Her Story
About Karen
I've been coaching soccer for probably 15 plus years, and consulting for just over 3 years. Right now, I work for a company called SRUSA, a soccer-based sports recruiting company. We help high school student athletes, both boys and girls, find the right fit for college. These students that we work with are academically sound, ready for college, and athletically sound as well. I played soccer for many years myself, went to college and played soccer, and then after college, I decided to coach. I've been coaching here in the US and Canada, working with both boys and girls, from young children to adults. My greatest professional achievement is being able to guide the next generation of athletes to college, helping them find the right fit to enjoy what they love, which is soccer, while also getting their academics and furthering their education. More recently, I've put together a group of influential women coaches, working together with them to help with training sessions or areas that maybe they need help with, mental lapses or breaks or things along that nature. I'm trying to help the next generation of coaches, because soccer is mostly coached by men, so there are very few women out there. I want to pass my knowledge on to the next generation of female coaches.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Karen
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would be 100% ecstatic at the fact that that's what they want to do, because it's hard. It's very hard to juggle life and coaching, especially since a lot of the times, coaches have a day job, and then they have this in the evenings and weekends. I would be high-fiving them, hugging them, telling them this is outstanding. Then I would ask them what made them decide that they want to do this, what questions they have in regards to what they're looking for, where they want to coach, who they want to coach. I would give them as much advice as I can about scheduling, working with parents and administrators and other coaches and leagues, and always be available to them when they have questions. I would have them come out and look at a session that either myself or another coach that I've known for years runs, being able to let them know that they can mimic this, or use some parts in their sessions when they have their teams and their training sessions.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.