Interview Questions for Final Four Coaches - Suggestions?

[Ryan Harmanis]

I'm planning on interviewing the Final Four coaches for D3soccer.com's coverage.  We did something similar last year and I thought all of the coaches gave great interviews.  Since many of you know these teams better than I do, I'm looking for some potential questions that you think would be interesting or relevant for each coach/team.  (I'll obviously have my own but would appreciate anyone else's constructive thoughts).  Here are the coaches/teams:

Amherst - Justin Serpone
Oneonta State - Iain Byrne
Loras - Dan Rothert
Calvin - Ryan Souders

If you have questions, please respond by listing the coach or team and your question in a post below.

**Let's keep this appropriate and focus on soccer and coaching philosophy.  If you have a problem with one of these teams or coaches that's fine, but that's not the point of these interviews.

[Puerco Espin]

Jim Conlon is a Loras graduate ('98) and was a teammate of Dan Rothert's. Conlon then went on to coach for two seasons as Rothert's assistant before moving on to become the first full-time head coach at Wartburg. To this day, the two are still great friends.

Could be an interesting piece for a crossover from the men's to women's Final Four.

[Dubuquer]

For Rothert:
Your teams are accused by many of not playing "pretty" soccer and rarely maintaining ball possession.  Is your direct style what you personally favor or more of a result of the athletes you target in recruiting or get to come to Loras?

Some people question your use of a sweeper.  What are your thoughts on using a sweeper versus a flat back four?

Two of your stars (Rummelhart and Bradley) both sat out much of last season with ACL injuries.  How did that impact them and your team this year?  Did they come back even more determined? Have they stepped up as leaders with an extra year of maturity?  Did you (or they) ever question their ability to return to 100%?

5-0 in Elite 8 games.  0-4 in Final 4 games.  What's it going to take to get over the hump?  Are you doing anything different this year?

[Mr.Right]

I would ask all 4 coaches the same questions. You cannot get personal with each coach / program.

1. What do you enjoy the most about your jobs? What part of your job is the least enjoyable?

2. In all your years coaching do you have any regrets?

3. What has been the biggest win of your coaching career to date? What has been the most disappointing loss to date?

4. If there was one rule in college soccer that you would change what would it be?

5. Who has been the biggest mentor in your coaching career to date?

6. Did you anticipate game day more as a player or as a coach?

More to come......PLEASE PLEASE ask #4....Very important

[Part_Bart]

I'd love to hear each coach provide a bit of a scouting report on them.  E.g., How would you go about preparing a plan to beat your team? 

I'm not thinking any coach will give away their essence (but all of them KNOW that the other coaches have done substantial analysis by the time they get together). Its more about hearing how the coaches deflect the question. Are they humble, are they cute? Will they spin (aw shucks, we're just lucky to be here).  Will they take the chance to laud their team or praise the other (Looking around, we're worried about holding our own).

[PaulNewman]

What is the biggest misconception about your program, your coaching style, team's playing style, etc?  Or, what is something you would like people to know about your program (that maybe they don't know)?

What are you most proud of regarding your program?

Can you tell us a couple of things that you think were especially critical in your team's success this year?  Did you make any significant adjustments during the season that helped you get here?  Any differences in how you approached the pre-season?  Was getting to the Final Four an explicit goal you and/or the team set at the beginning of the season?

Tell us about a couple of players who maybe have received less recognition than some others who you consider truly instrumental in your team's success?

What do you believe D3 athletes gain in their four years of participation?

What do you enjoy most about the NCAA tournament?

I second the question about most important mentor for coaching...

What would winning a national championship mean to your program/school?

Do you (and other coaches you know) follow D3soccer.com, and do you offer any particular advice to your players about following the site?

What are some of the most important things you have learned from your players over the years?

[Jump4Joy]

What resources have been the most helpful in your professional development as a coach?

The psychological aspect of the game is a key pillar of success. How do you foster healthy psychology in your individual players and/or within the team whole?

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

What would winning a national championship mean to your program/school?---NCAC read my mind on this one!

What did you learn from your team's performance this past weekend?

For Serpone:

How does your team stay healthy despite the high energy and physical style that you play? Do you ever worry about injuries from playing this way and how much does this 2 week rest help your team get/stay healthy? (In reference to some recent injuries from the weekend)

For Byrne:

How does it feel to make it back to the Final 4? How has your team responded in preparations to get over the hump from a year ago? Is there any added pressure for the team knowing they went home in this round a year ago?

For Rothert:

How will you go about preparing for having a lead late in the game? (Reference to leading vs Wheaton and not being able to close it out in regulation)

For Souders:

Does the pressure of an undefeated season ever cross your team's mind? And how do they deal with that added pressure of not losing yet this season?

[Letthekidsplay59]

As a lighthearted closing question:

How many players would you sacrifice to have Lionel Messi in your team?

[Letthekidsplay59]

As a lighthearted closing question:

How many players would you sacrifice to have Lionel Messi in your team?

Just to clarify - I meant sacrifice as in play shorthanded .  It was not intended to be a dark question.

[Wisco21]

Any prematch rituals that you engage in on game day?

Favorite off pitch team-building activity? How does this activity create rapport within the team?

Best facility you've played at this season other than your home pitch?

If you were lacing em up in this final four, what type of boots (brand/style) would you be wearing?

Which one thing would you tell your guys to take away from the opportunity to play in the final four?

Describe in one word, your season up until this point.


I know these are more on the fun side, but I believe this is when a coach's true colors show!