Erica Demers
Women’s Soccer Head Coach
University of Cincinnati
Who or what inspired you to pursue coaching?
The most in?uen:al ?gure in my decision to pursue coaching was Nick O’Shea, my head coach at Oakland University. As a player, I was studying Physical Therapy with no immediate plans to enter the coaching profession. That changed during my sophomore summer, when I stayed on campus to assist with soccer The experience sparked a genuine passion for coaching, and Coach O’Shea recognized it before I did — encouraging me to consider turning that passion into a career. His support and con?dence were instrumental in shaping my path, and he con:nues to serve as a valued mentor throughout my career.
How has being a United Soccer Coaches member bene?ted you?
I, thankfully, have been a part of the associa:on in a very meaningful way in that I have been on sta? for the past 10 years as a program assistant. This role has been extremely bene?:ng in expanding my network and learning more about the game from di?erent viewpoints. Secondly, as a head coach, pushing my assistants to join and learn from events, speci?cally the yearly conven:on, have helped assist in their growth of the game in both elements on and o? the ?eld. Overall, very appreciative to learn from so many coaches from all levels, experiences, and background. Love how this sport can bring so many together!
What do you feel has been the hardest part of coaching?
Two things have made this job par:cularly challenging lately: the constantly shi[ing landscape of college athle:cs, and the way those changes have disrupted player development within programs. At the heart of why I coach is my passion for mentoring young women — especially as a female head coach. Growing up, I had just one female coach as a youth player, and only one during my en:re four-year college career. That experience drives me. Helping these players grow into con?dent, capable young women ready to take on the real world is what this is all about for me. Unfortunately, the transfer portal, roster rule changes, and the in?ux of money into college athle:cs have fundamentally altered what this environment used to look like — and that tension is something I navigate every day.
How do you measure success with your team?
For me, the most important measure of success as a college coach has remained constant regardless of how much the landscape of the game has changed — and that is culture. A truly successful program is one where the values ins:lled don’t just live on a wall or show up during the season, but become a part of who our players are long a[er they’ve moved on. The real measure is how they talk about their experience years later, when they’re naviga:ng careers, rela:onships, and the challenges of everyday life. I want our players to hold themselves accountable when they fall short, push through adversity, and ?nd the strength to keep going when things get hard. That resilience, that character — that is what I’m building toward. Winning is important and more so that ever, being at a higher level in my career, but my goal is that wins validate the culture being established.
