Person, Then Coach

This article was written by Gonzalo Carranza, who was born in Argentina but raised in Brazil. He played in youth academies back home until moving to America to join the college soccer system. While playing, he began his coaching career, and after graduating, he started working in the segment full-time. He has assisted and served as a head coach at the semipro and college levels, and now, he finds himself as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Xavier University of Louisiana while also working part-time with the local MLS Next side in town.

Read time: 3 minutes.

How does prioritizing the individual needs and well-being of players contribute to a coach's success both on and off the field?

I approach it as I would outside of soccer. Every person is their own world, and has their way of seeing life. With that said, I try to relate to them as close as possibly to what suits them best. There is obviously moments that are your “overall views” that apply to the team, and everyone has to buy into that. I do however see value on that one on one adaptation. I think it is very simple - The player enjoys you as a person, so with that they have higher changes of succeeding on the field. He will go that “extra mile” for you. I approach it on a very natural way, and at times fail at it as well. I just try to be myself, and create healthy relationships with my players.

In what ways can coaches foster a supportive and nurturing environment that emphasizes personal growth alongside athletic development?

I think we are very quick to ask them how they are doing academically or athletic, and we offer help often on those. The real value in my opinion is to check on them on how their personal life is going. The players/person seems to show more appreciation from that. They look at you outside of just being their coach, and that seems to support it all in a more positive way.

What role do empathy and understanding play in building strong coach-athlete relationships, and how do they translate into improved performance on the field?

I once heard a coach say, “I will only have a go at you if you don’t work hard, or are afraid to try something” and I have implemented that on our every day actions. In a business in where winning is a must, the more you are understanding the better the players will produce. If you do the opposite, they tend to shut down and get worse because they become hesitant.

Can you share examples of coaches who have effectively balanced their role as mentor and leader, and the impact it has had on their athletes' lives beyond soccer?

The coach that I just quoted above is my main role model, Fernando Diniz. He more than anyone shares my personal values implemented in our sport. He just brought a player back from a very difficult situation in his personal life, and because he believed in him the same player is still actively playing.

How does instilling values such as respect, resilience, and teamwork contribute to athletes' holistic development under a coach's guidance?

My mission statement is actually “Provide opportunities, lessons, and values inside of soccer”. The game is a lot more than just kicking a ball. I understand we want to win, but winning without a meaning is empty. I often tell my players that everything we do isn’t necessarily to prepare for the next game, its actually to prepare for your next “life challenge”.

What strategies can coaches employ to maintain open communication and trust with their players, ensuring a positive and enduring influence both on and off the soccer pitch?

I think the first step is to understand that you are dealing with human beings. Before you are interested in if they can win you games, I would encourage coaches to see if you can earn a friend. The success will come naturally if the relationship is healthy. I also think that understanding that this process isn’t as simple and pretty as it might sound. As coaches we could understand difficult moments, and try to be mentor’s in those even when its a hard ask.