of my sisters played, so I was involved with a soccer family from the start. Additionally, most of my friends had some tie to soccer and still do to this day. Thus, all of my activities and hobbies growing up inevitably revolved around soccer. 

As a coach, coaching schools helped me to continue to build my soccer identity. From the NSCAA schools, I learned details about technique, tactics, physiology, and psychology of the game. I was able to watch great coaches work on the field and learned a tremendous amount by being exposed to such great minds and clinicians. From these courses, I had the good fortune to learn the NSCAA coaching methodology, which helps players learn about the game in the most efficient, enjoyable, and practical environment possible. These courses also challenge you by taking you out of your comfort zone: when I returned home from attending one, I was always a far more confident coach than when I left.

Along with “what” you learn in all the NSCAA courses, my equally favorite part in these environments is “who” you meet. You have the rare opportunity to meet candidates/other coaches from around the country and learn from them on many levels. Whether it’s on the field, in the cafeteria, in the dorms preparing sessions, or catching a few minutes of a game on TV in the lounge, you interact with people who love to do what you do. NSCAA courses provide the environment to share philosophies, ideas, and advice. As a result, your networking base grows exponentially and you will find that you run into these coaches often. For example: a young man I met at coaching school coached one of the best captains I ever had at Clemson.

The NSCAA has helped shape me as a coach. What I have gained from these positive experiences has been invaluable and has greatly contributed to both my successes as a coach as well as my ability to create an enjoyable, inspiring, competitive learning environment for the most important people, my players. 

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