Moe's Coaches Spotlight With Claire Collins
The Broad Run Spartans girls' soccer team is off to another great start. Head coach Claire Collins sat down with Gameday Magazine to discuss her team, her coaching style, and her favorite memory as a head coach with the Lady Spartans.
Gameday Magazine: What was it that got you interested in becoming a coach?
Coach Collins: I started playing soccer when I was 5 years old. I played until I went off to college, and then did not play while I was in college. That time being away from the sport really drew me closer to wanting to get back involved with the sport in some way. I called my longtime coach Tom Hines, who at the time was the coach at Potomac High School, and asked him if I could shadow him and see if that was what I might want to do. After being an assistant on his staff I moved onto to Osbourn for 4 years and then to Broad Run.
GM: How did you end up at Broad Run High School?
CC: It actually was by chance. There was a situation to where I was going to step away from coaching for a while. The job at Broad Run happened to open up and I put my name in the hat for consideration. There were no other jobs that had been available in the county before the Broad Run job presented itself. Currently I am only a coach at the school, however, I do teach at River Bend Middle School in the county.
GM: What was it like for you as a coach to win the Region II title last spring?
CC: It was a great feeling. That was the first time in my coaching career where I was able to win the district and regional titles. I was very proud of that team, and to be apart of that team.
GM: How is this year's team different from last year's?
CC: I would have to say the biggest difference is the character on this year's team. What I mean by that is; this team is very focused on "team" goals, not just "individual" goals. I am lucky that each player on this year's team absolutely lives for the game of soccer. There is nothing they want to do more than accomplish the goals they have set out for themselves.
GM: What do you expect from this team in 2008?
CC: I want them to be able to continue to play as hard and as well as they have for the first half of the season. I would like to see this team be able to make a run to the state title. This team is more focused than I have ever seen, because of the heartbreak that they endured last season in the state quarterfinals against Courtland. We lost that game after double-overtime and penalty kicks, it was a devastating loss for the girls. I hope they can continue to build on the success we have been able to have here at Broad Run over the past few seasons.
GM: Have teams played you harder knowing that you are the regional champions?
CC: I think they have. We have had the luxury of being able to be in games this season where the score at the half is 2-0 in our favor. There are two situations that can occur with that score, either the team that is trailing can get a goal and try to regain some momentum, or the leading team can begin to think they are going to coast to a win and allow the trailing team a chance to get back into the game. I am very proud of my girls, they do a great job of executing what we want to do and they also know hoe to close out their opponents.
GM: Who would you say has emerged as a team leader this season?
CC: I get asked that question a lot and there is not really "one" girl that I could name. We have 18 players on this team and I would say that 11 or 12 of them can contribute to our success this season. There is Caitlin Hunter, our junior goal keeper, who has done a tremendous job this season. Another junior who has stepped up considerably is Holly King. Finally I would have to say that Kelly Evans has contributed, Evans is our leading goal scorer to this point of the season.
GM: What are some things that you try to impart on your players?
CC: I try to give my players a good teaching and learning environment. I also want them to feel ownership over the things they do. I treat this as "their" team and not mine. I like them to know that things are in their hands, the coaching staff and I are simply there to micro-manage the details.
GM: How would you describe your coaching style?
CC: That is very good question. I would have to say that I am very relaxed. I do not like to add more pressure than is already on the girls during games. I do not do a lot of screaming, and I also do not constantly give instructions from the sidelines during contests. I would have to say that I try to teach the most through practices, and halftimes, and off-the-field time that I have with the team.
GM: How do you prepare your team for games?
CC: As a coach and staff, we like to take things game-by-game. We deal with the situations that we are given and adjust our game plans accordingly. We try to look at every opponent as if we have never seen them.
GM: What would you say has been your most memorable moment as the head coach of the Lady Spartans?
CC: Wow...another good question. I would have to say that at this point it would have to be winning the district and region last season. We had a "theme" for our team last year. It was the acronym "RDRS", what it stood for was Regular season champions, District champions, Regional champions, and State champions. We were able to accomplish 3 of the 4. I would also have to say that another moment would be the 2004 state tournament at Radford. The experience of being there and being in a position to win a title was amazing.
