Sarah Beecher: From Goalkeeper to Gamemaker

What makes a championship high school soccer program? In this revealing conversation with Sarah Beecher, head coach of Farmington High Girls Soccer, we discover it's much more than just tactics and talent.

Starting with her own journey as a goalkeeper for Davis High and later at the collegiate level, Coach Beecher shares how her playing experience shaped her coaching philosophy. "I treat goalkeeping differently," she explains, recognizing the unique mental challenges facing players in that position. This understanding extends to her entire program, where she focuses on building confident players who understand their roles within the team structure.

The most fascinating aspect of Farmington's success is their innovative approach to team culture. Their "FFF" (Fast Farmington Friends) system pairs seniors with groups of younger players based on geographic proximity, creating instant mentorship opportunities and support networks. This student-led initiative has transformed into a cherished tradition that builds family-like bonds across the program.

Beecher's "three-minute rule" offers a powerful mental framework for handling game pressure. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by the entirety of a match, players focus exclusively on three-minute segments during critical moments. "It refocuses people individually and as a team," she explains. "They're saying: we're going to get this game back in our favor and focus on these next three minutes." This simple but effective technique has become so ingrained that players now initiate it themselves during crucial moments.

Through film analysis, individualized leadership development, and a commitment-focused culture, Farmington has built a program where players thrive both athletically and personally. Coach Beecher's approach demonstrates that high school sports can provide unique growth opportunities that complement rather than compete with club experiences.

Whether you're a coach looking for fresh ideas, a player wanting to understand championship mentality, or simply a sports enthusiast interested in team dynamics, this conversation offers valuable insights into building a program where success follows naturally from strong relationships and clear values. Subscribe now and join us for more conversations with innovative coaches who are changing lives through sports.

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Transcript

Coaching philosophy and introduction

Speaker 1 0:01

You know, one of the most important kids you'll ever coach is the one that needs the program more than the program needs that kid. Welcome to Above the Whistle with your host, devin McCann. All right, we're live. Welcome to another edition of Above the Whistle. We had some technical difficulties yesterday and a little bit earlier today, so thanks for jumping on. Sarah Beecher is the head coach for Farmington High Girls Soccer, so, sarah, thanks for joining us.

Speaker 2 0:34

Thanks for having me. I'm excited.

Speaker 1 0:36

Let's go ahead and just kind of take a step back, go down memory lane a little bit, give us a little background on your playing days. I know you were a Davis Dart and played goalie over at. Davis High School. Um, let's start there and then maybe kind of walk us through your your days in college as well, and and how that led you to the coaching now okay, yeah, so I played for Davis.

Speaker 2 1:02

I started playing there in ninth grade and I'd been playing goalie for years upon years before that. But I was playing JV my freshman and sophomore year and then started playing varsity my junior and senior year and we made it to the semis my junior year, which was super exciting. I was in the era of Davis high soccer, right before they won all those state championships.

Speaker 1 1:26

But it was the groundwork.

Speaker 2 1:28

We did. We did lay the groundwork as seniors for those championships to happen, but it was a good time. I learned a lot playing high school soccer at Davis and I enjoyed the time I played basketball and ran track as well. So it was, it was a good breakup of seasons for me. So I was always looking forward to coming back and playing soccer at Davis. And then, yeah, I got recruited to go play at New Mexico Highlands.

Speaker 1 1:52

Okay.

Speaker 2 1:52

And tiny town it's in Las Vegas, new Mexico, like there's nothing but the school there. But loved it Started playing as a freshman. We broke the school record we had 10 shutouts as a defensive unit, which oh, wow um, we were obviously really happy about and, as a freshman, like you're playing against these girls five, six years older than you yeah, come, like the ball is just coming at you so much faster. But made great friends there and then, uh, trans speed.

Speaker 1 2:20

Did you such a difference?

Speaker 2 2:21

Well, and just like such a difference in coaching. You know from my club coaches at La Roca and Rush, now Forza, now Surf, what it is now but so many different coaches I've had throughout my life that I've learned so much from, and I loved all the things that I've learned from them and then ended up transferring to Dixie, which is now Utah Tech, for my last three years of college soccer so what led you to?

Speaker 1 2:53

you know, in ninth grade, decide to, you know, play soccer and more in particular the goalie position, because that is not for the faint of heart you. You have to be mentally tough and just fearless. So you know what led you to gravitate towards that position.

Speaker 2 3:14

So my very first club team was steam like. It withered away when I was in high school, but I played forward like I played forward. I played wing all over the field and one game my goalie broke her collarbone and my dad was good friends with my coach and he's like Sarah can jump in goal and I'm like what are you talking about, sir?

Speaker 2 3:34

yeah, so I went in and I guess I did well at it. That my coach then like I ended up being on four teams back when you could do that, like I was on my team, the B team, a team two years older than me, and then I actually joined a boys team playing goalie, yeah. So I yeah, yeah, cause yeah, they needed a goalie and my coach liked me at it and I was like I am not good at this, but everyone told me I was. So I was like okay, this is what I'm going to continue to do.

Speaker 1 4:04

Did you have imposter syndrome with it then? Yes, what led you to believe? Okay, everyone around me is saying I'm good at this. Maybe I really am.

Speaker 2 4:15

Yeah, your defining moment. Yeah, I don't look like a goalie. All growing up my parents would be like that goalie was huge and like I'm this tiny, I'm tall but I'm just small and so, but like, when I started to use my height and like I have, I had good foot skills. Like I treat I my dad helped me learn like you're the last defender, like you don't have to make the giant saves, you can think two to three plays ahead and prevent those giant saves from coming by using your footwork and helping your defense rather than just making these giant saves. And once I started doing that, I was like, okay, I'm growing into my own kind of goalie. That might not be your typical type, but yeah.

Speaker 1 4:57

Yeah, Like hope, solo right yeah for sure, yep. Or you know, some of these really big kind of intimidating goalies.

Speaker 2 5:05

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 5:07

Where did the vocal leadership come from? As a goalie, like you said, you got to kind of think a couple steps ahead. And then not only that, but you got to help position, your help defense. So you aren't making those you know huge saves.

From player to coach: Sarah's journey

Speaker 2 5:22

Right. So I always talked a little bit, but I didn't realize the importance of it until I was looking at new mexico islands and there was a goalie on my same club team. She was loud, like she was going to this college. She was a year ahead of me and I was going to be joining her this next year and I remember going to uh I don't remember if it was a camp, it's probably a camp, uh, just a club camp or club tryouts and so loud, and she's like you have to tell your team what you're going to do, what they need to be doing, you are directing them. And that helped me in my senior year be a lot louder and a lot more vocal of confidence in. I'm part of the leader of this team, even if there's no captain band whatever but learned a lot from her in her vocal leadership for sure.

Speaker 1 6:08

Yeah, yeah. How did that parlay into coaching? Do you think that had a big effect? You know, having to kind of develop that skill develop, you know that communication ability, kind of the macro view of the game as opposed to just kind of the macro view of the game as opposed to just. This is my position, this is the only thing I'm focused on. How do you think all that played into you developing as a coach?

Speaker 2 6:34

it made a huge like difference in the way that I coach. I think it went from like leading on a field to like leading girls to become better soccer players and like making sure. Like communication to me is one of the reasons like you have a successful team. If your girls or players know what you're expecting of them, they're so much better off throughout the season and their confidence just grows because they know what you're expecting them to do in games or throughout a whole season and I think it really helped. Like I'm a loud coach, like it's on the sideline, you're gonna hear me and, um, I always tell them like I'm not mad, it's just that's my loud voice, it's been my loud voice, but I want them to know like what my expectations are, so they're never wondering why did that come from New Mexico Highlands, then Is that where that kind of developed?

Speaker 2 7:27

Yeah, yeah, end of high school into college. Yeah, that's where it came from, for sure.

Speaker 1 7:32

How do you think being a goalie in particular helped being a coach? Are you really defensive-minded? I mean, you guys are known for being a defensive minded program, right?

Speaker 2 7:47

Yeah.

Speaker 1 7:48

Is that for sure? You know, is that something kind of set the standard? That's kind of your thumbprint on the program?

Speaker 2 7:56

Yeah, I think I do a lot of work with defensive shape, cause I think as a goalie, you see how different formations work the best, because you're the eye point.

Speaker 2 8:08

And I work a lot with my goalies and like, if they're not in the right spot, like you're telling them where they need to be, and if there's issues, yeah then I jump in but like giving my goalies that confidence, that like you're the leader out here, tell them where it needs to be. But yeah, so I have an assistant who's been with me since the beginning, named chris, and she is offensive and like we balance each other off really, really well because I, as I was like as a forward, your job is to score, like you need to score goals, you know, because I was always the one in the back of the goal, like why did you just miss that, you know? But she brings that side of it, I bring the defensive side, and then we work together on like, okay, when should we attack and when should we defend? Because, like in my mind I'm like we're protecting our goal, but in her mind it's we're getting everyone forward and we're scoring. So we've really balanced each other well these last seven years that we've been doing it together.

Speaker 1 8:58

Yeah, when you work with your goalies, are you harder on your goalies than other players on the team? Due to, you know, because it's harder for someone that that knows how to do something and is an expert and, you know, succeeded, excelled at a certain um task oriented type job to then translate that to someone that hasn't quite developed, without there being high expectations or just remembering wait, they're still learning all this, they don't know this and you kind of take it for granted because you've done it for so long.

Speaker 2 9:41

Yeah, I actually think I am easier on my goalies because I know the mental toughness it takes to be it and the mental toll it puts on you. It when you're going you make a big mistake and you're feeling that guilt of I've just let everyone down, you know. But like it's a conversation, but it's not. When I say I yell, like I yell at all my field players, but as a goalie I'm like I'll talk to you at halftime and we'll figure it out. You know what I mean. But I think cause I've had coaches where it's like you let the goal in, you're the reason we lost the game before.

Speaker 1 10:12

Yeah.

Speaker 2 10:12

And you're like totally messes with your mental game, you know. So I think I am nicer, in a way, to my goalies and the. I'm going to give you the criticism, but I'm going to do it in a way that and it depends on the goalies you know, my first few seasons here I had three goalies that went and played on in college. So like that wasn't a worry until like year five where it was like, oh my gosh, we're gonna need to coach some girls up in order to play this position. It wasn't a worry in that position, which was super nice, like super lucky in a high school setting to always have that solid player back there.

Speaker 1 10:47

How does the club sports kind of help with that, like when you, you know, at the high school level, do you have goalies that have been playing and developing? Or have you had to kind of look at your roster and say, hey, you might be a good bit, let me coach you up and get you to that.

Speaker 2 11:06

That point, yeah, I have Well, and we've had girls from all different levels of club. I've been fortunate enough that I haven't ever had to take a field player. I mean, at one point I was like I might need you to play goalie. So, like for fun, it was like, okay, you try it, let's see how you are. And yeah, you goalie. So, like for fun, it was like, okay, you try it, let's see how you are. And yeah, you got field players that are like this is fun and you're like, okay, no, it's not, but okay, but um always fortunate that I've had someone that's like goalie is my position and they've come in and they work I my goal. I have three sophomore goalies coming next year. They were freshmen last year and they um all have private trainers with their club teams and, like some of them are double rostered, so they're just getting all the experience that they need to be able to come in this next season in the fall and be able to perform at that varsity level okay, that's awesome.

Speaker 1 11:57

Um, how do you coach that mental aspect of being goalie? Like you know, they're working with, you know trainers and all that in the offseason and with their club sports. But how do you, as their head coach on the high school team, work with just being resilient and like you said, I mean you're kind of the last line. Well, you are the last line of defense, typically. You know you get the glory, but you also get all the blame if you do let that roll go by. So how do you work that?

Speaker 2 12:31

I want them to know that I believe in them, like I am your first cheerleader when something goes right or even when something goes wrong. Like I want you to feel like you can come to me and we can learn together of how to like prevent that mistake from happening again. I feel like confident players always give you quality soccer.

Speaker 1 12:50

I love that, I love that. Um, how do you develop that just kind of compassion and and just you know, letting your players know how much you care about them and things like that? You know? Do you do it during the off season? Do you just day to day? Do you take an interest inside, you know, outside of the sport and what?

Speaker 2 13:15

they do and things like that.

Building team culture at Farmington

Speaker 2 13:18

I think. So I teach at Farmington High and I think being in the building and them seeing me see them in like their other classes, and I like I check in on their other classes, like why are you not going to English? You know, and I'm involved in that, making sure that they're doing things I just went to like I had eight girls on the club team. They made it to the state cup final and I went to that last Friday and it was so fun to watch them play in that different like, just on a different team, you know. So I'm always interested in seeing them play, not just in high school but outside. But I think being at the school helps them see it, and a lot of them actually. I mean you have to take math in high school, so I do get to see some of them and I mean it's math, but they I think it's enjoyable. I mean it's not all happy. You know, like as a coach I get frustrated when we're not winning and it's like what's going on? You're trying to figure it out. But I really try to bring in people that see my vision and help show that what this program is really about. They can all play soccer, like. That's why they made the team.

Speaker 2 14:24

Our tryouts are always. It's like the worst day every year of my life. I hate tryouts. I'm crushing little girls' dreams. This is so hard because they're all such good soccer players, but they make the team because they know how to soccer. Now I'm putting you on this team to show you this is how you're a good teammate. And if you're a good teammate because it's a new team every year which a lot of people I don't think get in high school, you have this club team that you go back to and you've been with them for years and years. Then you come to high school and every single year yeah, every single year we're trying to figure out who places where.

Speaker 1 14:56

Well, and you might be in a totally different position, but if you can learn to be a good teammate, that's when success will come yeah, have you had um cases where you know you have someone comes from club, they are playing a certain position and that's not a good fit for your team? What, yes, what do you do? How do you, you know, work with that player to see your vision and how they can be a good teammate and overall help the the success of the team by, you know, switching to a different position?

Speaker 2 15:26

it takes some humble stuff on their side to realize like you're a very good player, but on this team, this is where we need you to be. I haven't really had trouble. Like I can't tell you the number of times it's like what position do you play? And they all say I can play anywhere, because they're like I just want to play, like they just love soccer, so they just want to play.

Speaker 2 15:43

So then it's like, okay, we'll try it, we'll try it take that yeah, no, I don't, but it's like then it's going to take us some time to figure out where your best for this specific team for this year right.

Speaker 1 15:55

so when you took over um at farmington, you've mentioned a couple times, you know, the standard kind of your vision. Talk to us a little bit about that. What is your standard for the team? What's the vision and how do you, you know, show that to incoming freshmen? You know?

Speaker 2 16:17

I think commitment is one of the biggest things I recognize in my first few seasons, girls who thought they should be playing varsity hadn't been playing varsity. So then, by the time state came around, they're like oh, I'm going on a trip instead of coming to the state game. And it's like no, no, like we're all in this together. I don't care what you think your role is, but your role is on this team. So it's been a big commitment to be on a team. It's been a big commitment to be on a team. It's not a very long season, but we spend a lot of time together. So commitment is a huge part of that for me and we've been able to build off of that last few years.

Speaker 2 16:52

Um, I want to say three or four years ago the senior approached me and said I want to create each senior. I want to have three to four girls in their group. I'm like okay, what does that mean? They're like they're just a senior to look out for these younger girls and we call them fffs and I think the name of it has changed like this I think it's fast farmington friends, but it's probably changed since that, but it's they all like look geographically where everyone lives okay and then they group there that each senior has like three to four younger girls and it's like that group to help them get through any hard thing in the season.

Speaker 2 17:31

And it has created such a culture of like family, yeah, and like someone besides cause, like you're not going to be happy with us coaches all the time, no, so let's give you someone else that you can go to. That's a trusted person that can help you work through something that's hard yeah you know, and I have loved it and the girls love it. Like every year, my juniors are now. They're like we got to figure out our fffs that's like it's amazing in the program that came from a senior and yep she.

Speaker 2 17:59

She was my first. She was a sophomore when I got the job and by her senior year she's like we want to try this and I'm like that is a great idea. We'll see how it goes, you know yeah and it people bought in and now it's a farmington soccer tradition really yeah, fffs yep, and like it will. It will do it in drills, like, okay, get with your fff group and that's their most favorite group to be with, because they know each other and they know.

Speaker 1 18:25

Help the seniors, you know. Determine these groups then. Or just the seniors. Geographically, this is yeah.

Speaker 2 18:33

Or and personalities, Like they'll ask me like who do you think this person would go well with, and so I'll help them with that. But it's really the seniors after they get to know them at our beginning things, because you've got to become very familiar with each other very fast. We have three practices before our first game every season. So it's a yeah, it's a quick turnaround from tryout, so we try out Monday, tuesday and that following Tuesday is our first game.

Speaker 1 18:58

Really.

Speaker 2 18:59

Yeah, it's a very fast turnaround. I know it's crazy, because basketball is like you got a month and a half of practice before you have that, but no soccer, it's very quick Football.

Speaker 1 19:09

I'm doing spring football right now.

Speaker 2 19:11

Right, yeah, no. And soccer you get.

Speaker 1 19:13

And you start in July.

Speaker 2 19:15

Right Soccer you get the last week of July for tryouts and then your first competition can be first week in August every year. Wow, okay, okay so yeah, becoming close knit is the faster you've become. That it has just shown to good results.

Speaker 1 19:31

Yeah, yeah? Have you had a season that you look back at, or a team, rather, where it was just such a family, you know atmosphere, was just such a tight-knit group that you'll always, you know, kind of reference those girls when, when, trying to create that culture going forward now, or I think it was the year we created fffs and then a couple years later, when we made that to the state championship okay, those two groups it's always those seniors just took that team on and just let it yeah because people get tired of hearing from their coach time after time, because you're going to say the same things, but when they hear it from their teammates, it just they take it differently than hearing it from me well, there's a whole different level of accountability when it's coming from within the team and it's you know, a senior or a captain or whoever.

Speaker 1 20:26

It might be just a natural born leader. Who's you know a leading by example. They're out doing the work and they're holding their teammates accountable for it. It just is much more powerful.

Speaker 2 20:57

Oh for sure, yeah, occur within I think I'll, like my seniors I have a talk with before season start of you have this role that you're only going to get once, yeah in making everyone feel like they're a part of this team. Obviously there's going to be differences in jv versus varsity, but we really try. I did not like in high school that as a jv player, I was separated from the varsity players.

Speaker 1 21:24

Yeah.

Speaker 2 21:24

It made and like it made me feel like they didn't care as much just because I was a JV player. So we always practice all together.

Speaker 1 21:34

Oh, okay.

Film analysis and game preparation

Speaker 2 21:35

And which has been good because I think it pushes the varsity players. But I think, talking individually through a season like as I see juniors either excel or fall off a little bit of like what my expectations for you as a leader are, because I don't think you need a captain's man to show that you're a leader. Yeah, and there's different types of leaders. Andy Wright was a senior for me last year. Had her since the ninth grader quietest person but she led with her soccer skill out on that field and everyone respected andy out on that field. Then you got a goalie a couple years ago. She led with her voice, like we talked about, yeah, that vocal side of it. But I think I just try to find what type of leader they are and help them execute that on and off the field.

Speaker 1 22:22

Okay, Do you have any core values that you kind of instill in the team that first practice? Are there certain?

Speaker 2 22:33

things that you try to bring up. Heading the ball. Learn how to head the ball. But no, just yeah, I think just commitment to this is what you've chosen to do for the next three months, and through this commitment you're going to learn a lot.

Speaker 1 22:51

Yeah.

Speaker 2 22:51

And we're going to make you a better soccer player, because I think there's a lot of bad rep out there about high school soccer. Because I've never coached club, yeah, but I have played 19 years of the sport, you know, yeah, and I just think it. High school is such a cool experience for girls to learn how to play with other people yeah you know, is there conflict between club soccer and high school soccer?

Speaker 2 23:23

I don't hear much about it, okay, but I know like the girls will come and be like, oh, my club coach doesn't want me playing high school. They think I'm going to be a worse soccer player and I'm like that's their opinion of it. You know, like I don't know what high school they're looking at, but I'm going to do what I can to make you a better soccer player. Like that's one of the things I go into the season.

Speaker 1 23:49

Yeah, believing what we're gonna do as a coaching staff is we're gonna make you a better soccer player, yeah, yeah, um, in three months that's it is a short amount of time with these girls, um, are you able to, during the off season, you know, kind of work with them, or is the season, once it's done, I mean, they really go off the club and do other other things?

Speaker 2 24:12

They are off and running with their club. I mean, club soccer in Utah has just taken off so much. There's so many leagues. Some of these girls are traveling for every single weekend in February and March, you know, and so they really just go back to their club teams, which is kind of nice in a way that I know we have. We have an exit interview of like this is what I want to see you improve on, and then they take that into their club season, working on it, and then I just get to see the growth they have to the next year.

Speaker 1 24:39

Okay do you, do you uh work with these? You know coaches on the club level um, you have relationships with people I my previous club.

Speaker 2 24:51

I do um, my nephew is 10, he's started playing with them. I just like reminisce things with them, but not so much on like a player to player level, no, and I like it that way you do I like being away from the club, because then the politics in the high school can't be factored into it. Right, I don't care what, I don't care what club you're on, I don't care what level you're on, I care that you're a good soccer player. Yeah, and that you can be good for this program no, absolutely so.

Speaker 1 25:19

How do you prepare your team for? You know tough matches. You that state championship game. Is there anything in particular you do to get them prepared for that, any sort of advice you can give other coaches as they're preparing for big games that you can share?

Speaker 2 25:39

Yeah, I think that year we went to the state championship. We actually beat L in the semis and lone peak hadn't lost a game and we had played them earlier in preseason and lost, like I don't know, three one to them okay and they have.

Speaker 2 25:52

I mean, lone peak is a great program and we play them almost every year and I love playing them because I think they have good values in their soccer program too. But but studying film and studying individual players, we worked on one thing constantly right before we played Lone Peak, because I was like, as a coaching staff, this is where they're getting their goals from. And then just executing to the girls like you can beat this team and you can stop this one thing from happening. And they were able to do it and we were able to beat them to go into that state championship game. But I would say we watch not tons of film like, honestly, 80 minutes of soccer, you're not going to be yeah so excited about watching that much film.

Speaker 2 26:34

But we definitely watch film and just the interesting thing too is like these girls play against each other in club. So like they'll bring on like hey, she plays for surf, she likes to shoot left. It's like great. So we always honestly have a team power. Before we play a team, it's like hey, what do you know about this player? And then we take that info and then get film from other coaches and such. But I think listening to the girls and who they know also helps that team chemistry of um, like trusting in each other yeah, yeah, like here's the scouting report I have on this girl I play, you know.

Speaker 1 27:12

Yeah, we're against her yes you know, this is how we can take her down, and yeah, for sure.

Speaker 2 27:18

And like she hates going left, it's like okay, force her right. Like we don't need to watch any film on that we know you play with her.

Speaker 1 27:24

It's great. Yeah, experience is better than film.

Speaker 2 27:27

Yeah, but for big games, after we've played someone, and mainly in state it's like okay, now we've played them, because teams play each other so differently that pulling film from another school it's great, you get to see things. But it's also like I love having film on my own team because I know how we were playing. You know what I mean and being able to see, cause we see teams two to three times a season.

Speaker 1 27:50

Right. So do you use film a lot with your own team to kind of show hey, you have these sort of habits. This is what we can work on.

Speaker 2 28:05

For sure, okay, yeah, yeah, not so much individually like. They always get the film and they, they like, want to watch uh themselves, but, as I'd say, about once a week, depending on which game we want to watch, we'll have a powwow at beginning or end of the week of like. Here are the tendencies we need to fix.

Speaker 1 28:19

Here's what we combined well here, and it's helped a lot for them to be able to like watch themselves, do it yeah and do you think, um, with cell phones and, just you know, ipads, I mean even just laptops it's easier for kids to be able to watch film nowadays because I remember like back in the day, like when we played, it's like all kids to be able to watch film nowadays, because I remember like back in the day, like when we played, it's like, all right, we're doing film Saturday morning, get up at 8 am, go over to the high school, like now my kids have it right there on their phone and they're able to just watch film and the coach sends out a link. Yeah, I think that's changed the game.

Speaker 2 28:58

So much Like I'll catch my girls watching it during math class you know, like they just it got uploaded and they're like I gotta watch, I gotta see how this, how we scored this goal or something, but it is so much more accessible and I think, yeah, yeah, but they use it so much more than I ever did, because it was definitely that we're gonna do it as a team and it's on a cd, you know, and we're gonna put it in the dvd player and do it as a team and it's on a CD, you know, and we're going to put it in the DVD player and do it that way, but not anymore at all.

Speaker 1 29:27

That's an ease of use, it's just. I think it's changed a lot. Um as far as at least strategizing or kind of looking at tendencies, things like that, where before yeah, it was just that was kind of hard to do, where before yeah, it was just that was kind of hard to do, yeah, Especially trying to get film from other high schools and watching it and and breaking it down as a group or as an individual. Like it's just a lot easier now.

Speaker 2 29:54

Yeah, there's a we use. It's called VO and it's actually they'll do it for you. Yeah, like they will cut it down until you just have to look at the comments of okay, this goal was scored here. It's crazy how easy it is to break down film nowadays.

Speaker 1 30:09

Yeah, yeah, well, and BO, isn't that the camera that tracks the ball?

Speaker 2 30:14

Yeah, so it tracks the ball, but it also has a 180 view of the entire field. Yeah, so the ball could be on the left side of the field, but I can pause it and look at where my defense is while we're on offense yeah, it's crazy.

The three-minute rule for mental focus

Speaker 1 30:28

Yeah, the technology's just insane. We talked yesterday and I, you know, like I mentioned earlier, we had some, uh, technical issues, but we were getting into something with um. If there is, like you know, you're struggling in a game, you're down um, this kind of concept of chunking the game into kind of three minutes, I'd love you to to talk a little bit about that again, because I think that's such a a valuable tool that can be used across all sports or even day-to-day life. So go ahead and talk about this three-minute rule yeah.

Speaker 2 31:09

so soccer there's, we don't have timeouts, we get halftime and that's about it. So when something isn't going good like I, one of my assistants came up with it in three minutes, random number right, like I honestly don't remember where it came from, but chunking it as something good's happened or we just score, okay, we're focused on the next three minutes. We're not worried about the next 25 until the game's over. Like you're just going to lock in for these next three minutes. Or, if we don't have the momentum, we're just going to lock in for the next three minutes. And it's now started with my girls saying it. Like us coaches don't even have to say it's next three, we're going to get this game back in our favor and we're going to focus on these next three minutes. And it's a lot of times, randomly throughout a game. A lot of times I would say we're ahead 1-0 and it's the last three minutes of the game.

Speaker 2 31:59

Almost every single game, someone say saying three minutes and everyone's and it just refocuses people individually and as a team that we're going to do what we need to do to win this game.

Speaker 1 32:10

Yeah.

Speaker 2 32:11

And it has been such a cool thing that these girls are able to refocus again. Yeah, cause it's a long game, but they do such a good job with it, and I think it even helps the girls on the bench, like I can give my teammates on that field what they need for the next three minutes I mean, that's the thing, it's three minutes like anyone can do something you know really hard for for three minutes, right?

Speaker 1 32:34

yeah, yeah you can go run and do a sprint and all that for three minutes, as opposed to looking at it. Oh, I still have, yeah, the second half, or I still have another 15 minutes in this. You know game like, just take it three minutes at a time. I really I love the concept and I think you nailed it with the. It just kind of refocuses, um the individual and the team when you kind of break it to that little bit more microscopic. You know three-minute segment.

Speaker 2 33:07

For sure.

Speaker 1 33:08

I think it's such a good tool and it really can be used, you know, across all sports.

Speaker 2 33:13

For sure. Yeah, they use it a lot in conditioning too. When we're doing conditioning, they're like come on, we can do this. And shouting like yeah, like that pain is so temporary, like you're going to feel this for the next three minutes, and then you finish something and you're like wow, I can't believe I just did that and I didn't die, like I am fine and I'm gonna be able to do it the next time yeah, yeah, when I do sprinting and running and stuff like that, it's funny that you use three minutes, because that's kind of the same thing.

Speaker 1 33:40

I'm like, okay, just run for three more minutes, I'll be good. Yeah, okay, now three more minutes. Right, maybe there's something to the power of three.

Speaker 2 33:49

Maybe yeah.

Speaker 1 33:51

Coach. You know, yeah, she, she knew so for sure. So you know I know you teach math over at the high school there, you know, and you're involved with student body and all that Outside of the sport of soccer. You know how do you help these young women to get ready for the next phase of life and help them, you know, get ready to succeed.

Speaker 2 34:16

These last few years we've really focused in on their education side of it on their education side of it.

Speaker 2 34:29

So I think that has been a new aspect that I've enjoyed seeing, because I love to see them succeed on the field. It's something they're loving, and then to see all their hard work pay off. But they're so much more than just a soccer player. They have so many other things going on. So being able to help them in those other aspects of their life has, I think, made a difference, to know that someone is always looking out for you.

Speaker 1 34:53

Right.

Speaker 2 34:54

And me and one of my assistants both work at the school and I think it's helped them to see that.

Speaker 1 34:59

Yeah, yeah. Do you still have connections with? You know, girls that have graduated still have friendships and communication with all those girls First year they're graduating college.

Speaker 2 35:13

It's crazy to think that they're moving on to the adult part of their life, but it is so fun to see what they get to do because it is few that go on to continue the soccer journey. It's so fun to watch those girls succeed in all of it. I've had three players go to Utah Tech. It's not the same coach, but it's so fun to be like. You get to experience this. It's so fun to see them get to do that because, honestly, that was my favorite part of my life was my college soccer days.

Speaker 1 36:00

How does recruiting, or helping your players get recruited, come into play as a head coach?

Speaker 2 36:09

A lot because the college women's soccer season is during high school. They don't come a ton, it's a lot of through their club they do. But me and my assistants have connections. So if we see that, yes, this girl would succeed farther and ask them like, do you want to continue this on, we will reach out to these connections that we have in state to see what they're looking for and such. But a lot of college recruiting actually happens during the club season because the college teams are off of their main season club season because the college teams are off of their main season.

Speaker 1 36:48

But I don't think I've realized how much kind of club you know plays into girls soccer. I mean I knew you know younger but kind of once you get to high school level, you know, I thought basically high school would kind of be it at that point.

Speaker 2 37:05

Right, right and a lot of yeah Cause a lot of other sports it's like that, but it's actually like comp baseball and things like that.

Speaker 1 37:12

But you get to high school and, okay, now that's what your focus is on.

Speaker 2 37:17

Right and during the high school months they are so focused on high school and like I get parents that are like she can't wait for high school, she's so excited for high school. And like I get parents that are like she can't wait for high school, she's so excited for high school because I think it's like a breed. I always was like, oh, this is a breather, like I get to play with, yeah, just like different people and I get to get I'm gonna get to see my club teammates we're gonna get to play against each other, you know so.

Community support and Davis rivalry

Speaker 2 37:38

It was always just a fun dynamic that way, but it's also like working towards a very competitive thing, which is region championships and state championships and all of um the exciting things that you get to do right, um, talking about you know kind of some of those rivalries and, and you know, playing against friends that you have on soccer clubs and things like that, talk to us.

Speaker 1 38:02

us a little bit about the Davis-Farmington rivalry, especially since you went to high school there and I know that's a pretty heated rivalry. Is that a game you kind of circle on the calendar every year and kind of look forward to?

Speaker 2 38:15

Yeah, so our first few years it was Viewmont, because Farmington is seven years old.

Speaker 1 38:20

Okay.

Speaker 2 38:21

At the very beginning, kids chose to come here.

Speaker 1 38:24

Yeah.

Speaker 2 38:25

So they chose I'm going to leave my Davis and Viewmont school and I'm going to come and build this program at Farmington. So there was a lot of heat between us and Viewmont when we were 5A.

Speaker 2 38:37

Right Like it was okay, get ready for battle, because this can go either way. And now that we've moved to 6A, my coach was actually the coach still at davis for a little while when I was coaching and, um, it's a very good rivalry. I don't know if it's as heated as it used to be. I feel like there's other teams creeping up, like it's really competitive against those um south teams with likeone Peak and American Fork. But that Davis game always is either one of us could win that game and who's going to be the composed player or the composed team in order to pull out that win. But it's definitely always I like those games.

Speaker 1 39:21

Yeah, because they're always.

Speaker 2 39:22

You don't have to worry about firing up your team for that kind of game, because they're already locked and ready't have to worry about firing up your team for that kind of game, because they're already locked and ready to go.

Speaker 1 39:28

They're amped already, yeah.

Speaker 2 39:30

Oh, this is like their Super Bowl.

Speaker 1 39:32

it seems like sometimes I sense that coming from you as well, just because it is kind of personal Like you know like I think so. Or do you add that? You know, if I went and coached against my old high school, if I coached a team against Murray, I'd want to beat. Murray, like every time, like that would be one on the calendar and I'm sure my players would notice. Yeah.

Speaker 2 39:58

And they do see it. Sometimes I'm like I am not losing today.

Speaker 1 40:01

I'm trying to be composed.

Speaker 2 40:03

Yeah, yeah, because it's always, oh, still like, yeah, I'm trying to be the cool person, but every once in a while I'm like we're gonna beat them. Yeah, we're gonna beat them, come on. But no, it's always a great um game, like a great rivalry game, and everyone loves it yeah, how does the community um together over at Farmington?

Speaker 1 40:27

Do you have a lot of support from the community there? I mean it's a really good, you know, just a great, for lack of a better term, community not to use that word too often. But what kind of support do you get with the program just from other people, things like that they are awesome.

Speaker 2 40:47

Like we always have so many people out at our games always supporting and I think because farmington is so new it's and you're coming like you're bordering davis high, who's over 100 years with tradition, you know, and so you're trying to find your own community, like you said, your own traditions, and it's starting to build over the years and the support is awesome. Like you just walk down the street with something Farmington on and they know what's going on in your season and it's just I love it as a coach just to see the support that, like you go anywhere and they're just interested in what you're doing. It's awesome that, like you go anywhere and they're just interested in what you're doing, it's, it's awesome.

Speaker 1 41:24

Now is there are you able and not I shouldn't say it like able to recruit? But when you start building a program and you start kind of having a brand and you know, just, you know there's exposure on social media and kind of excitement around the program. Do you get calls from other kids you know from different programs, like at Davis, wanting to come and transfer into Farmington?

Speaker 2 41:51

Not really no, because if they come, they mostly just come on their own. I've only had a few, okay, but our district has pretty strict Are? They pretty strict Like yeah, like you have to get a variance. You're in your eighth grade, year to go if you don't want to go to your boundary school oh really and so yeah, so I'm looking at these seventh eighth graders like, come to farm, lieutenant man, but I believe, like I'm like I want to coach you if you want to be here right right but if you're, and if you're fantastic, I would love you to be here.

Speaker 2 42:24

You know, but like I still kind of not old-fashioned, like, but I play for your school play within your boundaries, yeah, and.

Speaker 2 42:33

But if you don't like, or me, or, follow the rules and move when you can, yeah, you know there's a lot of movement that shouldn't happen in my opinion. But, um, if you want to be here, I'm gonna do my best to coach you up. Yeah, and so do what you can to get here, but not really much. No, not don't recruit. Don't look at the kids already in high school, because I feel like we there's a lot of good programs around that also have their awesome traditions and such so they do it like they want to stay with their high school.

Speaker 1 43:10

Yeah.

Speaker 2 43:10

So soccer, I don't feel honestly. There's not tons of movement like there is in other high school sports.

Speaker 1 43:15

Okay, yeah, I mean on the boy side, you know, in particular football.

Speaker 2 43:20

Yeah.

Speaker 1 43:22

You know, even basketball to some degree degree. There there's a lot of movement and a lot of times, you know, when I talk to coaches, it's not they're not recruiting, it's just they've kind of built this program that kids see, especially because of social media, that hey, if I go to this high school, this program, and, to you know, play for this coach, I might have a better chance of playing at the next level right, yeah or I'm gonna have a chance to win a state championship or whatever it is.

Speaker 1 43:51

They just kind of see that via you know the different social media platforms, and so those coaches aren't recruiting.

Speaker 2 44:00

It's just it's kids are drawn to those programs yeah, and I definitely there are like at that young seventh, eighth grade age. There I do see a lot of oh, I got a variance because I want to play on the farmington high soccer team because I've heard it's a good experience, you know. So, looking at that age group, I love when they come to camp and get to talk to them a little bit more about what we do as a program. But they know it, it from word of mouth. The girls I have love that team and they're going to do everything they can to make it a good season every single season that we have it.

Speaker 1 44:33

Yeah, what's next for you guys over at Farmington? Is it state championship or bust every year?

Goals and looking toward the future

Speaker 2 44:41

Every year. No, yeah, after we made that state championship run, um, it was like and I never made it to a state championship in soccer, so it was like that was one of the best things I've ever been able to experience, and like we got every year. Every time we're on a campfire at the beginning season like what's our goal? State championship first thing okay like.

Speaker 2 45:03

That's always the first thing in everyone's mind and we're young every single year. Every single year, people are like how are you going to be? I'm like we're going to be young, but this group that's coming up this fall is a really good group. You've got really good girls all throughout every class and I'm really excited to see what they can do as a team.

Speaker 1 45:22

Yeah, yeah, out every class and I'm really excited to see what they can do as a team. Yeah, yeah, um, when does the season start again? In September, we July in July.

Speaker 2 45:30

Yeah, so we start tryouts July 28th and then we'll go till October.

Speaker 1 45:35

Okay, okay. So, yeah, I'm excited, I am definitely I got it. I'm going to come out to a game this year.

Speaker 2 45:40

I we'd love it.

Speaker 1 45:44

The Farmington team. Um, and it would be awesome if I was going to come out to a game this year. We'd love it. The Farmington team, and it would be awesome if I was able to come and watch you guys play in state.

Speaker 2 45:49

We're expecting it. It'll be good.

Speaker 1 45:51

You got some work ahead of you.

Speaker 2 45:52

Yeah, we do, but it'll be a great ride to do it.

Speaker 1 45:55

I love it. I love it. Well, sarah. Thank you so much for jumping on today. It's been a pleasure. Yeah, I think what you're building over at Farmington is incredible and, just like I said, you asked me you know well, how did you hear about me? Things like that.

Speaker 2 46:10

Yeah.

Speaker 1 46:11

I mean people talk and you're one of the, you know, the top soccer coaches in the state and a lot of people's opinions, so I'm grateful and honored to have you on today.

Speaker 2 46:20

So thank you for having me. I had a lot of fun doing it.

Speaker 1 46:24

Absolutely All right. Well, thanks everyone. We'll see you next time. Bye.