Soccer has always played a huge role in my family. For my parents who moved from Germany, soccer was the biggest sport. So naturally, when I was young I was put into a soccer environment. When I was 3 years old I entered my first soccer camp. There is a picture of me with my foot on the ball. The ball was the same size that I was at that point in time.
When I was 5 years old my family moved to Illinois. My whole family joined the AYSO program. My sister, my brother, and I all joined the program as players. My mother and father would join as coaches. When I started school I met some friends that happened to live on the same block as me. We started to play soccer together in the street.We either set up a scrimmage using rocks or cracks in the ground to create goals. Or we played a game called meta goal. In this game we used a tree and a no parking sign to create a bigger goal and whoever scored became the goal keeper next. We would keep playing until someone hit a car on the side and the car alarm went off. Then we would all run off as fast as we could.
My first real introduction to coaching came when I was 12 or 13 years old. We started to host UK international coaches. These coaches would come to the U.S. for a few weeks and we would give them a place to stay. At the local park they would host free clinics that I could attend. It was supposed to be a u8, u10, and a u12 session, but I would stay for all the sessions. This was also my introduction to watching soccer. One of the coaches was a huge Manchester United fan. He would get ready with his jersey and his scarf every weekend and eventually I started to join him. In 2021 I am still a loyal United supporter.
After my sophomore year of high school I started coaching at P2 soccer doing summer camps. I enjoyed it so much that I continued coaching into the school year mostly coaching sessions with 4-6 year olds. I slowly started to develop as my coach and the next year started with a u12 extra team.
I now have my USSF grassroots license and I am working towards my national D license. This summer I am starting with Chicago City Soccer Club. I am coaching 3 teams at CCSC and am coaching the Frosh/Soph at Amundsen high school. I am looking forward to a great season with CCSC. C’MON CITY!