Henry Zapata
Texas State University Associate Women’s Head Coach
United Soccer Coaches Latino Coaches Community Member
Who or what inspired you to pursue coaching?
The thing that inspires me to coach is watching players develop and grow. I enjoy being able to see a player accomplish something that they have worked for and to see the excitement on their face. It’s a great to see them succeed and to know that I was able to help them in some way in their success.
How has being a United Soccer Coaches member benefited you?
One of the major benefits of being a member is the ability to network and connect with other coaches. I have had the opportunity to get to know coaches and people from around the country that I may never have met. It’s a great way to establish friendships and also develop professionally.
What do you feel has been the hardest part of coaching?
The hardest part about coaching is managing the stress that comes with the job. We invest a lot into our team. Sometimes as coaches we become so emotionally attached to the results that its difficult to disconnect from that after a loss. But I have done a better job later in my career to manage the stress and realize there are more important things in life.
How do you measure success with your team?
We measure success by evaluating if we have gotten better in areas we worked on, and if we were the best in the areas we said we would be the best. If we focus on us and taking care of our main areas of focus, then the results will likely come our way.