Jessie James
Washington Premier League Academy
Sumner, WA
Who or what inspired you to pursue coaching?
When I finished playing in college, I was able to return to my Community College in Tacoma and begin coaching as an assistant. The head coach, Ken Fox, was a great mentor to me as a player and a new coach. His knowledge of the game and his demeanor toward his players, opponents and referees was an inspiring example to me as I started out. He opened the door and provided an opportunity for me to coach as his successor, and it was a valuable learning experience. My time coaching at the college level also made me realize that I may be a better fit for youth coaching!
How has being a United Soccer Coaches member benefited you?
Very simply put- the wonderful networking opportunities! The courses are designed to connect people while you learn, and sometimes the networking opportunities you have during a course can be just as valuable as the course content as you progress in coaching.
I have had a goal of being a coach educator for many years, and United Soccer Coaches has provided me with this opportunity. My recent coaching education apprenticeship has been the starting point of some great friendships and collaboration, and I look forward to further connection with all coaches as I teach future courses.
United Soccer Coaches also offers specialized communities such as “women coaches” and “moms who coach” that has put me in touch with female coaches that I would not have otherwise met.
What do you feel has been the hardest part of coaching?
Coaching in a male-dominated field can be challenging. Especially as I was starting out, fewer women in leadership roles resulted in limited mentorship opportunities from female coaches. Sometimes I would be the only female in a coaching course, and being underrepresented sometimes fueled feelings of not belonging, even if my performance was strong.
Even now, although the female presence is improving in the game, women are often expected to balance caregiving/parenting and their professional responsibilities, which further limits career progression and can lead to burnout.
It’s so important for women in the game to seek out one another for support and always lift one another up, as well as connecting with male allies who want to promote inclusivity. I believe we can expect to see continued progress with fair hiring and promotion policies, more women in leadership roles, and more female players able to continue sharing their love of the game as coaches.
How do you measure success with your team?
The best measures of success certainly go beyond wins and losses, as that doesn’t tell the whole story of your team’s journey. To measure success, you first need to set short and long-term goals for a universal definition of success among your team. Perhaps your team wants to see improvement in certain stats from last year, improve depth and knowledge of positional roles, or demonstrate cohesion and morale amongst the team. Whatever is decided, it must be measurable, attainable and tracked throughout the season.
Individual Development Plans are also an important part of measuring an individual’s progress. Guided goalsetting, self-assessing and striving for further improvement is vital to improve as a player. If you have a team full of players with a growth mindset, that is a great starting point for a successful season.
If applicable, what has been your favorite United Soccer Coaches activity and why?
I really enjoyed the “Director of Coaching” Course. There were many elements to running a club or guiding coaches that were discussed, and a big part of a club’s success is “off the field” management. I learned a lot about the financial, ethical, and methodological aspects of running a club, and I felt I was a more well-rounded coach following that course.