Coaching CMIS

Coaching soccer has been something that I've always wanted to try.  I started training young girls when I was 16 years old, but had never coached before.  So, when I was offered the opportunity to coach the Chiang Mai International School U14 girls team, I jumped at the opportunity.

Showing up at practice the first day, I was unsure what to expect.  But, I know what I definitely wasn't expecting-- girls to show up for practice with their hair down, jeans and normal tennis shoes.

"Are you on the soccer team?" I asked a girl dressed in jeans who hopped into the songtaew headed to the field.
"Yes," she responded.
"Do you want to change before we go to the field?" I asked.
"Change?" she replied confused.

The team consisted of girls aged 11-13, some of whom had never before touched a soccer ball, and others who were quite good.  A good portion of the girls were from Thailand, and the rest from the US, South Korea, the UK, and South Africa.  There were 15 girls on the team, more than double what we needed for their 7v7 games.

In the beginning, practices were difficult, as better players would become frustrated with some of the girls who had never played before.  It was tough to find drills that were simple enough for beginners, challenging for the better players, yet fun for everyone.  And what was even tougher was trying to fit 15 girls into a 40-minute game.

But, I made it through the season, with an undefeated record, far surpassing my initial expectations, and even won the final conference tournament.

I have a feeling that this won't be my last time coaching...