Bob Chinn
Bolden Lions
Cimarron Memorial High School
Las Vegas, NV
Who or what inspired you to pursue coaching?
As a kid growing up, my Dad coached our baseball team. I remember being the first to the field and the last to leave. I remember driving an extra 20 minutes to pick up a kid who did not have a ride so they could be a part of the team.
Secondly, working for 30 plus years in Law Enforcement with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, I saw a lot of kids/people in need. They did not have the resources or a support group in their lives that could help them improve their situation both short and long term. Law Enforcement at times can get a bad rap, but you are meeting people on their worst day under the worst circumstances.
As a Coach in the Police Athletic League, I enjoyed working with the kids/youth and their families. Our goal was not as much about winning games but winning in life. We wanted to give players and their families an opportunity to see that there could be a better path out of their circumstances. These are good kids, they just need help in how to navigate life.
Seeing the difference in what a Coach/Mentor could make in a young person’s life and the ripple effect of that led me to go into coaching kids who could not afford to play for a club. I enjoy working with inner city kids who are looking to be a part of a Team. Our main goal is not to win games, but to change lives for the better while being competitive on the field.
How has being a United Soccer Coaches member benefited you?
I have truly enjoyed my membership with United Soccer Coaches. The other coaches I have met and become friends with are awesome. Their knowledge is a great resource. Being a part of Faith Based Coaches allows us to not only share soccer but even more importantly our Faith. Talking about coaching with faith-based coaches helps us stay grounded into why and how we coach. I really enjoy being a part of the Coaches Communities.
United Soccer Coaches also provides great resources that are available for college, high school and youth coaches at all levels. The Convention is always a great learning experience and place to connect with other coaches. The resources available through United Soccer Coaches benefit both myself and our players.
What do you feel has been the hardest part of coaching?
For me it is understanding why any player may not want to improve their situation or are not willing to put in the work needed to improve both on and off the field. Then, at times even when they want to, they do not have the family support needed.
Even though we cover uniforms, tournament fees, field and lights fees and our coaches are volunteers, we do require players to work hard and keep their grades up. The work ethic and commitment are not always there. I know in talking to high school and club coaches, they are faced with the same commitment issues. As coaches, we must keep trying and figuring out what makes each player tick. We try and ask each player what they are looking for from their soccer/team experience. Then try and balance that with the team needs is not always easy.
How do you measure success with your team?
For our teams from middle school, high school and club, we look at the improvement of the players both off and on the field. In high school, we do mandatory grade checks to make sure they are keeping up on their grades. In club, we still do grade checks as we want the players to understand how important grades really are. We help them understand without good grades, doors will close on you. With good grades, doors will open for you. The same is true for education in that with a high school degree, doors will open for you. With a college degree or trade school, even more doors will open for you. We strongly encourage them to go onto college and play soccer but most importantly get a degree that will help them be able to make a good living and make a positive difference in the world. If college is not the best fit for them, we work with them on looking at and applying to a trade school, so they have a skill that is desired right out of High School.
Having been blessed to coach at a very good private High School and now a Title 1 High School you learn that the kids are basically the same. The challenge becomes what resources are available at each school and for each young adult or player. This can be from not having soccer goals or anything close to a practice field, to some kids having to work after school, while others are playing in a high-level club after school.
For High School we offered a study hall so they could do their schoolwork in a safe space while waiting for training to start. With space issues, we must adjust when and where we can train. At other schools, they can train right after school. Each program is faced with its own challenges; we work together to make it work the best for all the kids.
Working with the Police Athletic League and other Foundations we do several Community Service events each season. This helps the players see how they can make a positive difference just by giving their time and energy. We hope they learn by giving that you receive more than you gave.
I have been blessed to have been a part of 3 State Championships. One Team went 49 games in a row undefeated and if not for Covid issues would have made that streak into the high 60’s. I do believe you can balance winning while still looking at long term development both on and off the field. I try and adjust my coaching and goals based on each team each year but stay grounded in why and how I coach.
If applicable, what has been your favorite United Soccer Coaches activity and why?
My favorite United Soccer Coaches course was for my National Diploma. I choose a location in North Carolina because I wanted to see and meet coaches who might have a different perspective from the western United States. The course was very good, and I enjoyed the classroom discussions as well as the field sessions. In the classroom it was fun to talk about the differences between different programs and styles of play. The conversations reference at that time of the growing trend of the play-to-pay concept was lively as were those on the ethics of coaching to win at all costs versus the development of players.