KCsoccer.com Interview: Jefferson Roblee

Photo: William Jewell College Associate Head Coach and KC Brass Head Coach Jefferson Roblee talks with KCsoccer.com


Today KCsoccer.com profiles: Jefferson Roblee

Team(s) you are affiliated with:
William Jewell College, Associate Head Coach (M & W): 2006-present
Kansas City Brass (PDL), Head Coach: 2002-present
KC Wizards Youth Training Program, Director: 2001-2005
Missouri Boys 87 ODP State Team, Coach: 2001-2005
KC Pace youth teams, Coach: 1995-2007
Liberty High School, JV Boys & Girls Coach: 1994-1997

How did you begin playing/coaching? I went to a YMCA soccer clinic when I was 6 years old. My dad took over coaching my YMCA team before our second season and that really helped energized my interest. George Derra began coaching me when I was 12. My first official coaching job was as the JV boys and girls coach at Liberty High School during the 1994/1995 school year.

Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach:As a U15 player my club team (UHS Apollos) defeated the U16 Manatoba Canada Province team (Canadian ODP team) at the 1986 USA Cup. The game was played under the lights (very rare at the time) and was the second half of a doubleheader feature exhibition. The first half of the doubleheader feature was the USA vs Canada women's national teams (It was either the first or second USA women's national team match ever!). It was a summer of the World Cup (Mexico 86) and my team wore USA looking uniforms during the match and the Canadian team wore red (it looked like our game was a USA vs Canada national team match as well). Although it was just an exhibition we played with national pride! We won 3-2 playing great soccer vs our older opponents. I didn't have a goal or assist in the game but our team effort and the atmosphere made it impossible to forget. And although it wasn't a monumental victory, in college (The University of Tulsa) I scored a goal vs Vanderbilt. It was one of my better goals but what made it special was that Lincoln assisted me on the play (great pass). The TU public address announcer made sure the fans knew that it was a Roblee to Roblee goal.
I've had a lot of memorable victories as a coach. I treasure individual player and team development as much as the victories however there are a few victories that stand out. Some of the victories that stand out include the 87/88 KC Pace historic Missouri state championship in 2005 and also in 2006. In my first year at WJC finishing 9-0-0 in conference, winning the regional championship and winning two games at nationals to advance to the Final Four in 2006 and coaching the KC Brass to qualification in the U.S. Open Cup in 2007. I'm very proud of all those results and the player committment that produced those results.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): I played with or against a lot of good players. We had four Olympic Festival (USA U23 pool) players at TU: David Gordon, Kevin King, Frank Velez and Neal Zahn. They were all very good but Kevin King may have been the best of the bunch. He played numerous games with the USA B National Team (what is now known as U23 National Team). Kevin would have been a successful MLS player had the league been around a few years earlier. I played with and against a lot of very good players at the inaugural MLS discovery tryouts in 1995 and 1996 including future MLS players Brian Kamler and Shane Battelle. All of the players I mentioned could play with skill, strength and confidence. Good players. I have been very fortunate to coach a lot of very talented players. Too many to mention. I've coached against a lot of talented players as well. I've coached against the Wizards in exhibitions a dozen times since 2002 and they have had some very distinguished players since 2002...most notably Preki. Some of the more memorable opponents who were amateurs at the time include Pat Noonan (80/81 Scott Gallagher), Sumed Ibrahim (80/81 Javanon), Heath Pearce (Colorado Rapids PDL), Colin Clark (Colorado Rapids PDL), Nate Jaqua (Colorado Rapids PDL), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire PDL), Ned Grabavoy (Chicago Fire PDL), David Roth (Chicago Fire PDL). However the amatuer player who stood out the most was clearly Vedad Ibisevic. Vedad played for the St. Louis PDL team in 2002 and 2003. Although Vedad was only 19 years old he was clearly the most pro-ready amateur player I have seen competing at an amateur level.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: The game has grown so much in every way during the past 30 years. The opportunity to play, learn and watch is better at every level (rec, youth, high school, college, amateur, pro, international). When I started playing soccer in 1977, my future high school (Winnetonka) did not have a soccer team...my future college (University of Tulsa) did not have a soccer team...and the city I lived in (Kansas City) did not have a professional team...You had to be very hard core to progress your game. Now young players have loads of opportunity to learn, play and watch very good soccer.

What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? As a player I had some very good coaches and as a coach I've worked along side some very good coaches. My father was one of my first coaches in the YMCA. He had a very good eye for talent and was very honest in his evaluations. I hope I received some of those qualities from him. The experiences gained from playing for good coaches and working with good coaches cannot be duplicated. I am a competitive person who enjoys helping others appreciate the game while maximizing their talent.

Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached:

MEN:

GK-Todd Dohlman: KC Brass: MISL drafted

D-Ryan Barber: 80/81 KC Pace & KC Brass: Canada U20 & MLS drafted
D-Josh Howard: WJC & KC Brass: MLS Reserve & Swedish D2 player
D-Ryan Raybould: KC Brass: MLS & Allsvenskan (Swedish premier) player
D-Neal Zahn: UHS Apollos & TU: Olympic Fest (USA U23) player
M-Kevin King: TU: Olympic Festival (USA U23) & NPSL player
M-Will John: KC Brass: USA U20 player, MLS & Danish Superliga player
M-Allan Nekuda: WJC & KC Brass: MLS Reserve & MISL drafted

M-Blake Ryan: 80/81 KC Pace & KC Brass: MLS Reserve & MISL drafted
F-Jake Bleyenberg: KC Brass: MLS Reserve and MISL player
F-Frank Velez: TU: Olympic Festival (USA U23) player & NPSL player
I'm not including any person I have coached with or any men's player I could still coach with WJC or KC Brass...Therefore no 87/88 KC Pace players, William Jewell College men's players or current KC Brass players are eligible for this list...there are definitely some players from those teams that could be on this list.

WOMEN:

GK-Rebecca Ewing: NSCAA Scholar All Region

D-Erica Greco: NAIA All America & Academic All America

D-Theresa Noll: NAIA & NSCAA All America

D-Megan Penrod: NAIA All America

D-Lauren Pouche: NSCAA Scholar All Region

M-Katie Brooks: NSCAA All Region & Scholar All Region

M-Shanon Eberle: NAIA & NSCAA All America

M-Kathleen Hatfield: NAIA Academic All America

M-Megan Gray: NAIA All America & Academic All America

F-Nicole Revenaugh: NAIA & NSCAA All America

F-Ashley Tanner: NAIA All America

This is a honor roll of the most decorated women's players during my time coaching at WJC.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):

GK-Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
D-Cafu (Brazil)
D-Franz Beckenbauer (W. Germany)
D-Paolo Maldini (Italy)
M-Lothar Mattheaus (W. Germany/Germany)
M-Zinedine Zidane (France)
M-Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
M-Diego Maradona (Argentina)
M-Pele (Brazil)
F-Romario (Brazil)
F-Ronaldo (Brazil)
All of these players were World Cup winners except for Cristiano Ronaldo...who was World Player of the Year in 2008. In this 3-5-2: Buffon in goal. Cafu on the right, Beckenbauer in the middle and Maldini on the left. Although all three can go forward they would all stay back and use their defensive instincts in this 11. Lothar and Zizoo play as twin holding mids. Lothar has experience there and Zidane can play anywhere. C. Ronaldo and Pele on the wings but could probably roam on this team...Maradona is the attacking mid. Give Maradona the ball and this team will score every time. Romario and Ronaldo up top...Unstoppable.

This interview was completed on: (date) February 20, 2009.

KCsoccer.com Interview: Alan Blinzler

Photo: KSYSA President and KC Brass founder Alan Blinzler talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles: Alan Blinzler

Team(s) you are affiliated with:Kansas City United Soccer Club (formerly the Attack Soccer Club) - formed with Emilio John and Jim Schwab in 1993, Kansas City Brass - founded with Emilio John in 1997, Kansas State Youth Soccer Assocaition, President from 2005 to the present, Member of the Board of Directors from 2001 to the present.

How did you begin playing/coaching?I started playing in high school gym class. That was in the 1960’s. Everything I was told then about the game was wrong. Started to play seriously in college and then in amateur leagues in Kansas City, Kansas and at Jackson County. I still play on occassion with a group of coaches from my club in an indoor league. I started coaching in the early 1980's with my nephew and niece and later my son and daughters. All had successful careers playing and earned many honors. All of the credit for their success belongs to them and the other coaches they had. I was mostly along for the ride.

Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach:The biggest win for me was not as a coach or a player, but when my older daughter won the State Championship in High School her senior year. It came down to kicks from the mark. She was the third shooter and she nailed side netting. Watching those girls celebrate after the winning goal was something I will not forget.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?):Diego Ramon Tau. I had the opportunity to play for a number of years with Ramon. A true gentleman and the most skilled player to ever grace a field in Kansas City. In his prime there was no one who could compare. Over the years, I had the opportunity to know many truly skilled players, from Pato Margetic to Preki. Each thought Ramon was simply incredible.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching:When I started I was perhaps one of ten players who grew up in the US playing in the local leagues. In the early seventies there were a few players who grew up here, a few who played for the Kansas City Spurs, but most of the teams had strong ethnic ties. There were the Internationals who were mostly Germans, Santos was Brazilian, Academy was Argentinean, Peruvian and a few Central Americans, Pumas and Chivas were mainly Mexican, and so on. Shortly afterwards, there began a slow, but steady influx of American players. Today there is a whole generation of very skilled American born players at all levels, many of whom grew up in Kansas City.

What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach?A love of the game and an overly analytical bent.If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be?Make the Premier Development League, which the Kansas City Brass plays in, follow the Olympic Rules on the number of allowed over age players (3). Today the PDL allows eight over age players. Many teams start all eight and only sub the underage players. The current rule defeats the concept of a “Development” League. Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached:Manny Schwartz – goal
Craig Kasten – defense
Jim Schwab – defense
Kim Roentved - defense
Adam Blinzler (my son) or Josh Duffy – defense (coached and played with both, maybe some bias here)
Preki – mid
Will John - mid
Diego Ramon Tau – mid
Ermund Ragova - forward
Emilio John – forward
Pato Margetic - forward

There are many others who I had the chance to play with including Victor Petroni, Charlie Carrie, Robi Goff, Fatai Ayoade and a couple of so-so players named Jefferson and Lincoln Roblee who should be on that list somewhere.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):

Lev Yashin – goal
Franz Beckenbauer – defense
Roberto Carlos – defense
Paolo Maldini – defense
Alessandro Nesta - defense
Socrates – mid
Pele – mid
Messi -mid
Lothar Mattheus - mid
Michel Platini – forward
Diego Maradona - forward

This interview was completed on: (date) January 8, 2008.

KCsoccer.com Interview: Nate Houser

Photo: Baker University men's and women's soccer head coach Nate Houser talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles : Nate Houser

Team(s) you are affiliated with: Baker University Men and Women; Rush u19 boys

How did you begin playing/coaching? Playing- drove by rec sign-ups one day when I was 4, and said why not. Coaching- started with camps in college and then was a camp director with the Comets. I did some volunteer ODP work in-between. From there I applied for the head women’s job at Baker.Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: Player- u17 Cal South State Cup, San Diego CIF Championship in high school. U19 Kansas State Cup. NPSL Championship 1997. Coaching- Heart of America Conference Championship 2008.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): Played with/ against- Milos Bursac, Red Star European Champion 1991, the most complete player I have been on the field with. Carlos Valderama, big, fit, strong and no mistakes-ever! Kevin Koetters, KC Wizards & Attack, one of the best American players I played with or against. He could do everything and anything. John Limniatis, Canadian National Team Captain, very smart, intense and no nonsense. Hakan Suker, Galatasary, Best Striker I have been 2 yards from. Different in everyway.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: When I started the game was built around sweepers, and not very organized. Now every good team is very well organized defensively, and many players are my size, 6’3”, but they are much better athletes. The game has also gotten much faster.

What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? As a player I took the role of the underdog. Not very many rated me, so I used that as motivation to arrive early and stay late at training. I forced myself to play a simple game because I wasn’t very technical.
As a coach, it has been same. Many people don’t think players can be coaches, so I have tried to learn as much as I can from as many resources as possible and be a student of the game. I work hard, but maybe what works for me is the desire and ability to see the game from a players point of view. I try to use my experiences to help my players tackle their problems on the field.

If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be? I would make the season 6 months long with a break in the middle so we could see more development of players and teams at he college level. That would be a great challenge.

Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached: GK Dan Popik, LA Galaxy/ Milwaukee Rampage, D Ian Fraser, Canada/ Attack, D John Limniatis, Canada/ Attack, D Sammy Ekeme, Cameroon, Wizards, Attack, D Carlos Zavala, Toluca, Rochester Rhinos, MF, Kevin Koetters, Wizards/ Rochester Rhinos/ Attack, MF Goran Hunjak, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Attack, MF Mark Waite, Hampton Roads Mariners, MF Lenin Steenkamp, Rochester Rhinos, F Clovis Simas, Brazil Futsal World Champion, F Jon Wolniec, New York Red Bulls/ Milwaukee Rampage.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions): Zinadine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rikgaard, Theirry Henry, Socrates, Patrick Viera, Franz Beckenbaur, Franco Baresi, Ronaldinho, Pele. This isn’t fair. I left off Maldini, Cruyff, George Best, Eric Cantona, Lev Yashin, Eusebio, etc.

This interview was completed on: (date) 1/20/08

KCsoccer.com Interview: Mike Saif

Photo: KC Dynamos coach and WORLD CLASS COACHING president Mike Saif talks with KCsoccer.com

Today's KCsoccer.com profiles: Mike Saif

Team(s) you are affiliated with: KC Dynamos U10 Boys

How did you begin playing/coaching? Played as a kid in England like all kids did and got into coaching because my Dad coached professional teamsName some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: 12 KS State Championships, Region Two Championship and a USYS National Championship

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): I have coached lots of players that have impressed me...too many to mention. Some for how they improved their technical ability and some for how they compete and some for their special leadership abilities.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: It is as different as night and day compared to when I played over 30 years ago. The game is so much more physical and faster now. Even if you look at games on TV from 15 years ago you can see a big difference. The youth game has also improved in KC over the 17 years I have coached here. The talent pool is deeper, which makes for more competitive teams in each age group.
What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? My Dad was a pro player and coached pro teams in England. My brother coached at the Academies of pro teams so we were pretty much a soccer family and I learned to look at games through the eyes of a coach and not a player or fan. I definitely learned more from discussions at home than I have by attending any coaching licensing course. Also, as the president of WORLD CLASS COACHING, I am interacting on a daily basis with coaches all over the world. I also have daily exposure to training sessions, methods and ideas from these coaches. This not only improves my coaching knowledge but keeps me on the cutting edge.

If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be? Where do I begin? The culture of youth soccer in the U.S. has some great strengths but also has some strong negatives. Three issues that hold back player development are:
1. Coaching and player development decisions being made by inexperienced volunteers who see things from admin perspective and not a technical perspective.2. A desire to win and collect trophies, especially at a young age. This is inbred in our soccer culture and is part of the players, coaches and parents. This can lead to situations where development takes a back seat to attempting to win.3. Overplaying and not enough quality training. Our young players play too many games that don't help development. They play outdoor league, tournaments, indoors, 3v3, guest play, ODP, etc. Not only does this wear the players out and set them up for injuries as they get older, but the games don't mean anything to them...at least not the right thing. As mentioned earlier, their purpose is to win games, so they don't get a chance to try out new skills, etc.Things are beginning to change for the better and this is a good sign. US Soccer has taken the lead with the older players and cut this down so players have to train three times a week, don't participate in ODP and participate in a national type league.

Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached: As I said earlier, I have coached too many good players that it would be unfair to try and find 11 to put in a list.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions): Here are some in order - George Best (without question). Pele, Maradonna, Tony Currie, Zidane, Cruyff, Beckenbauer,

This interview was completed on: (date) Jan 8, 2009.

KCsoccer.com Interview: Huw Williams

Photo: KCFC Technical Director Huw Williams talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles: Huw Williams

Team(s) you are affiliated with: KCFC Technical Director and coach of KCFC Intensity (U16G); KCFC Impact (U18G); KCFC Strikers (U17B)

How did you begin playing/coaching? Started playing at a very young age (can’t remember not playing)– I am from North Wales and if you did not play soccer in North Wales then you did not participate in any sport. I attended my 1st coaching certification course at the age of 15 (FA Prelim). I then held weekly clinics for the local grade-schoolers every Saturday morning for the FAW (Football Association of Wales).

Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: Biggest win as a player – Wales U19 2 v England U19 0. Biggest wins as a coach – U13G and U15G Regional II Championship matches. The u13 final was very exciting. We tied the game in the last minute of regulation and scored the winning goal the 1st minute of overtime.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): Biggest name played with – Ian Rush who went on to be one of the best goalscorers of all time. However the best player at that time was Kevin Ratcliff who went on to captain Wales and Everton FC but as a youth player Kevin was head and shoulders better than the rest of us. He was stronger, faster and simply way better than all of us. (Later in life – Kevin claimed that he challenged Linford Christie to a race in the streets shortly after the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in which Christie had just won the gold medal – Kevin also claims that he won the race!!). Best player played against – Bernhard Schuster, German international player who also played for Barcelona and Real Madrid. He captained Germany U19s v Wales U19s – we lost 3-2.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: The game in Kansas City is WAY different from when I first came over here in 1985. In those days there were very few clubs and very few premier level teams. (I remember talking with Emilio John after his team – Club America(?) had won an out of town tournament and that was considered to be a huge deal at the time). Kansas City soccer has since developed into one of the major soccer communities in the country. The depth of the talent level has improved dramatically.

What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? Biggest influence on my coaching – Stuart Griffiths, my college coach. I had played for various pro clubs prior to attending college so I had been subjected to a certain coaching style – which was basically ‘win games and take no prisoners’ – foul or be fouled. Stuart Griffiths was just as competitive and had the same desire to succeed as these pro coaches but believed in doing so in the right manner. I hope his method was the biggest influence on my coaching.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):
Spot the common denominator?
Neville Southall
John Charles (the gentle giant)
Kevin Ratcliff (the Rat)
Joey Jones
Ryan Giggs
Leighton James
Terry Yorath
Ivor Allchurch
Mark Hughes
John Toshack
Ian Rush
Subs
Trevor Ford
Cliff Jones
Brian Flynn
Billy Meredith
Gil Reece
Gary Sprake
Mickey Thomas

Formation – 3-4-1-2. Tactics: John Charles and Joey Jones marking tight at the back. Charles winning all of the headers and Ratcliff covering both players. Lots of speed and skill out wide with James and Giggs. Yorath winning lose balls and Allchurch spraying passes and attacking from midfield. Hughes would be a link between the forwards. Tosh would win all the high balls and Rush would feed off of his touches.

This interview was completed on: (date) January 8, 2009

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