Sheila Mole, Executive Director of SAY Soccer, lent us her time this week for an interview just for The Administrator. Sheila is the Chief Operating Officer of SAY and like many of you guys, she is in charge of those important day to day operations, as well as the long term development and strategy for the success of SAY Soccer.
We enjoyed this interview because we thought it gave some good insight into the the healthy competition between US Youth Soccer and SAY and it helped answer the question of why there are multiple youth soccer organizations.
So what do you SAY Sheila?
Q: What makes SAY special? What is the value that you bring over US
Youth Soccer? What about US Club Soccer?
SAY is special because we are a purely
recreational all inclusive soccer program.
Unlike other national organizations, every penny of money paid in
membership fees supports ONLY the recreational soccer program. There is no upper tier
program that distracts us from our recreational core.
SAY has been in business since 1967 and specializes in the recreational youth soccer player. We have a place for every child who wants to play. Each player in our program must be given the opportunity to play at least one half of every game. All of the SAY teams (over 12,000) are formed in a balanced fair manner by their local community.
SAY is in 32 states with over 150,000 players, over 36,000 coaches and over 5,000 administrative volunteers.
Q: I have heard the complaint that organizations like yours don’t grow soccer in the US, they only take soccer players from one organization and move them to another. Do you think that is true?
Absolutely not with SAY. We are unique in that we are the organization that is the starting point for beginners and the holding point for the kids who want to just have fun while developing their soccer skills. Other organizations title kids “travel” “select” or “premier” and are normally trading players back and forth as the players, and more importantly the parents, try and find more playing time for their kids. The issue with the other programs is that often kids move into the programs and pay hefty fees and find themselves playing 5-10 minutes per game and sitting on the sidelines the rest of the game. With SAY, not only are we a more affordable program we are an equal playing time program.
We are National Partners with the NSCAA and promote their coaches training as an alternative or compliment to the SAY National coaching program. In turn, the NSCAA provides drastic reductions in their state, regional and national coaching programs for SAY members. SAY and the NSCAA share the same philosophies when it comes to youth soccer coaching and we work in tandem to bring that message to the youth recreational soccer world.
Q: Sometimes it seems that recreational soccer is the ugly step child of Select/Travel soccer in American Soccer. Even at the under 10 age group, most clubs have Select Teams or Developmental Teams or specialty teams. Would you agree? Why do you think that is the case?
I do not agree and here is why. Personally I made that mistake with my youngest child allowing him to be recruited into a “select” program and 9 years old. By the time he was 12, he had a sour taste for soccer and quite playing all together. He had been pushed too hard, trained too hard and had no fun at all playing a game he used to love. The vast majority of soccer players are recreational in nature and skill, and we have just the place for them to enjoy the game, have lots of fun and have time in their lives for other activities. There are very select few youth who have or possess the skill level to train and play soccer as if it is a full time job. The other organizations in the United States have a place for those select few. We are the program the kids come back to after they have burned out in the serious side of the game and want to play and have fun.
Q: What is the thing that you like most about your job at SAY?
I like going out to fields on a casual basis on the weekends, in my own community or when I travel for work, and seeing kids and families and volunteers scattered everywhere playing SAY Soccer. It pretty much makes me feel as if what I do is very worthwhile and fulfilling.
Q: Do you think we will ever win a World Cup against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Italy, and Germany?
I never say never : )
Q: My personal favorite question, what is your favorite ice cream?
Actually I am not into ice cream, but I am addicted to lemon-lime slushies that most ice cream shops have.
Thank you for your time today Sheila. Readers, this should provide some insight to both the world of SAY soccer, and show the personal side behind an organization as big as SAY. In the end, national soccer organizations are there to provide the best environment for the player, they just tend to have different philosophies.
~Sam@bluesombrero.com
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