SimpleCoach D3 Soccer YouTube Channel

[Gregory Sager]

I honestly think he simply looks at it as another game against a quality opponent that will help prepare his team for a run in the NCAA Tournament. He's not sleepless the night before, nor loses sleep if they lose. However, I believe the players think of it differently and will treat the game differently and I'm sure have that game circled on their calendars.

Do you know him?

Again, you're skirting the issue.  Do you truly believe he doesn't view anyone including Kenyon as a rival?  And why does he consistently avoid referring to Kenyon by name or give a nod to their success?  Where did I suggest sleepless?

Where did I suggest that you said sleepless?  Those are my words. 

But again, I don't think he views any one team as any different from the rest. So in that regard, they are all rivals. He doesn't look at games the way you do. As a player, there was always the one team you wanted to beat, and when I first started coaching 25+ years ago I carried that feeling with me.  But as I continued on my coaching journey, the individual games/opponents became less important and the end product was my focus. Was my "Kenyon" a game I circled on my calendar? In the beginning, yes. Later on, no.  Do other teams consider my team their rival? Perhaps, but I don't treat that team/game any differently than all my others.

Agree to disagree?

This is an interesting topic, because my first instinct is to agree with PN on this. My school also has a soccer archrivalry that is among the best in D3, and I know for a fact that it looms large in the heads of the players and fans on both sides. But, as Ejay alluded, it's worth considering that a coach might look at things that we take for granted, such as rivalries, in a different light -- even when history seems to make it obvious that the existence of a rivalry ought to be front-and-center in the consciousness of everyone involved with the two teams. I can't speak against that, because I look at the game through a fan's eyes, not a coach's. And it would stand to reason that a coach such as Jay Martin whose tenure spans generations could be even more prone to look at his team and its season in a radically different way than a fan would.

(One of the reasons why I'm sympathetic to PN's view was Jay Martin's use of Denison rather than reigning NCAC king of the hill Kenyon as his example in the interview. But an alternative explanation for that is a desire to throw some love towards his boy Brandon Bianco in order to subtly reinforce the OWU legacy of which Bianco will always be a part.)

I would add, though, that coaches aren't all cast from the same psychological mold. I personally know coaches who, even though they've been around the block a few times, don't hesitate to tout rivalries -- even if it's for no other reason than to use it as a motivational tool to geek up their players. And, of course, sometimes coaches have personal issues with opposing coaches or opposing schools. Coaches are not automatons; they're human beings with their own biases, disagreements, and grudges, just like the rest of us.

[Ejay]

This...

it's worth considering that a coach might look at things that we take for granted, such as rivalries, in a different light -- even when history seems to make it obvious that the existence of a rivalry ought to be front-and-center in the consciousness of everyone involved with the two teams. 

And it would stand to reason that a coach such as Jay Martin whose tenure spans generations could be even more prone to look at his team and its season in a radically different way than a fan would.

[PaulNewman]

Once a little debate goes a couple of rounds or more deep the chances of any concessions drops dramatically to virtually nil from already low chances.  So sure, agree to disagree, but as we have a few more weeks to wait for the season and given that this is a discussion board I'll take another swing.  And I do so in part thinking that we're arguing over semantics and/or that this might be a case where everyone has a point.

Whether you ever approach any opponents differently (and he does), that's a different issue than whether you can acknowledge the basic fact that another team is a rival of yours.  It's petty to not just say it.  He could have answered in a bunch of different ways....like "Kenyon and Calvin have been our biggest rivals in recent years, but I don't get too focused on any rivalries" or "of course the players view Kenyon as a huge rival but I don't" or whatever.  As we get further into this there seems to be an idea that acknowledging a rivalry would be some kind of concession, or some indirect agreement that you're not the one and only King of the Hill.  They're rivals.  Full stop.  What's the shame in that?  And as someone who saw the rivalry up close and has continued to do so, I can assure you that Jay feels a little something special for Kenyon.  And in my view the rivalry has been a boon to the NCAC and Great Lakes region.  The OWU-alum Denison coach has had no problem naming Kenyon as the lead program in Great Lakes over the past 7-8 years.  He would endorse Kenyon as a rival, but maybe it's easier for him since his combined results (CWRU and Denison) have been favorable.  He's actually referenced Kenyon and OWU as programs Denison is striving to match.  And the relative strengths of the programs don't necessarily matter either.  I would guess that McCarty considers Etown a rival and as Greg intimated, Wheaton is a huge rival of North Park even if Wheaton hasn't been competitive with NP over the past handful+ of years.  To not credit the rival as a rival in a rivalry is just dismissive, and in a telling way.

If Serpone or Shapiro said Amherst and Tufts aren't rivals would you believe them?  And it's not just about how special and wise and innovative a coach is, or some period of dominance with 10 straight NCAA titles where even mentioning another school as a rival seems like something presumptively insulting.  Would the Lakers and Celts coaches deny a rivalry?  The Steelers and Ravens?  Yankees and Red Sox?  Do you think Dean Smith would say UK and Duke weren't rivals?  Would Coach K say that UNC and UK aren't rivals?  And if you think Kenyon holding the edge in recent years doesn't crawl up Jay's backside I just don't know what to say.  But when OWU hosts the Lords on an October evening on Roy Rike please tune in and tell me Jay is treating the game no differently than when Hiram or Muskingum come to town.

As for Brown declining invites to be interviewed that is unfortunate but not surprising.  It's a unforced error...especially after seeing coaches of other top programs like Burk, Singleton, Martin, etc take advantage.

[Ejay]

"The rivalry is with ourself. I try to be better than is possible. I fight against myself, not against the other."

Granted it's from Luciano Pavarotti, but the sentiment still holds true.

[PaulNewman]

LOL... Ejay ignoring all content and going full philosophical and operetic were not on my bingo card.


Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti both made their debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1968 and rose to become two of the world's most recognizable tenors.

While often perceived as competitors in the opera world, they were instead close friends whose rivalry made them both better men and better artists, Domingo said.

"I think the career of Luciano was bigger because I was there as his friendly rival, and I think my career is bigger because he was there also as a friendly rival," a somber Domingo told a news conference Thursday.

When they weren't discussing their work, they talked about their love of sports — Domingo said he rooted for the Spanish soccer team Real Madrid, while Pavarotti was a fan of Italy's Juventus

[SimpleCoach]

As for Brown declining invites to be interviewed that is unfortunate but not surprising.  It's a unforced error...especially after seeing coaches of other top programs like Burk, Singleton, Martin, etc take advantage.

Just didn't want you to think I was playing favorites or anything of the sort.  I am an equal opportunity interviewer.

And for all you lurking D3 coaches reading this, if you fancy an interview, DM me or shoot me an email.  As long as you are not 1 of 2 coaches out there... I will always say yes.

SC.

[Ejay]

LOL... Ejay ignoring all content and going full philosophical and operetic were not on my bingo card.


Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti both made their debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1968 and rose to become two of the world's most recognizable tenors.

While often perceived as competitors in the opera world, they were instead close friends whose rivalry made them both better men and better artists, Domingo said.

"I think the career of Luciano was bigger because I was there as his friendly rival, and I think my career is bigger because he was there also as a friendly rival," a somber Domingo told a news conference Thursday.

When they weren't discussing their work, they talked about their love of sports — Domingo said he rooted for the Spanish soccer team Real Madrid, while Pavarotti was a fan of Italy's Juventus

Soooo, Domingo considered Pavarotti a rival, but Pavarotti did not consider Domingo a rival.  Got it. :-)

[SimpleCoach]

This is one I was looking forward to....

2022 Season Preview with Tufts University Head Men's Coach Kyle Dezotell

[SimpleCoach]

Longer interview with a 2022 preview with new Vassar Head Coach, Jonathan Hood.

Jonathan Hood, Vassar College, Head Men's Coach

[SimpleCoach]

Ok, so I am continually amazed at how far this channel has come.  Considering I really have no idea what I am doing, just whatever it is, I am enjoying it immensely.  If it is helping to raise the profile of Division III, great.  If not, well, you should see the collection of D3 hats I have collected.  May have to be an episode of its own....

Anyhow, as of writing this, I have 547 subscribers.  Seriously??  Well, once you crack 500, YouTube turns on a cool feature ....  The Community Tab!!! Totally geeking out over it. 

As as always the case with you all here on the boards ... thanks immensely for the ideas, support, insights, and banter.

SC.

[Kuiper]

Ok, so I am continually amazed at how far this channel has come.  Considering I really have no idea what I am doing, just whatever it is, I am enjoying it immensely.  If it is helping to raise the profile of Division III, great.  If not, well, you should see the collection of D3 hats I have collected.  May have to be an episode of its own....

Anyhow, as of writing this, I have 547 subscribers.  Seriously??  Well, once you crack 500, YouTube turns on a cool feature ....  The Community Tab!!! Totally geeking out over it. 

As as always the case with you all here on the boards ... thanks immensely for the ideas, support, insights, and banter.

SC.

Before the season starts, I thought it was time to take a moment to recognize just how much content SimpleCoach has produced this offseason and pre-season.  I took a look at his Youtube page (https://www.youtube.com/c/AllThingsDivisionIIISoccerwithSimpleCoach/videos) and between his SimpleCoach to Coach interviews, Quick Shots (on specific topics discussed in a past interview) and Field of Dreams segments, he has pretty much averaged at least one video a day, if not more.  I've got to imagine he has given up free time/vacation time/family time etc for this passion project.  Each of the SimpleCoach to Coach interviews are at least an hour or more, which doesn't include the pre-interview conversation (although he sometimes adds that in), and the Field of Dreams videos have pretty substantial post-production edits and enhancements with music, photos, etc and it probably takes at least an hour plus to film them just from walking to the campus, plus the time spent driving to places that have to be far less "nearby" or "on the way" to or from some place he is going to anyway than he suggests.  And this doesn't even count his in-season work writing up games etc for this board.  Not only is this content that is interesting to D3 fans on this board, but the YouTube channel's content is useful for coaches (I bet many are taking notes), players, recruits, and their parents.  It definitely fills in a gap in the social media and mainstream universe.  I don't think it's overstating things to suggest that he has single handedly raised the profile of D3 men's (and women's) soccer in this country, even if it's still a pretty small following outside of alumni and players.  I suspect that there are many D1 (and D2/NAIA etc) coaches who would kill to get this kind of attention, but don't because there isn't really anyone else out there doing what he is doing and doing it this well.

So, at least from me, I wanted to say thanks.  I hope you keep it up.

[Another Mom]

Hear, hear! I second everything you say. It's also impressive because it's really grown only through word of mouth.

[SimpleCoach]

Ok, so I am continually amazed at how far this channel has come.  Considering I really have no idea what I am doing, just whatever it is, I am enjoying it immensely.  If it is helping to raise the profile of Division III, great.  If not, well, you should see the collection of D3 hats I have collected.  May have to be an episode of its own....

Anyhow, as of writing this, I have 547 subscribers.  Seriously??  Well, once you crack 500, YouTube turns on a cool feature ....  The Community Tab!!! Totally geeking out over it. 

As as always the case with you all here on the boards ... thanks immensely for the ideas, support, insights, and banter.

SC.

Before the season starts, I thought it was time to take a moment to recognize just how much content SimpleCoach has produced this offseason and pre-season.  I took a look at his Youtube page (https://www.youtube.com/c/AllThingsDivisionIIISoccerwithSimpleCoach/videos) and between his SimpleCoach to Coach interviews, Quick Shots (on specific topics discussed in a past interview) and Field of Dreams segments, he has pretty much averaged at least one video a day, if not more.  I've got to imagine he has given up free time/vacation time/family time etc for this passion project.  Each of the SimpleCoach to Coach interviews are at least an hour or more, which doesn't include the pre-interview conversation (although he sometimes adds that in), and the Field of Dreams videos have pretty substantial post-production edits and enhancements with music, photos, etc and it probably takes at least an hour plus to film them just from walking to the campus, plus the time spent driving to places that have to be far less "nearby" or "on the way" to or from some place he is going to anyway than he suggests.  And this doesn't even count his in-season work writing up games etc for this board.  Not only is this content that is interesting to D3 fans on this board, but the YouTube channel's content is useful for coaches (I bet many are taking notes), players, recruits, and their parents.  It definitely fills in a gap in the social media and mainstream universe.  I don't think it's overstating things to suggest that he has single handedly raised the profile of D3 men's (and women's) soccer in this country, even if it's still a pretty small following outside of alumni and players.  I suspect that there are many D1 (and D2/NAIA etc) coaches who would kill to get this kind of attention, but don't because there isn't really anyone else out there doing what he is doing and doing it this well.

So, at least from me, I wanted to say thanks.  I hope you keep it up.

@Kuiper.  Let me just say that this post made my eyes start to sweat.  Appreciate the kind words, and I guess that whatever work I put into this game we love is noticed.  Not that I want to be prideful, but I sometimes look at the channel (which I started November of 2021) and can't even believe it myself.  I will say it still feels like "fun" and am enjoying it immensely.  Think it is because it lets me explore my own goofy ideas about the game and let my mind contemplate all those "what if's" rattling around between the ears.  I will be exploring one of those this upcoming week with a new "series" that I hope will be interesting.  Stay tuned.

Finally, not to get too personal about this.  But if there is anyone out there who is thinking about how I have the time to do this, be a Soccer Dad and husband, hold a successful full time job, a handyman around the house, and countless other roles I pick up here and there ... getting sober just under 4 years ago was the greatest thing I have done in my life.

Oh and Jackie.  Without the Chief Dog Officer watching my six, this would have stopped after the first video...

Thanks again.  You have definitely made my day today.

SC

[SimpleCoach]

Hear, hear! I second everything you say. It's also impressive because it's really grown only through word of mouth.

@Another Mom.  Thank you as always.  Know that you are now the official Mom of the channel... by a long shot.

SC

[Another Mom]

@Another Mom.  Thank you as always.  Know that you are now the official Mom of the channel... by a long shot.

SC

I will totally take that! I am honored :-)