“I always tell them to live in the moment. It will be gone before you know it. Enjoy every minute that you can play. It could be gone tomorrow, in a week, or in four years if you are a freshman in college.”
These are the words of Ohio Galaxies WPSL head coach Chris Black, one of the top young coaches in all of the Midwest.
Where did this valuable lesson come from? In part it was something he learned from his high school basketball coach, something that didn’t really click at the time.
“Everyday was a life lesson,” Black said. “You are trying to mold players into men and women that are mature, make good decisions, and are professional.”
It wasn’t about playing basketball, but rather living life and it was something that easily transferred to a soccer pitch. Combined with developing a competitive attitude and a professional environment, this became a key teaching concept for Black.
He spent time as an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati, Wright State University, and Slippery Rock University, gaining experience on both the men’s and women’s side of the college game.
All of this followed a succesful run as a player; Black was a standout goalkeeper at Miamisburg HS, the Centerville Galaxies, and the University of Findlay. As a player he looked to Michael Jordan and Edwin van de Sar for inspiration and to learn how to play the game the right way.
“You have to have a competitive fire all the time,” Black added. “No matter what you are doing, you want to win at everything. So when you get into difficult situations, it is just natural and you do what it takes to get the job done.”
Black has certainly gotten the job done in 10 years of coaching at the collegiate level. But he was ready for a new challenge, taking the reigns as the head coach of a Women’s Premier Soccer League team.
He assembled and led a squad that didn’t look the part of a first-year franchise, thanks to a 2nd place finish in the Midwest Conference and big victories against Fort Wayne (7-1) and a NE Ohio All-Star team (8-0).
Black was able to carefully blend top collegiate players with some of his area’s best high school players, suggesting that the experience was good for both groups.
“The high school kids were full go all the time, trying to prove a point,” Black continued. “The college players realized they are going to have to compete to get on the field. It was a good group that pushed each other day in and out.”
Black also felt that the high school players benefited from the competitive environment, growing accustomed to a faster and more physical style of play.
While his focus is now on the WPSL and becoming a full-time Director of Coaching, Black remains a student of the game. He is impressed with the direction of U.S. Soccer.
He is a huge supporter of the academy system and Claudio Reyna’s national curriculum.
“We now have one common goal instead of people doing their own thing,” Black said. “I think it is going to help us in the long run, helping us to catch the other countries.”
Black is also pleased with the direction of both senior national teams. He realizes how important a women’s professional league is to the future of the women’s national team and that the rest of the world is catching up to one of the world’s best programs.
Black is optimistic that the men’s side will experience similar success.
“We’re getting better and better,” Black continued. “Jurgen Klinsmann is a great fit, a great addition. Everybody in the United States has a win now mentality, but you have to see the bigger picture of what he is trying to do. Hopefully in my lifetime I will get to see the U.S. win the World Cup.”
Seeing the U.S. men win the World Cup in convincing fashion is something we all can embrace. And thanks to coaches like Chris Black, we are one step closer to that ultimate goal.
Korrio understands it is your passion for coaching kids that drives you. We also know that the less time you spend dealing with administrative, communication and automation hassles, and the more time you spend on the field, the happier you’ll be. And because you play a crucial role in our children’s lives, we want you spending as much time as possible coaching our kids. Korrio offers a modern approach to coaching by allowing new ways to communicate and develop a community on and off the field. Congratulations to the ISN Star of Coaching this month!
Also be sure to read our recent conversation with Korrio brand ambassador Kristine Lilly as she discusses the future of women’s professional soccer.
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