First soccer job, favorite soccer job and the most important soccer job

While packing up the van for another long day of soccer, it hit me. I’ve been here before.


Directions with quickest route to the fields and game-day timeline - check.
Shin guards, tape, medical supplies, away jerseys (just in case) - check.
Ample supply of water and healthy snacks - check.


I actually had to sit down and think about this for a minute. This wasn’t just any old déjà vu. A stream of memories flashed before my eyes and when I came to, I shook my head and smiled when I realized what I’ve been doing all these years - working the same soccer job over and over.


My first soccer job was as the manager of the men’s soccer team at Kalamazoo College. I guess I was qualified because I had played soccer since age seven and that would come in handy at practices if one side was short a man. Another bonus - I was tall enough to put the nets up without any help.


My main job for the team was to ensure that they smoothly got to the games and back. (This was a riot in and of itself because transportation for the K College sports teams in the mid 80s consisted of four black Checker cabs. But that is a blog for another day.) I would gas up the giant cabs, pack the Umbro bags and more times than not, drive. I collected and washed the uniforms. In addition, I was responsible for equipment (flags, nets, water, medical supplies, balls), acted as a ball girl and made sure the players had their printout of the game-day timeline. In a nutshell, my job was to do everything I could to help these boys play their best.


Now fast forward six years.


My favorite soccer job was working for the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee when the tournament was in the U.S. I was the Competition Manager at the Detroit venue (Pontiac Silverdome, real grass indoors, etc.). In my cover letter to the organizers, I wrote, “I can’t just sit in the stands for this one.” To any international soccer fan, this was a dream job. I was responsible for all aspects of the national teams’ stay in Detroit. Amongst the six teams playing at the Dome, were the most popular Brazil and U.S.


Main responsibilities as Competition Manager included overseeing transportation, accommodations, security, airport arrivals/departures and training sites for the teams. In addition, I was responsible for equipment (flags, nets, water, medical supplies, balls), managed the ball girls/boys and made sure the team managers had their printout of the game-day timeline. In a nutshell, my job was to do everything I could to help these men play their best.


Stop me if you think that you’ve heard this one before -- and fast forward another 16 years.


My most important soccer job is one that I have now - manager of my kids’ soccer worlds. It is my responsibility to oversee their transportation, security, physical state, mental state and general game-day preparedness. I’m in charge of their equipment (water, medical supplies, balls, uniforms) and am their biggest cheerleader and fan. In a nutshell, my job is to do everything I can to help my kids play their best.


Different teams, different stages, different players. Exact same job.