Brock

The Truth: Why College Soccer Coaches Are Getting Fired The biggest mistake recruits and parents make is thinking a coach gets fired just because the team had a bad season. It’s usually bigger than that. Wins matter. If a program consistently loses, the AD eventually has to make a change. Conference performance matters even more. Missing conference tournaments year after year is a major red flag. Recruiting results matter. If the coach can’t bring in players capable of competing at that level, the program usually doesn’t improve. Player development matters. ADs want to see players getting better, not just highly rated recruits arriving. Roster management matters. The transfer portal, fifth-year players and roster turnover have changed the job dramatically. Expectations matter. A 7–8–3 record might be acceptable at one school and completely unacceptable at another. Money matters. Scholarships, facilities, staff salaries and athletics-department expectations create pressure to produce results. Culture matters. Player retention, locker-room issues and complaints can become bigger than what happens on the field. Alumni and administration matter. At some schools, there is enormous pressure to get the program back to where it was. Sometimes the coach simply isn’t the right fit anymore. And here’s the harshest truth for recruits: Your college coach’s job security can affect YOUR career. A coach who recruited you may be gone before you graduate. The new coach may bring in a completely different system, recruiting philosophy and roster. Look at what’s happening right now: USC, Tennessee, Missouri and many more have all moved on from their women’s soccer head coaches. Recruits need to research the program, not just the coach. Because you aren’t committing to a coach for four years. You’re committing to a college soccer program. #CSTruth