Background/Purpose
Having a specific philosophy for coaching has been recommended for years and been examined in greater depth recently (Becker, 2009). However, published information about coaches' philosophies for specific offensive/defensive formations is rare as is information on the recruiting philosophies of collegiate coaches.
Method
Following IRB approval, six collegiate head soccer coaches were interviewed. Each interview included the same initial questions, exceeded 60 minutes and was transcribed verbatim. Prior to analysis, member-checking was completed by sending the transcripts to participants for additions or clarifications. Both researchers independently analyzed the data and discussed meaningful data units.
Analysis/Results
Changes to system of play (SOP) and influential recruiting factors were the resulting themes. Reasons for and against making changes to a coach's SOP were discussed by all participants. Key elements of the decision revolved around the gender and coachability of their players. Influential recruiting factors focused on how coaches gather information about recruits and balancing ability versus character in recruits. One of the most important recruiting factors for the participants was the recruit's relationship with his/her parents.
Conclusions
Most coaches in most sports institute a SOP for offense/defense. However, the factors involved in deciding when to make a change are not well documented and are of relevance to coaches from different sports across different levels of competition. Information on recruiting is generally a well-guarded secret, but the results from this study provide a depth of understanding of the recruiting practices yielding information for college and high school coaches and parents.