Interview with Southeast Soccer Coach Chad Bolstrom - July 2014

You are the Southeast Soccer (SES) Sabres U13 Girls team coach. How long have you been coaching and with SES?

I started coaching the then U10 Sabres in the spring of 2012. This will be my fourth season with the same group of players and families and the Southeast Soccer Club. I have been coaching various youth sports for just under ten years.

What motivates you to be a coach and what are your goals for the U13 girls?

I coach because I find working with kids immensely rewarding, and have doing so since my teenage years.   As for coaching the Sabres, I’ve really come to value how coaching this team provides me an outlet both to connect and support my daughter and her friends, their families and the larger south Minneapolis community, as well as offering me a unique window into the inspiring growth and development of an amazing group of girls who are quickly becoming young women.  I continue to coach mainly because the players and their families continue to ask me to, and because I have become attached to the endearing, laughter-filled, sometimes challenging cat herding world that is girls soccer.

My goals for the U12 team this past year have been to 1) support the development of player leadership/ownership of the team, 2) increase focus, both in practice and games, 3) HAVE FUN, 4) increase our team play / tactical development and 5) help players to develop and work towards their individual goals for technical development.

How would your players describe you as coach?

I wasn’t sure, so I asked them. Responses varied:

“I believe that you are positive coach who keeps us moving when we believe we could never win. You push us but not to the point where it isn't fun. A tremendous coach!”

“I think that you are a magical mystical pixie pony. You can just tell them that you are a great coach and are super nice and stoofs like that.”

"He's a good coach because he knows what he's talking about and he's fun!"

What is your favorite coaching memory or experience?
 

Last fall our girls made it to the state championship tournament after remaining unbeaten throughout the fall season. Watching this team, which had struggled to win a single game less than two seasons earlier, play competitively with the best teams in the state and be only a single shootout goal away from the championship game was thrilling experience for me both as coach and as a parent.  While the success on the field was gratifying and a wonderful reward for many long hours of practice, watching our players develop together as a team - leaving no player behind, was not only a favorite memory, but an inspiration​​​​​​, enriching my life far beyond the world of athletics.

What should parents know about traveling soccer before they commit their children and families?

Traveling soccer is an increased time commitment and level of intensity over recreational leagues, that’s for sure.  With that said, I think the Southeast traveling teams, and the families their core, strike a healthy balance of competitive spirit, commitment to community and youth development focused on creating remarkable citizens as well as high performing athletes.  

More specifically, parents and players should plan for having soccer commitments three to four times a week during the seasons (Spring, from late March to mid-July)  (Fall, from mid-August to mid- October) and possibly be engaging in off-season training focused on additional skill development once or twice a week in late fall and again in the winter.   The travel can be challenging at times, attempting to get to some exotic far-flung locale such as Hudson, Red Wing or Hastings on a weeknight by 6 PM with many teams appearing to manage this effectively through carpooling.