February 3, 2009
BLUFFTON, Ohio - Bluffton University head soccer coach Steve Smucker recently completed and passed the 50-hour Premier Soccer Course presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. This concludes a coaching education journey with the NSCAA that began with the National License course back in 1996. While coaching at Christopher Dock High School in Lansdale, PA, Coach Smucker traveled to Vanderbilt University to seek this first residential license course. Upon successful completion of this level of soccer coaching education, he continued and took the NSCAA Advanced National License in 1997 at Pennsylvania State University. From there continued his coaching education with the United States Soccer Federation, completing the "B" License in 1999 and the Youth National License in 2001.
"I demand high standards from my athletes in the classroom and on the field" says Smucker. "That philosophy is not solely limited to the athletes in our programs, but goes for our coaching staff, myself included. If you want to stay current and relevant you have to know what is happening at the game's highest level. I've been fortunate to attend these coaching courses and learn from the best teachers of the game. The Premier Course was an excellent example of this. This is a milestone for me, but I'm also looking forward to the next level. There's always more to learn and I look forward to following the game at another course in the future, possibly through the USSF or another international soccer association."
The Premier License is the pinnacle of the NSCAA ' s residential Academy offerings and deals with coaching at the senior level (collegiate and professional). The course curriculum includes a thorough examination of the different systems of play, including: technical and tactical implications; 11 v 11 topics, including coaching in the game, phase play and shadow play; nutrition; sportsmanship/ethics; and a leadership component including team management, personal development and the coach ' s role in game development in his/her community. Testing included oral, written and practical (coaching in the game) evaluations. Coach Smucker attended this coaching school in early January in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
-BEAVERS-