After hearing from players and parents, an amazing panel of Rush Coaches and Directors discussed concepts and ways to improve how players, parents, and coaches go through one of the most stressful periods of the season.
July 26, 2021
Rush Coaches Debate: Going Through Tryouts
When Chris P. , Rush Soccer’s Developmental Director, suggested that we should dedicate the whole month to analyze Tryouts, we decided to give the same priority to every party involved: Players, Parents, and Coaches.
That’s why Chris hosted two wonderful webinars, first with players and later with parents, and received some key suggestions and concerns for this stressful part of the season. Let’s now hear from the coaches.
- Daouda Kante – Kansas Rush.
- Randall Porter – Kansas Rush.
- Paul Furlong – Lobos TN Rush.
The goal of the discussion was to check if clubs grew during the process and how the experience could be refined for all involved. The process is stressful for all, that we all know.
Is it a regional, National or a state to state problem? How can we conduct the process more efficiently and effectively? And what methods do you feel that would provide coaches an easier way to measure performances that they can later share with players who didn’t make the top team, or didn’t make the team at all? Those are some of the questions posted during the meeting.
Both parents and players suggested that communication must be clear and face to face , whether the player made the team or not. Paul Furlong highlighted that aspect as well, stating that communication, even if it’s already adequate, should always be a priority to improve.
Another point that was remarked by Paul and Randall related to the individual experience that each child has with their coach. They both emphasized that putting better coaches with the younger age groups helps to develop them , not only from a technical standpoint but also to ensure these are coaches committed to the group and willing to go above and beyond expectations and minimum standards. Moreover, their objective is to provide a consistent experience regardless of league or level.
On a different note, Randall pointed out the incidence of state rules. In their case, tryouts must be run on the same day as the other clubs. That affects the dynamic of the process, as from a business standpoint, they are in need of making offers on day one or get ready to lose players from the club.
Complementary to this concept, Paul made a comment on how success tends to breed success . For example, if one branch had a strong 2010 group, players from other branches would migrate there. At Lobos, the pathway is defined early and the Developmental and Recreational branches do lots of work to help these players develop into the travel program, Some of the initiatives taken are weekly training sessions with competitive coaches and holding consistent meetings. Kansas Rush, with the same objective, holds a couple clinics in the fall and spring with the travel coaches.
Thanks to Paul, Randall and Daouda for their contributions, Kristian Bates PA Rush TD shared via email some of their secrets and couldn’t join us as he was in Greece with Rush Select. And congratulations to TN Lobos Rush for having 4 teams at USYS National Championships in Florida this summer!
Now it’s time to hear from you, coach. Did we miss any key point? How would you improve the Tryouts period?
The post Rush Coaches Debate: Going Through Tryouts appeared first on Rush Soccer.
Introducing the Coastal Rush Coaching Staff for 2025-2026 Coastal Rush is excited to announce our coaching staff for the upcoming season. Our team brings together experienced professionals dedicated to developing young talent and advancing our players to the next level. ECNL-RL Assignments: Boys: 2013 Boys - Ryan Goldsmith 2012 Boys - Kyle Sealy 2011 Boys - Kyle Sealy 2010 Boys - Dean Logan 2009 Boys - Dean Logan 07/08 Boys - Peter Fuller Girls: 2013 Girls - Michael Munoz 2012 Girls - Chandler Castleman 2011 Girls - Bert Gatica 2010 Girls - Rob Simon 2009 Girls - Rob Simon 07/08 Girls - Austin King Leadership Team: Sporting Director: Bill Elliott Registrar: Whitney Sumrall Coastal Rush Program Director: Kyle Sealy Managing Director: John Guidroz Support Staff: Girls Program Advisor: Joe Bartlinski FL Girls College Placement Advisor: Jason Providence FL Boys College Placement Advisor: Felipe Lawall AL College Placement Advisor: Nick Cooper Pre-ECNL Director: Michael Munoz Goalkeeper Director: Rudy Seelman Our coaching staff is committed to providing the highest quality training and development opportunities for our Coastal Rush players. Together, our leadership team and support staff work to create an environment where players can achieve their full potential both on and off the field. If your interested in tryout out for a Coastal Rush team go here
We’re excited to announce that Coastal Rush will be moving from the Florida ECNL Regional League to the Gulf Coast ECNL RL for the upcoming 2025–26 season. Over the past two years in the Florida ECNL-RL, our program has recorded over 200 victories, earned multiple state championships, and developed dozens of players now on the path to collegiate opportunities. We are incredibly proud of what our players, coaches, and families have achieved during this period. The Directors and Leadership team at Florida Club League have been outstanding and we appreciate all their leadership and support! This move to the Gulf Coast RL is a strategic decision that will benefit our players and families in multiple ways: 1. Improved Travel and Geographic Efficiency: The newly formed Gulf Coast division of ECNL RL includes clubs that are closer in proximity to Coastal Rush, reducing the burden of travel for families and allowing for more efficient scheduling. We expect this change to save our families thousands in travel costs. 2. Continued Access to Top-Level Competition: This division resembles the old NPL, however, it has been strengthened by the removal of lower-tier teams and the addition and/or growth of several top-level clubs. These changes should create a new and challenging environment for our players and coaches. 3. National League Showcase Access: ECNL has informed Coastal Rush that, in addition to attending Regional League showcases as we have done in the past, we have earned access to National League showcases for the 25/26 season. Also, ECNL leadership has indicated that we can expect an invitation to participate in the ECNL-RL Leaders Cup. (a new competition for the nation’s top-performing RL clubs) Coastal Rush will continue to ensure our older teams participate in high-level college recruiting events. NOTE: Coastal Rush has had over 80 players sign for college in the last 2 Seasons. 4. Stronger Alignment with ECNL Structure: ECNL has informed Coastal Rush that the Gulf Coast division better aligns our club for potential future promotion into the National League as ECNL expansion continues. While the league changes, our goals remain the same: to develop top-level talent, provide meaningful competition, and prepare our players for collegiate and beyond. We are grateful to our families, coaches, and partners for their ongoing support. We can’t wait for this next chapter in the Coastal Rush journey! Stay tuned for tryout dates, updated match schedules, and more info coming soon. You can visit the links below to see how our Coastal Teams are currently performing in the Florida RL League. Coastal Rush Current ECNL-RL Standings Season 2024/2025: Boys Current Standing Girls Current Standing For more information on our 2025/2025 tryouts, please visit the link below where you can also submit any questions for the upcoming season.
Coastal Welcomes the Newly Formed Mobile United Rush
