Mike Getman has seen his dream of University of Alabama at Birmingham  soccer competing for conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths come true. Getman is in his 16th year as the Blazers coach and has led his team to an NCAA berth in four of the last eight years, including a top eight finish in 1999 and a top 16 finish in 2001. Getman learned his soccer from NSCAA Honor Award winner and Hall of Fame member Jerry Yeagley. He is passing on his wisdom to his UAB players. This article was published in November 2005.

When did you decide to become a soccer coach? Why?
In 1983 I was playing professional soccer for the Detroit Express. By the end of the year, the league folded and outdoor pro soccer was no longer a viable option for a career. I returned to my hometown of Bloomington, Ind., and was visiting with Coach Yeagley at IU. He recommended I come to IU, get my master's degree and become an assistant with the team. It didn't take much time to realize what a great opportunity this was. I accepted and began my coaching career in the fall of 1984. 

What are the most successful ingredients for a successful team?
There are so many ingredients to success. Chemistry and character are probably the two biggest. Quality people with the right attitude towards the team will take you a long way. Players getting along and giving of themselves for the team will make everyone want to work that much harder.

When building a team, what is the first thing you look for?
When we are recruiting, the first thing I look for is the character of each player. Is this a person I want to work with for four years? Is this someone who will be a good teammate and help lead us in the right direction? If you look at championship teams in any sport, you wil see that they have players who do everything the right way. No one is taking short cuts.

Who were your coaching mentors? What was the best advice you have received from them (or anyone) in regards to coaching?
Jerry Yeagley at Indiana has been my greatest mentor and I have learned so much from him. His philosophy has always been to do everything in a first-class way. I have certainly tried to follow his example.

How do you define a championship team? What are the most important aspects of a championship team?
There are a lot of different championships to wiin -- regular season, conference tournament championships. national championships. Real success is playing consistently at or above your talent level. Some of my most enjoyable years have been when we didn't have great talent but we found ways to win.

Does a player come with motivation or is that something a coach can teach?
Players come with different levels of motivation. Some have that great internal motivation. These players tend to work a little harder and achieve a little more than others. But teams are made up of all kinds of individuals. One of the keys to coaching is figuring out what motivates each player.

What are the three adjectives that best describe in your mind the perfect coach?
I have yet to meet the perfect coach, but the best seem to be caring about their players, dedicated to doing everything in a first-class way and calm under pressure.

Does a coach need a philosophy to be successful? What is your philosophy? Has it changed over time?
All coaches have a philosophy; the key is to have one that works for you and your team. As a player I was always thinking about the team first. I spent more time than I would like to admit sitting on the bench. As long as our team was successful and most of the time we were, I was okay with that role. I think I bring that same attitude to coaching. Team first, in terms of on-the-field decisions. Care about each player as a person regardless of how much or what role they play on the field. Do everything I can to the best of my ability. Never take short cuts.

Is it important for a coach to be liked by his/her players?
Coaches have to make some tough decisions. It is almost impossible to keep every player happy all the time. It is more important to be consistent so players know what to expect. At the same time, who wants to work in a hostile envrionment? At the college level I am going to spend four years with each young man. I hope we both enjoy the experience and want to work together. Four years would be a long time to spend with someone you don't like.

Looking back on your career, what events gave you the most satisfaction?
In my first year as head coach, I took my team to the Division I College Cup. That was pretty exciting and very enjoyable. We had a great team with unbeliveable chemistry.

Competing against Indiana and Jerry Yeagley (my coach and mentor) in Bloomington, where I grew up, was pretty exciting. We tied 0-0 in a great game in front of a huge crowd. I am really thankful I had that opportunity before Coach Yeagley retired.

I have also really enjoyed working with the younger brothers of some of our past players. I take great pride in knowing that a family would choose to send a second child to our school. It twlls me we must be doing something right if a family chooses us twice.

Is a coach born with leadership skills or can those skills be learned?
Leadership is a skill and all skills are learned. Some people come with more natural ability and some have to work harder at it.

Can a coach create a competitor? Or is that something the player brings to the team?
Competitiors are something special. All coaches love to have a player with that deep desire to compete all the time. People have different natural levels of competitive instinct, but I think players can be taught to compete. the younger the players, the easier it is to teach them to compete. The real key is learning to not be afraid to lose. Players who focus on losing tend to not want to compete.

Can a team learn from losing?
Success breeds success. But learning comes from realistically evaulating your performance and trying to improve. This can happen when winning or losing. One loss can remind a team that they still need to work hard. Lots of losses can make players afraid of taking risks and afraid of putting themselves on the lne.

Is there a formula for success? Are there any shortcuts to success?
There are no shortcuts. We would all like to find that magic formula and sit back and take it easy, but that just doesn't happen. Hard work , a good attitude and a real desire to learn will get you where you want to be.

What is more important, game preparation or in-game adjustments?
In-game adjustments are wheat you do when you haven't prepared properly. I would much rather spend a week working on playing well than trying to figure out something new in the middle of the game. 

At the same time, we all make small or minor adjustments as our opponents makes changes. The key is have worked on those adjustments in practice so players will be comfortable and confident in whatever you are asking them to do. It is almost impossible to do something in a game that have not done in a practice.

How important is discipline on a soccer team?
Discipline is vital for success. But this doesn't mean players have to do everything the coach says just because the coach says so. Discipline is making choices with the best interest of the team in mind.  The game changes and players must have the freedom to make adjustments and choices for themselves. This is one of the great differences between soccer and most other sports. It is a player's game and coaches must recognize that they cannot control everything.

I try to make sure my players know the reasons why we do what we do. That way they will make the best choices when the action starts and they are faced with variations from the norm. If players understand their options and why we do things a certain way, they are more likely to make good choices when they are under pressure. 

How does a coach create respect for himself/herself in the eyes of the players?
There are a lot of ways to earn respect. Some coaches gain respect because of their past or their playing ability, but that is short-lived. Long-lasting respect comes from caring about your players and being consistent in how you deal with them. Players respect coaches for the person that they are and their ability to help a player get to where he or she wants to go.

How important is goal setting?
Goal setting is vital. Players, coaches, and teams must know what they are trying to achieve. Players can't focus their time and energy if they don't know what they are shooting for. All goals need to be specific, measurable and attainable. If goals are unrealistic, players will lose motivation as soon as they start to see it isn't going to happen.

What was the biggest mistake you made in your coaching career?
After nearly  20 years as a head coach I have made so many mistakes it is hard to keep track of them all.. Every game there are things I wish I did or things I wish I didn't do. I try to learn from each mistake and then let them go. I can't dwell on the past. I much prefer to look forward.

How would you describe yourself as a coach?
I like to think I am a caring coach who has the knowledge and experience to help my players get where they want to be.

have you changed as a coach during your career?
I have definitely tried to change as the game has changed. But my love for the game and my enjoyment of competititon has never changed. I can't imagine anything better than working with young people to hekp them achieve their goals.

What advice would you give a coach just starting in the professsion?
Enjoy competing but focus on taking care of your players.

How has the game changed during your career?
The college game has gotten quicker and much more tactical. Flat back fours and zone defenses play a much bigger role than just a few years ago. There are also a lot more good players, so every team is competitive. You can't ever let your guard down.

How did you get involved in soccer?
Growing up in Bloomington there wasn't much soccer being played. A few older kids would get together and kick around just for fun. Because of my older brother, I would get invited to play sometimes. There was no team and no coach, just a group of kids what loved playing. After awhile we became a team and got a real coach. We didnt win too often but we all loved the game. Being able to watch the Indiana University team was a great plus and was also a great learning tool. Meeting some of those players was very motivational.

By the time I was in high school we had a great coach and some pretty good players. We al kept each other motivated and pushed each other to be even better. It was a great group of teammates and a group that became lifelong friends.

What is the biggest difference between coaching men and women?
I keep reading about the differences between men and women. Some say women have to be taught to compete or that men don't listen as well as women. My experience tells me that players are players. We all have our differences but we all like to play.