"For the coaches, it is not about the teams that we “build.” It is about developing players that graduate to another coach for the greater good of the player and the club. It is NOT about the notoriety of winning or “producing” a team. Succ
essful youth coaches are not in the game of soccer to build their record, to coach “their” team (if a youth coach often speaks about his/her team as “my” team, “my” staff, “my” players, let that be a warning) or to place themselves on center stage; successful youth coaches are involved because they want to affect young people’s lives for the better through this great game. Successful youth coaches are ones that are happy to move players forward to another coach and to sit in the background with a hidden smile as they watch a young player grow. Successful youth coaches give themselves for the here and now knowing that the fruit is going to likely be in the distant future and also knowing that few, save perhaps that player, will remember the work, commitment and sacrifice he/she gave. This is what we are asking of our Shadow coaches."
- Sean Bushéy, Technical Director