Coach Dave

My boys absolutely love soccer. Zack cries when we have a rainout because he loves it so much. I know that they are just sports kids, but I think they love it so much because Dave is their coach. I had to encourage him a little to start coaching for Alex's second season of soccer, 4 years ago. But, he has really embraced his role and is an excellent coach.

He loves to coach the 3-5 year olds. He gets to get out there and play with them and be silly. They all love that and really take to him. It is common in this age group for kids to refuse to play and want to stay with their parents on the sidelines. I don't think Dave has ever had one of these kids, and I think that is largely due to the fact that he engages the kids so much that they feel comfortable enough to get out of their comfort zone and play.

Although the older kids are a little more challenging, he does really well with them. He tends to get young, inexperienced teams that struggle to win a lot, yet all the kids have fun and find that they really enjoy soccer. Many, many parents have told him that their kid did not really like soccer until they played with him. I think that's a true judge of a good coach.

Here he is giving out patches. He found this somewhere and uses it for all his teams. He rewards the kids with soccer ball patches for goals, hustle, bravery, defense, etc. They all love it, and it sets him apart in the league.

I love watching Dave coach. He is really in his element. He gets to play with the kids in a semi-competitive environment. Although it makes game days a little more hectic for me, I am thrilled that all my boys get to have this great experience together.