Podcast: Soccer! (with Darren Allen)

Darren Allen led Mount Abram to a state title in 2023 and was named the United Soccer Coaches Small Public Schools National Coach of the Year. After a season on the couch, he back on the sidelines, this time rebuilding a Spruce Mountain squad that's newly back playing 11-man after a couple of years in 8-man, and more!

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Transcript (auto-generated)

0:02

Welcome to the Maine basketball Rankings podcast.I'm your host, Basketball data Nur Lucas McNelly.Well, we had something different in mind for the intro of this, but then the news did the news and we're going to talk about the NBA for just a minute.If you haven't seen Pablo Torre of Pablo Torre Finds out, which is the one of the best names you could possibly have for a podcast about investigative journalism has the story.

0:26

And you should really go listen to his podcast if you haven't already that the Clippers allegedly were using a shady sort of no show job to funnel Kawhi Leonard $28 million in a circumventing the salary Gavin.

0:49

Now, a lot of people have made the very good joke that they thought basketball was Kawhi Leonard's no show job.But in fact, it appears he was being paid a lot of money to endorse this product that he wasn't endorsing and didn't have to endorse and didn't have to do a single thing if he didn't feel like it, which being Kawhi Leonard, he did not.

1:12

And so this isn't really an NBA podcast.And so I that's not really why I'm talking about this.It's more because if you listen to 10 Minutes of the show and it's a fascinating show, and Pablo Torre's really been on a heater on this show and digging stuff up and sort of wrecking the NFL Players Association's leadership who was doing some shady things.

1:36

And it seems like he's just wrecked Steve Ballmer's shady things that he was allegedly doing.You can tell really quickly that this isn't a thing where Pablo Torre heard a thing from a guy and then put it on Instagram for the clicks.

1:53

And then, oh, well, we'll see what happens.This is a heavily researched thing.It appears that he spent months researching this, meticulously verifying things and really digging into it.And I think it just goes to show that in the world being what it is, it's very important to remember the value of independent journalism and to remember the value of people really digging in and doing the work to do the job correctly.

2:26

And I'm, I not really a journalist, but I've done some journalism and I can tell you that it's very hard and it takes a lot of work.And it's not something that you just sort of half ass slap, dash it on and go about your day and hope the clicks roll in.

2:43

But it's also very important because there's, there's no way something like this gets uncovered if it is in fact true without someone like that or people like that really doing the work.And so I just want to say that for our purposes, you know, local journalism is, is essential and local journalism in the state of Maine is, is struggling with The Maine Trust for local news having their struggles and the newspaper industry in general and the median industry in general.

3:14

So anytime we've got this sort of like real journalism happening, that's awesome and we should encourage it and we should promote it as much as we can, which is to say.But what's also very annoying about this is that how so many outlets and Noah Dazzell for who covers the Celtics pointed this out is that so many people were just sort of burying the part where someone did did a journalism to figure this out.

3:40

And like, there's one outlet that had their headline was, you know, Clippers, Kwai Leonard, no show job, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, according to accusations by former staffers or something like that.And just completely burying the fact that an actual journalist did the hard work to get this information because the the staffer did not come to this guy and say, hey, we have a story for you.

4:08

He found them and he came to them and he got them to go on record.And I think my favorite part of the whole episode is that they had to, they could only get this guy on the record if they used the voice modulation thing that like, you know, they do on the news where they black the guy's face out there that he has the.

4:26

Weird voice that like San Jose.And they were just, I thought it was great.They were so excited that they got to actually use that in a real thing because it's just such a trope of movies or TV shows like cop shows or whatever.

4:43

But I thought that was just hilarious that they were just the most excited to be able to use that.But you know, he had to come to the he tracked these people down and he found them and he talk to them and probably, and it sounds like it took a lot of convincing to get them go to go on the record.

5:00

And this whole thing doesn't work if he doesn't get these people on the inside to go on the record.So to whitewash and ignore his contribution in order to promote your own clicks and your own media outlet is just kind of gross.

5:17

And I hate it.And it's just a thing to remember that we really need independent journalism now more than ever.And we need to promote it and we need to not pretend that we came up with it when in fact we are just doing someone else's, taking someone else's work and taking credit for it.

5:36

So and rant today also, if you're listening to this on this, I'm pretty sure this is going to come out on Thursday.I'm recording this Wednesday night.Today is the first day of fall sports.Football is starting a little early because of the ref shortage that is ongoing.

5:53

Varsity Maine has, and I forgot who wrote it now.I think it was, I want to say it was Travis Lazarek, whose name I never pronounced correctly.I think he wrote the article about how they need to start adding some Thursday games because there's just not enough refs and because there's a ref shortage.

6:11

So if you think you would enjoy being a ref, go be a ref.Learn, take the courses.It's not as terrible as it looks.I've I stand next to the football games and they seem to be enjoying themselves for the most part and cracking jokes and often asking me for scores from other games.

6:28

So, you know, it's a fun little part of the community.And I think you know, you, if you've got into repping, you'd really enjoy it.So, you know, do that.Other than that, today's a soccer episode.Darren Allen from Spruce Mountain is here.We talked about him building a youth program completely from scratch at Mount Abraham, winning the National Small Public High School Coach of the Year award, which is a very prestigious award, and a bunch of other stuff.

6:58

So I believe you will enjoy that.And then if you haven't already, there's the subscription at the website mainbasketballrankings.com.There's the newsletter, which is going to go 2, maybe 3 times a week.So sign up for that.

7:14

Sign up for the heel points, which right now I can promise you are a lot better than the heel points on the MP AS website, which is still a mess. 6 bucks bucks a month, totally worth it and helps me, allows me to do more stuff like this.Also, if you haven't subscribed to the podcast, subscribe to the podcast where you subscribe to podcast.

7:34

So now, without further delay, let's go to my conversation with Darren Allen.My guest today is the head soccer coach of Spruce Mountain and the 2023 National Soccer Coach of the Year.

7:50

Darren Allen, thanks for joining me.Thank you for having me, Lucas.It's so I we've been trying to do this for a while.You're the very first soccer coach to be on the podcast.And I'm going to be very careful not to use my hands because I know you guys hate that, but.

8:06

No, I don't mind hands.I use my hands all the time.All right, great, 'cause I know soccer guys sometimes they're like, oh, you touch them all with your hands.It's the whole thing and I don't know.I, I got, I got chastised by some of our fans last last night had a scrimmage and I was they said they could see me from the sidelines and I was really animated with my hands during the halftime speech.

8:26

It was a little Bobby Knight type of speech at halftime and of.Course you know.Who Bobby Knight is.No, of course not.I'm dating myself.Did you throw a chair at anybody?I did not.No.Well, you probably don't have a chair.

8:42

I have a bucket that I sit on like a baseball bucket.You could throw a bucket, sure, that would work.Yes.I've I've seen, I've seen coaches have the clipboard and they have like a like a cheap backup one that they'll break at halftime.

9:00

No, I don't have a clipboard.Just for the effect, you know, just like, OK, all right.So the first question is you played at Mount Abram and then at EU Main Presque Isle.And so the question to you is, how would Coach Allen game plan against young standout Darren Allen?

9:21

Get under his skin.Yeah.Get under his skin, yeah.Used to be a little bit of a hot head, yeah.But I think we all.Used to be a little bit of a hot head.As we age, we become more calm.So that's that would be the trick, get under your skin and maybe hope you get a a red card or something.

9:38

Yeah, I did get potatoes thrown at me at several games that you may impress Kyle when we went visiting, especially at Thomas College.Yeah, they're throwing potatoes.Yeah, 'cause it's the county, you know, they were throwing potatoes at us.OK, so I read a thing, a Mike Mandel article about your Western Main Conference showcase thing in the summer, and you had to buy extra potatoes.

10:01

What was that?I read it very quickly and I was like, why aren't we talking about potatoes?I'm not sure what that's about.OK.I didn't see that article by Mike Mantell.OK, it was a couple years ago and I was just, I was trying, you know, doing a little bit of research and then he's talking about how you're like, I got 600 lbs of potatoes and now I got to get more potatoes and.

10:23

Oh, I know.Or something.The Western yeah.So you, my wife and I used to run the Western Mountain 77.That's what he's talking about, all the potatoes, yeah.I had to go out and get buy more potatoes because we ran out.Yeah, £600 for the French, just.To just to feed out could feed kids and stuff.

10:40

Yeah, yeah.OK.All right.OK.That's I got it.I was a little.Confused days.Yeah.It was just, it's like, what are we talking about here?And I know Mandel wouldn't just throw in potatoes for no reason.He's not that sort of eccentric.

10:56

Eccentric.Yeah.I got and now I got it.Now I got it.OK.All right.So you were the 2023 United Soccer Coaches small public School coach of the year.Is that that's right, right.That's correct, yeah.OK, so there's a lot of small public schools in these United States.

11:15

How?There is.I'm not, I'm not discounting the accomplishment at all or anything like that.I'm just wondering how do you even get on the radar for that cause how many thousands of schools are there?Yeah, it's like a, it's a huge process.So like you start out like you have to.

11:32

It's, it's a sequence.So you have to see I'm using my hands 'cause I'm.That's how I do things.Well, a basketball guy, we'll do it.So it starts out with like your main United soccer coaches of Maine, they vote and so you win the state and then you go to the regional, which is basically New England.

11:53

And if you win that, you're automatically qualify for the national.And I can't remember how many regions there are in the United States, but there's quite a few.So, you know, I, I remember the story because I was sitting on my couch and, you know, and I was going to the, the, the conference that year was in Los Angeles.

12:14

So I remember sitting on the couch and like, Oh yeah, I just bought my tickets like 2 days before and I get this, you know, out of state phone number on my cell phone.And we're always like, oh, it's a, it's a robocall.You know, if it's important, they'll leave a message.And it actually was the director of the, you know, that handed out the award to me at the banquet in Los Angeles, calling me to tell me that I had won.

12:39

And I let him go to voicemail and he left a message and said, hey, you want to call me back, 'cause you know, I got something to talk about.And so I thought I was about my tickets to the banquet or something.You weren't allowed in.Yeah, so I called him back and he told me I won.

12:55

I'm like, wow, I should have answered my phone.So that's how I found out.So it's a little bit like teacher of the year, how you're like, you're the teacher of the school nominates teacher.And then it's like the whatever the district or the.Right.The yeah, I can't think of names now.

13:12

And then it's just sort of it's a winnowing process like that.Yes, yeah.You keep keep stepping up, you keep going.Yeah.OK, so that was the year you guys won, I believe the first state championship in Mount Abraham history.You guys gave up three goals on the entire season, 15 shutouts, which is just an insane defense.

13:33

It was, it was crazy.Yeah.That was a crazy season, you know?Yeah, Yeah.That's all true.Was was that one of those teams where you are thinking to yourself, like in the preseason, like this time of year going, boy, this is a team, this is championship or bust, or did it progress as the season went along?

13:53

Or are you one of those coaches who's always sort of sandbagging?I had Ryan Snell on last week, Madonna's coach, and he's like, we're going to go, oh, and eight.I'm like, I don't think you are, but OK.I mean, I'm not that bad.I know, I know we, we had the potential, you know, we have gone to the regional final before that two year straight.

14:10

So I knew we could possibly get there.But in soccer anything can happen because it's one of those games where you can completely dominate and still lose 1 nothing.So I I'm cautiously optimistic that season.I knew we were, I mean, we had some fantastic kids and players, but I really knew the night we went down to Greeley and beat Greeley on their home pitch and beat them one nil.

14:34

And I think that was their only home loss of the season.And really people started like looking at us, you know, we're at that time, Mount Abram most still is, is a very small school, you know, in the western main mountains, very rural, not a lot of community programs for the kids to play soccer.

14:54

So that was something cool and stuff.So when I when we beat Greeley, I kind of knew that yeah, this could happen, but we still had to think.It was a second last game this season.So I kind of really knew that our we had a very good possibility to to at least make it to the state game.

15:12

So you were there 17 years, and if there's not a lot of community soccer, how do you build a feeder program?You're looking at the person, along with others that built the community program.Yeah.So I have a good friend, Mark Keller and I started a rec soccer program in 2008, I believe.

15:35

We went to the national conference together.We rode down with his brother, Michael Keller.He used to be the University of Southern Maine men's soccer coach.And on the way home, we talked about because we drove to Baltimore, so we had a lot of time to talk.It's a lot of time, yeah.Yeah, in my minivan, you know, the man van, as we call it, called it because it's no longer with us.

15:55

And we talked about it on the way home.And so we started it.And we also ran an indoor program for kids grades one through 1 through 9, one through 8 in the the seasons between basketball and baseball.

16:11

So you're essentially trying to, you got to recruit coaches to do this and like volunteers and stuff like that.Yeah, we used the high school kids to do that.Mostly, yeah.OK, That makes sense.That makes sense.And so then it's a long culmination in the in the state championship game.

16:30

And then I think one thing that I remember from that game, even when it happened in 2023, is the photo that the Sun Journal used of you holding up the trophy.And like the amount of joy on your face is the sort of thing you only see from the players in that situation, cause the coaches try to play it a little cooler.

16:48

But I I was just really struck by the amount of joy in that photo.Yeah, yeah, that's probably my the highlight of my coaching career so far.So far, yeah.Was that photo?Yeah.Was it just sort of like a release of emotion of like all sort of building up to that to that time?

17:07

Yeah, I think it was.I think I said 17 years of of work into that one moment.Yeah.OK.So then I want to pivot a little bit reading the stuff.So you left Mount Abram and you took a year off and part of the reason was because of the stipend at Mount Abram, which was the, I believe the lowest in the conference.

17:30

And I don't mean to like drag on Mount Abram, but I sort of want to highlight to people how low these stipends are across all the sports in the state and I'm assuming in other states.So your stipend, if you don't mind me saying what it was because it was in the article, was 3300 dollars, $33156, which for the amount of hours, I think people don't realize how little per hour that is when the parents are like standing on the sidelines, like running their mouths and complaining about the coach and why isn't the coach doing this and why isn't the coach doing that.

18:04

And it's like the coach is making like $1.50 an hour here.So yes, cut him some slack.Yeah, yeah, yeah.A lot of time, a lot of dedication went into that, yeah.Is that a thing to parents?

18:19

In your experience?Do they realize like how this is essentially a volunteer job?I think so.I think so, but I think it goes away when they have they have an issue, you know, with, you know, whatever the issue is, I think it goes away.

18:37

It doesn't matter.You know, you're still in a in a a job of authority, so to speak, even though, you know, that's really crazy pay.But you know, a lot of times you do it for the love and and I mean, coaches wouldn't do it.

18:55

I mean, right, wouldn't do it if they didn't let I love it, you know, And yeah, so I don't think parents at that time when they're complaining like that 150 an hour.He's still at a point of a.'Cause they'll complain, they'll complain about the high school kid who's doing it absolutely for free.

19:12

Oh yeah, absolutely.Refereeing a rec game for free?Yes.Yeah, yeah.And it's the same with the refs.If you talk to a ref and and see how much they actually make and how many hours they spend going bouncing around the state and the amount of travel, it's nuts how little people are making.

19:32

Yeah, it is.Yeah.Is there anything we can like is this sort of is this fixable problem?Is there anything we can do?Is it just budgets are terrible and seem everything seems to be getting more expensive?Yeah, I don't know what the solution is to that.

19:49

I mean, try to have some empathy for these people that are in the positions of power.I'm like, yeah.I think a lot of times, though, I mean, it's it's not going to go away altogether, obviously.But I mean, and some officials are going to make some bad calls.

20:06

That's just part of the game, you know?And some, Kate, coaches are going to, I mean, well, all coaches are going to make mistakes.We all make mistakes, you know.Just part of the game, but I don't know really what the solution is.Because even if you guys 'cause you guys are raising money like everybody's raising money for whatever and but that all goes right back into the team.

20:28

You're buying the program.You're buying cleats, you're buying shin guards, you're buying whatever is needed.That's not a thing where you're like, wow, you might take 20% off the top here, right, Right.You know, equipment.You know, some people don't think there's a lot of coaching equipment.

20:46

It comes to soccer wrong.There's a lot of equipment.What?Equipment is there because that would be my first thought.I would be like, oh, you need a ball, you need a couple cleats.You don't have to wear, don't have to wear mouth guards anymore.

21:02

That's been a pleasant surprise.Yeah.This is the first time I've coached, I think in high school.Where besides New Jersey, where I coached before, we don't need mouth guards.I used to have my bucket used to be just full of mouth guards because kids would chew on them like puppies and they would be nothing left like this and they need a mouth guard.

21:23

So I just reach into my bucket and give a mouth guard.So.But we don't have to do that.Anymore the bucket is new mouth guards, right?Yes, the bucket is new mouth guards.I used to joke because on the soccer field it was chewed up.

21:38

Mouth guards.I say no, we have turf because we got the rubber pellets in the ground because from the mouth guards.So because the kids would chew them.So yeah.That's gone.So that's that's good.No more mouth guards.That's been a what?It's been a plus.What was the controversy there?

21:54

Because I sort of remember hearing about that in passing and I was like, mouth guards, Don't they need mouth guards?I mean, you're getting hit in the face.You're hitting the ball on purpose with your head.I believe that the state of Maine was the only state in the United States that required soccer to have mouth guards.

22:10

I could be wrong on that, but I know a number of coaches went to the MPA and did a lot of research on, you know, why we shouldn't wear mouth guards.It should be a choice, a parental decision, not mandatory.It was basically we were told when it first came out was for reduced concussions.

22:30

It would reduce concussions.Yes.Wearing I would think the mouth guard would help with the concussions.I don't know I had kids get concussions and they were wearing the mouth guard so but I'm not a doctor and I didn't do I don't have any compiled any research whatsoever.

22:48

I just my gut and what I've seen mouth guards were not helping the game all.Right, So now you're at Spruce.Spruce was in eight man and it looks like if I'm reading the MP as website correctly, which right now it's a mess.

23:09

It's it looks like you guys most successfully moved back up to 11 man, is that correct?Yes, that is correct.Yeah.OK, good.So the up site's been updated.Website's been updated that that at least it's not all the schedules are in season starts tomorrow.

23:24

But OK, you in a couple articles I read you were a little worried about coaching eight man.What's the big difference did you find?Cuz I'm sure you went down the road of trying to figure out, you know, what's going to work in eight man that doesn't work in 11 man, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

23:42

Yeah, and thankfully I don't have to coach eight man 888 aside, there's a ton of space because the field is the same size and there was just a ton of space for these kids to run.

23:58

You know, I'd never saw A to side game, a regular season, A to side game per SE.So I don't, you know, in our tournament that I used to run with my wife, we shrunk the field and we had seven aside.

24:14

Yeah, we shrunk the field.So focuses more on touches.It just basically modelled the US Soccer Federation guidelines 'cause when you play like U under 10 or U-12, the field is much smaller.The goals are smaller and the kids are smaller.

24:30

So it focuses on touches and not so much more, not so much on athleticism.So like I, I, I'm extremely happy we're not playing A to side 'cause I'm not sure how I would have tackled that.I did a little research and then my AD said, well, don't worry, you're not going A to side.

24:48

And when I had 30 kids show up on my room in the spring to play, wanted to play soccer because they only had like 16 before, the year before, I was like, wow, I guess we're not going A to side.We're going 11 side, which I'm way more comfortable.With and one reason they're like in the under 10 or whatever they're shrinking the field is because the the little kids would get exhausted, right just going up.

25:10

And down, absolutely.Yeah, it's it's, yeah, it's trying to simulate the size and just trying to like shrink the field to have size appropriate.I mean, US Soccer Federation has has it all figured out so.So that's kind of the equivalent of playing on the 8 foot hoops when you're a little kid.

25:27

Yes, absolutely.Smaller ball.I don't they use a smaller ball in basketball.Sorry I don't know much about.They use a youth ball.Yeah, they use a youth ball that's I think it's a little smaller than a girl's ball, I think.I'm pretty sure.Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what they do.

25:45

OK, so so you're now you're an 11 man, It's a new program how not to get you put on a bulletin board anywhere.But how?What's the outlook for this season?We're looking to be competitive.You know, we just finished our pre season last night, went to Lake Region, didn't have a particularly great first half.

26:08

A second-half was better.I'm just trying to teach the kids because the kids, a lot of the kids have never played 11A side in high school.Right.So that they were an 8 man for a couple years, right?Eight man for like 3 years I believe.I think the last time they're 11 a side was like 2021.

26:24

So a lot of these kids have not played 11A side.So I'm trying to teach positions, trying to teach tactics, trying to teach the shape of our team, defensive alignment.You know, it's been really like going back to basics with this group.

26:42

But they work hard, they listen to good listeners and they go out and they try to execute and, and it's just trying to, in the past, this program's only been around Spruce Mountain's only been around since 2013, I believe.This program hasn't had a tremendous, a lot of success over the years, according to my athletic director.

27:04

So we're just trying to be competitive and trying to grow the program and create a soccer culture at Spruce where there really hasn't been one.Trying to teach the kids.Like right now, one of the things that we're doing, we're playing English Premier League, fantasy league, which, yeah, so a lot of the kids don't even watch soccer on TV.

27:25

So we're trying to have them, you know, choose a favorite team in the Premier League.Some of them don't want to do the premier, Premier League.They want to do La Liga because they're Barcelona fans.La Liga to me, I'm not a big fan of La Liga, but I like the Premier League.

27:42

So we're trying to get him to choose teams and, you know, have a little banter going on and watch some games.So just trying to create that soccer culture.And then on Fridays, tell the kids to wear their favorite soccer team jersey, professional jersey Friday.

27:58

So we do that too.Just trying to get the interests and other kids in school like what's that shirt?Well, this is Everton, this is my team or this is Liverpool.But we don't talk about Liverpool because to the Liverpool, a big no, we don't talk about Liverpool.

28:15

What's wrong with La Liga?Because I don't know enough about soccer to know what that is.La Liga is Spain and it's basically Real Madrid and Barcelona are always the two teams.Sometimes I forget the third team put me on the spot, but it's usually those two teams and there's not really much else changing.

28:33

Everybody else is always like 3rd, 4th or 5th, but it's always Real Madrid, Barcelona.Sometimes, excuse me, Athletico is up there sometimes Athletico Madrid, but.And Real Madrid, just how it spends everybody, right?It's it's crazy money, but Messi come Messi hails from Barcelona.

28:52

That's why a lot of people like Barcelona.But sure, he hasn't been there in quite some time.So.I know who that is.So it's, it's a little bit like I could imagine if you were trying to coach basketball and you had a bunch of kids who'd never watched the NBA and like didn't know who Steph Curry was.

29:09

Like the learning curve has got to be so much higher.Because like, so when my kids ate and we tried to get him to play Little League and youth baseball and he, I don't think he'd ever watched a baseball game, had no interest in watching a Red Sox game or anything.And so you just try to explain to him like, no, no, you have to run to first base now.

29:26

And he sort of looks at you like you're crazy.Like, why?Why am I running to first base?What?What is all this nonsense?What, Like he doesn't even know what a swing looks like.And as many times as you try to get him to do it, he's just like, what?Why am I doing this?What's happening?This isn't Minecraft.

29:42

What are we doing?Here, or as I like to call it, mine.Crap.Yeah.Yeah, I cosign on that.So is that part of the challenge is you just sort of they just don't know what soccer is supposed to look like?They they have more knowledge than like not knowing anything.

30:02

They know the basics.They've been played it the way tried to like put them.The next level up is what I'm trying to do.Teach them overlapping runs, formations, what each position's supposed to do, where are you supposed to go if the ball goes here, the defense is supposed to drop if the other teams midfielder gets the ball because you don't want to be susceptible to the crossing ball in the back, which we got burned on a few times last night, but that sort of thing.

30:31

And I use film a lot too.So we have huddle and we we use film to teach.So we have film sessions during the week.I pick a game and I spend about my sister and I coach Kennebouris, who's a godsend, by the way, because he's a tech wizard.And I'm, I'm like grandpa trying to figure out my my smartphone.

30:50

Oh, gosh.Yeah.So he helps out and, and do stuff like that and try to teach him.I mean, it's going to take some time, obviously, but, you know, I'm very enthusiastic.Kids are like, wow, you really get into this.And I'm like, yeah, it's kind of in our, I was just talking to, did a did a friend check in this morning with the coach Higgins from Yarmouth, the Yarmouth girls coach.

31:14

And we talk once in a while and we're just checking in with each other.And he's a good friend of mine.He's a good guy.And I'm like, yeah, it's just this is this is what I'm doing.I'm going from coaching A-Team who, you know, we're state champions and we're ranked like fifth in the state and in the varsity rankings.

31:33

Going to a team that doesn't understand a lot of higher concepts with soccer.But, you know, it's a challenge and I'm up for the challenge and the juices are flowing.We open a week from we open next Tuesday, you know, and I'm enthusiastic and I hope we can, you know, I think we can win some games.

31:56

I think we can, you know, surprise some people with our pace and athleticism and it's just about growing the program and trying to get the community out there to see us because soccer is not, not huge, not as huge as where I'm coming from.

32:14

And so we'd like to get the community out there and, and, and see what we can do.It's going to take some time.I understand that.But we have some decent players, you know, we, we have some kids who want to learn, they want to get better and it's a challenge.So.

32:32

Going forward, as you build the program, how huge will the World Cup being in the United States be for that sort of immersion and education?And I say this is someone who sort of pays attention to soccer generally every four years for the World Cup and goes, oh, what is that guy doing?

32:49

How does he not know what he's doing?And then I don't pay attention for another four years like that.Imagine a World Cup in the United States is going to have to be huge for the growth of a program like that.It is, but I must add that that's something even bigger that's in Maine is Hearts of Pine.

33:06

A lot of my kids.Yeah, it's you should go because the atmosphere is is tremendous.You can't get tickets.You can't get single game ticket tickets.The.Atmosphere is like.It's it's an incredible atmosphere.

33:22

A lot of the boys went down in May and watched the game and it's good soccer and the atmosphere is good and the excitement is excellent.I've gone to like 3 games.I went down with a close friend of mine, Dan Gish of Lewiston.We went to a game and my sons actually got us that for a Christmas present.

33:40

We got A5 game pack to go down and watch.We watched the season opener and that's, it was something cool because when I was a kid, you know, I, I went to a couple games in the 96 World Cup that was hosted in the United States.I know that's I'm dating myself.I remember.

33:55

The 96 World Cup, yeah.And I, we actually went to my AD and I as 'cause we went, we were college teammates.We actually went to the first New England Revolution game together in 96 at it was Foxborough Stadium then since then since been torn down.

34:12

It wasn't a nice Gillette Stadium back then.Was Alexi Lawless on that team?He was, Yeah.Oh, I remembered something.OK, look at that.It was.Yeah, I remember.Yeah, I I read his ex ex posts all the time.So Alexi Lawless.

34:29

Why?So this is one of my questions.It's on my list here.Hearts of Pine.Why is that been so successful in Maine?Like because when the red claws came to Maine, it was successful, but it wasn't huge.I mean, I, I want, I'm wondering if this has been more successful as a rollout than even the Sea Dogs were.

34:48

Yeah, I I'm so impressed with their marketing.Like they have all.It's like, Oh my goodness gracious.So you go to game and the swag line is like a mile.You'll be there all game in the line just to get like a scarf or even they get so many jerseys for sale.

35:06

My wife complaints 'cause I got like three of them.She's like, you spend more money on jerseys than I do on shoes.I'm like, sorry, but they're cool.But I want that blue one that's like looks like the sign, the state of Maine sign.Yes, I haven't got that.That's the one I don't have.That one looks very cool to me and I think I could I could wear it here and it wouldn't like bleed into the green screen behind me.

35:28

So that's one of my main motivations.True.I just think their marketing has been absolutely tremendous.The videos, the marketing and such and you know, ticket sales are crazy.You can't.You can't find any so.But you mean you could market the hell out of it and it just wouldn't, It still wouldn't click.

35:45

Like, there's what about, I guess mostly southern Maine, but what about southern Maine has like, allowed that marketing to latch on 'cause it all?It feels like it did almost immediately.It did, didn't it?

36:00

It's just, yeah, it was like the first announcement.Was like, hell yeah, yeah.I mean, Tom Karen's one of the owners.So I mean, he's there.The governor was there first game, and you got, oh, the movie actor.The movie actor, yeah, Patrick Dempsey was there for a game.

36:18

I keep telling kids I'm a better actor than he is 'cause my my son's used to watch his.What's the hospital show he had?And Grey's Anatomy.Yeah, I was like, Oh my God, this is awful.It's like, how do you guys watch this?But he was there somewhere.

36:34

I'm sure it's somewhere.But you know, all these people come in and they advocate and they've done a tremendous job, just like getting the word out.And the videos are tremendous and the and the and the and the product on the field is good.It's exciting.You know, they get some really exciting players.

36:51

So I think that adds in to the state and such.We actually had some representatives come when we used to run the 77 tournament at Mount Abram.We had a tent there with Hearts of Pine came that last year.I ran it, I believe, and, you know, did some promo stuff, had a giant like soccer ball that you shot the ball and it stuck like a Velcro.

37:13

It's like a target.Yeah.So they did some pro, they did a lot of promo stuff and outreach and grassroots and stuff.Has that been a is that a thing that was sort of building for a couple years before any of us really like the casuals like myself even knew about it?

37:29

Yeah, yeah, they were.Look, yeah, I remember when they were looking to try to build their own soccer specific stadium in Portland, 'cause I got really excited for that.And then I guess like, I don't know, the permitting is crazy probably.So they just Back Bay maybe I can't remember.

37:46

It's the.Only thing that makes sense.Back Bay was, but I mean, there's at Fitzy now and it's kind of cool.It's really cool.I mean, the atmosphere is tremendous.I'll probably be at Fitzy for the football states, so I'm be interested to see how much different it is and more importantly, how much different the press box is.

38:04

Yeah.That'll be the big thing.What does the press box look like?Is it heated?Yeah, I'm not allowed in there, so.All right, so in so now you're in C Who are the teams to beat this year in C?

38:21

Is one of them Mount Abram?Absolutely.One of them, Mount Abram.I mean, Mount Abram to me is a state title contender again this year.They've got the players.I mean, Halldale's defending state champ, you know, and you always have Wayne Fleet and North Carolina Academy.

38:37

I mean, those are the big 4, you know, and we got two of them on the schedule.I told my kids I'm like, we're playing three state championship caliber teams on the schedule and actually they've won the hardware.You got Monmouth and Dee who won it two years ago.You got Madam who won it two years ago.

38:53

You've got Hall Dale who won it last year.So we've got a tall task, you know, so my preseason games have been pretty tough.So we've played some juggernauts and, you know, just to get used to that type of style of play and you know, Lake Region, we played last night, who's really quality Mount Blue.

39:14

Mount Blue's a sleeper.Mount Blue's boys soccer.They are tremendous.Zach Connellog has done an absolute fantastic job with them.They've got some players.I think it's a surprise a lot of teams in in in the north, in the A and they're and they're big.And one of those funny because one of the kids we played Mount Blue.

39:30

It's like, coach, how do we win head balls against the guys?They're a foot taller.I'm like, you're not going to the second ball, you can win.So they're just so big, so tall, so.You got to box them out, sort of use some basketball skills there.

39:46

We tried, they tried, you know, it's a tough.We had them, we had them almost nil, nil at half.We left a goal with 10 seconds left in the first half.So we played tough.That was a, that was a positive.We played tough.So how?How much in in soccer, how devastating is that goal with 10 seconds left in the half?

40:04

Because I mean, it might, that might be the only goal of the game and you're so close to just getting out of the half.Yes, it's devastating.I think I just put my head in my hands and said sugar will.We almost had a nil, nil.Yep.Yeah, that's just the thing about soccer is like, like you said before, you can dominate the game and lose it one nil.

40:25

And you know, football, you've got multiple chances where you're going to be able to score hopefully.And in basketball, the, you know, worst case scenario, you're going to be in the 40s or the 50s.And so there's so many more opportunities where if you're dominating, it's going to show up on the scoreboard.

40:42

And it just must be like so frustrating.Yeah, yeah I mean mom blue had saw the all the ball mostly and I knew that was going to happen.We just tried to keep our shape and we made a little mistake right before half.We gave up a free kick on a foul that we shouldn't have done.

40:59

But that's the learning process that I have to do with these guys.You know, game management, you got, you got 15 seconds left.There's no reason to foul none.Just contain the offense.Just contain them.Just don't let them in behind you.And unfortunately we've permitted A foul.They had a free kick, they scored off the free kick.

41:16

We're down one nil.And that's just a learning.It's a learning moment for these guys because they haven't played Mount Blue in a while, Mount Blue Varsity in quite some time all.Right.So September 24th is the Mount Abram game.They're coming to you.

41:33

How weird do you anticipate that being for you being on the other sideline?Considering like 2 of the kids work for me this summer at my place, Yeah, one did my firewood and the one did my lawn mowering.Yeah, it's going to be weird.Yeah, it's going to be strange.

41:49

You know, I just got to have my kids pumped up and, you know, play with themselves and not get down if things don't go right.But it's it's also fair night in Farmington.So that's also adding to the because Farmington Fair is big in Farmington.So because the kids get 1/2 day off of school, they get to go to the fair.

42:10

Yeah, got to love 1/2 day off school.Yeah, I don't get the half day off, just the kids so and I don't want to go to the fair.So the only thing good at the fair is like the hot roasted peanuts and the doughboys.So I can do without those.

42:25

Yeah, but that's a big game that that's that's on the calendar.I requested it be at night so we can have a big crowd.So it'll be a big crowd.It's not that far from Mount Aim to Spruce.It's about 40 minutes, 45 minutes.So it's going to be it'll be good because Coach Wings on the other side, he's one of my former assistants.

42:43

He's an awesome guy.He's a great coach and you know he's going to give it his all.I'm going to try to give it our all.Just have the kids prepared so it'll be a good atmosphere.Hat view already I'm assuming you have already made a sort of list of like here are things that I think would work against my former players because I know them pretty well and you know it's almost like the self scout that you would do of your own team going into the playoffs or something to be like here are our weaknesses and here's how we would attack ourselves.

43:20

You know how how long is that list I?Haven't made that list yet because I, we have a game on Tuesday against a team, you know, it's been a, I've been a year out, so I haven't seen these guys play too much.So I usually take it one game at a time.

43:37

And then after, you know, after, as soon as the game before Mount Abram is done, then I'll start to make my list and stuff and implement it in training sessions.So I'm one of those coaches, take it one game at a time.One at a time, try not to get too far ahead of it.Yeah, 'cause then you get confused.

43:53

And no, you just got to take it one game at a time.Focus.All right, fair enough.Who are the teams to be?I know you're not an 8 man anymore, but who are the teams to be an 8 man that you've just hearing around the grape, the Grapevine?Karabek is always good.

44:09

Yeah.I don't know a lot of the yeah, Karabek's very near us.I don't know a lot of the Northern Maine ones, but I think Northern Maine team won it last year.Or was it Richmond is not a lot, so I'm not familiar with that.

44:25

Remember, he just died.Now I know Karabek lost in the regionals last year.I do believe to, I think Greenville's in it too. 8 aside, I'm not sure.I haven't seen the MPA like who's an 8 man who's not an 8 man anymore.

44:43

So I haven't.Is the, the MPA website is new this year, Is that correct?It's very new.Oh, it's very new.It's the other day in progress.I went to the old one the other day and I'm like what?It doesn't have our schedule.I'm like, oh, it doesn't have anybody's schedule.

44:58

Oh, I don't think it's operational.I don't have the right link.Oh yeah.So.That's the other thing is that a lot of these kids that I coach don't even know what the heel points are.Wow.So, yeah.So we're going to, we're going to go over that.

45:14

Too.That'll be a learning curve.I'm not going to do the math for him.I'll do the math.For you, I'll have the math I.Kind of.You do have, yes.You do the math.I don't teach math.There's a reason why I don't teach math, especially that kind of math.Yeah.OK, let me ask you this, someone asked me this question the other day and I didn't have an answer for it.

45:34

So in the county they've already started like 2 weeks ago for the harvest teams.And then the question I got asked, and you might not know the answer to this, but we'll spec.We can speculate wildly on a podcast.That's what podcasts are for.Do they still need the kids for the harvest?

45:54

Isn't it mostly mechanical now?Great question.I did go to school up there, but it was many moons ago.I think some of the.Kids do have a potato expertise, so we've established.I have friends that still live in the county but I don't really know the I'm sure some of them do work.

46:13

I'm sure.But it's like, is it so much that we need to start this season early, like still, or is it just sort of a thing we just do because it's a thing we do?I don't believe all the schools do that.I think I don't know.That's a great question, Lucas.

46:28

I don't know the answer.I would have to ask some of my college friends, college team mates that still live in the county.OK, we'll investigate this because someone asked me at work and I was like, yeah, why do they still need the kids they've got like these harvester machines and.

46:46

So they have to pick out on the conveyor belts.They still have to pick out the bad potatoes, I guess, like the Laverne and Shirley commercial show.I don't know.Am I dating myself again?I do this.All the time at work you are.The other day it was The Love Boat.Yeah, the other day it was The Love Boat.Kids didn't know what?The Love Boat.

47:01

My assistant didn't even know what The Love Boat Show was.I was like, Oh my gosh, you don't know The Love Boat.OK, I was at work the other day and I had to send an e-mail and I was like, I had to mention the band Wilco.And I was like, my one of my bosses was like, you cannot yell at people if they don't know who Wilco is because they're too young.

47:23

And I'm like, I'm pretty sure I can because that's not that old of a band.They're still very active.And two of the three people didn't know who Wilco was and I was not allowed to yell at them.But I'm venting here a little bit on the podcast because it was very annoying to me.

47:43

OK, it's it's the whole thing of getting old and.It's just, it's just a number.Just a number.It is just a number.All right, so I'm gonna hit you with so you're in C How about Class B?If you what's who are the teams to?Be you think can be there's a whole list of teams anybody like one through the one through 8 could win, could win B John Babs from the North could win B.

48:09

My good friends and former goalkeeper buddy Jason Pangburn is the coach there.Yeah.And then you have, they were very good last year.Yeah.Pang Pangburn has done a great job up there.And then of course, Sea S you've got, you know, grain of glosses improved.

48:26

You got Lake Region, you got Yarmouth, you got Freeport, you've got York, you've got Cape, you've got Yarmouth.Did I say Yarmouth?I think I did, yeah.And then I'm trying to think of the schools down there, but you've got all these teams.It's a soccer hotbed, you know, the South, and it's just crazy.

48:45

So.And you got Greeley.I say Greeley.Defending state champs.Mike Andreessen.Mike Andreessen also won national coach of the year last year for large school.Yeah, he won large school.And I think Halligan won at once, right?Yes.And then another gentleman from Bangor, Christian won it OK as well.

49:06

Yeah.And I.Think the Camden girls coach won it once.Yes, I think so.'Cause they had that run, they had Camden had that run.They were ridiculous.Yeah, they had Christina Kelly, Yeah, who was a great basketball player.

49:22

Yeah, there's five of us from Maine that have won it before.I do believe I'd have to.I have to ask Mike Jeffries, the president of The Maine Soccer Coaches.He has those stats on his website.I mean, that seems like a lot, yeah.You know, per capita sort of situation.Yeah, we produce, main produces a lot of high quality soccer players.

49:42

And then why is that?Do you think that we produce so many high quality soccer players?What about the is the coach?That's a great answer.I mean the accessibility to to soccer all year round, you know, OK, now it used to be, it used to be only in southern Maine you could get the soccer all year round, but now it's spread.

50:08

I mean, you can play.I wish the MPA would and they probably don't know about it if Mike Piston is listening, but probably not.They do it in Brazil.Well, I'll send it to him.So foots all in Brazil.So you just play on a basic gym floor and you got 2 metal goals for the goalkeeper.

50:28

Football you play, it's a size 4 ball and the ball's a little heavier and they play, Brazil plays it and it's just played on the gym floor.Like you're playing soccer and you know, the gym floor out of bounds is the basketball court.OK.

50:43

So it's a lot of, it produces a lot of foot skills.That's what we do with our indoor youth program.We haven't played that in intramurals in college, actually.Yeah, OK, I think.Like developed a lot of foot skills and yeah, it's good.

50:59

Something to do in the winter time if you're not a basketball player, Yeah, Or even if you.Are I?I was, so I had no idea what I was doing and I got like recruited on to this intramural team as one does in college, and I was completely lost on all of it.

51:15

And then at one point someone goes, dude, it's like playing defense in basketball.Use the goal, the ball, you know, the line down the middle of the court, use your position, your feet based on that and just try to stay in front of people.And I was like, oh oh I can do that.That's not hard.

51:31

And I instantly got like 5 times better.Yeah, it's a lot of similar concepts between the sports, Yeah.OK.And then an A, is it, is it Lewiston?Are they still the team to beat?Oh yeah, I would say yes.I mean, Camden boys won it last year.

51:46

I do believe so, yeah.I'm not sure what they what they lost Wyndham too in the South.I, I have a hard time with a which is north and which is South because Mount Ararat's in the north, I think.And they're really S because they're like 2 hours South of us.But how are they in the north?

52:02

So I understand there has to be a balance between the regions.I get that.Mount Ararat, I mean, again, all these teams, Lewis and Mount Ararat, El Edward Little, you know another oh man, that stadium is fantastic.Oh, remember playing there, It was a fantastic stadium, you know, Portland, Scarborough, you know, Gorham, all these Deering, all these, you know, great schools that produce all these great soccer players, you know, and it's any, but it's it's just really close to call who who the the team to beat is really.

52:39

But I mean, Lewiston produces quality programs all the time.The most fun NS thing I saw and I I think I have this right, is that Machias is in the South.Yeah, and I think they wanted to be.I think they wanted to be.

52:55

Well, I.It's all the Aroostook County in the north, and then everybody's not in the Aroostook County is in the South.Right.So that's probably the transportation is shorter.I'm saying maybe thinking maybe.I don't remember the last time I went to Machias.

53:11

I mean, if you're in Mathias, it's just a long way to get to anything.So there's that.All right, so to ask you a question, I ask everybody.So a scenario arises where the MPA comes to you and they say you have complete control, absolute power for one day.

53:36

You can implement whatever rule you want, and we have to do it and the teams have to do it, and whatever you think is the easy fix by executive order whatever.What do you do?It's tricky because there's so many options.

53:58

Yeah, it is.Wow.I don't know.I would take the regional finals.I would say the regional finals are at the higher seat and not neutral site.Really.Yeah.A regional.

54:14

Final.Yeah, we used to.So like in 2004 and 2008 when I was coaching, we played in the regional final we hosted and the atmosphere, the visiting teams are from the South.So when you drive up to Mount Abraham, you see this like, you know, this 4000 foot mountain in the background and everybody's like, oh, it's snowing, it's cold.

54:36

Such a home field advantage.I understand why they play the regional finals at neutral sites because usually that time of year the grass pitches are junk, just the rain.And I understand all of that.But if I had to do an executive order, I would put the regional finals back at the higher seat.

54:58

Is that too much of A home field advantage for a regional final That.Would be my question.Because we lost those, we lost those games in 2004, 2008.So it wasn't that much of A that.Didn't help you, wasn't.Wasn't enough, wasn't enough because you want to make those, I mean, you work all year for that home field advantage, you want it.

55:17

But I completely understand why the MPA moved into a neutral site because of this, you know, unartificial turf surface.So I get it.Yeah, you almost have to have it on an artificial surface that time of year, right?Yeah, I mean, some fields are still OK, but I remember the last year we actually snowed like before our game with Wayne Fleet, and they actually went out and tried to plow the field and may or may not have left ruts in the field.

55:47

And I remember the Wayne Fleet coach checking the field out before the game and I saw him shaking his head 'cause he probably saw the ruts.And I'm like, is what it is.We don't have turf.So yeah.So I think it's a huge advantage for for grass teams.

56:04

When turf teams come to grass, it's a big difference because.Because it's so much slower.It's so much slower and you don't get true bounces.You might hit like a little bump.The ball will go somewhere else.And you know, I mean, turf fields are good, don't get me wrong, but there's something about a grass pitch that it's it plays differently and you get it used to it.

56:24

You really have to hit the ball harder to have a weighted pass and such on grass So and you can the ball.Will too, and, and the pitch, it's going to skip more, right?Like the ball is going to almost like a baseball turf when they're throwing, throwing from third base and they sort of skip it in and that speeds it up somehow.

56:45

It's going to speed up.It's going to be especially if it's wet.We usually in October, late October, November, the the field is wet so the ball is just going to fly.OK if.I had if I had my choice, I would love to have turf, but a lot of schools don't have that choice.

57:03

Right, because that's pretty expensive.I would have.Had it is expensive, yes.And if you can't pay the coaches, then you probably don't have money for a turf.Probably not.Probably not.Yeah.All right.

57:19

Do you want to make a prediction for your record this year?I do not, I don't do you do not, I do not because I I made a prediction once and I'll never forget it and I'll no one will ever let me live.Oh, I gotta do this.All right.So I was in college and we went out to breakfast as a team and actually my AD was on my team and someone goes, DA, what's your prediction for today's game?

57:42

I'm like 5 nil.Oh, I was absolutely right, but it was the wrong team with five and the right team with 0.So after that day I will never make a prediction again.Fair enough.All right.

58:00

Thank you so much for doing this.Is there anything you want to add?Anything you want to?Promote.No.While you're here, I just want to thank you, Lucas, for having me on.And you know, high school soccer is thank you.Well, you know, letting the light in on high school soccer.It's extremely popular, you know, and it's good to, it's good to be back on the sidelines and coaching again really is.

58:23

I went to the State Games last year and I hadn't been to a soccer state game before.Actually it's the regional final too, because Madomic was in the regional final and I was like Madomic's in a regional final.I got a press pass, I can go go to that.But I went to the Camden and now I forget who who they beat and it was a lot of fun.

58:41

Lewis, Yeah.Camden, Lewiston, OK, It was a lot of fun.It was really windy at Morse and the ball would go up like this and then it would just sort of hang up in the air and come back down and you're just sitting there going.We're all on the sidelines, all the media people going, it's going to be rough sledding going against this wind, Whoever's got to go against the wind.

59:02

And it was that time.Of the year, you got to play against the elements too.Yeah, it's not November's I Oh, I can I have my question back on what I could do extend the soccer season until Thanksgiving.That's what I wanted to.Do make it take it longer, yeah.

59:22

That's what I will do, Extend it.Extend it.See, I'm trying to get the basketball season extended because I'm not exhausted enough come tourney time.But yeah, let's do it.Let's extend them all.All right.Thank you so much for doing this and good luck.

59:38

Thank.You, Lucas, thanks.Thanks so much.OK, that's the show.Thanks to Darren for joining me.That was a lot of fun.I'm probably going to be on Thursday.I might be at a volleyball game because my brother is the new volleyball coach at Mordomic Valley and it's his first game.

59:57

So I figure I'll go to a volleyball game.I've been to a volleyball game and long time, very long time.Yeah, so this has been a production of Maine basketballrankings.com, your source for the most comprehensive coverage of Maine high school basketball from Ashland to York and everywhere in between.

1:00:15

This podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts and a bunch of places you don't.If you enjoy this, please leave a nice review because it really does help out with algorithms.Tell your friends.Tell your enemies.Thanks for listening.