Spotlight on Coaching Danielle Fagan By Evan Kravitz
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oach Danielle Fagan can’t remember a time when she wasn’t involved in soccer. She started playing when she was seven and has not left the sport since. “I grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s when there weren’t many sports for girls to participate in,” said Fagan. “I wanted to play ice hockey but that was for boys. Soccer was the only option. That being said, soccer has proved to be the right option.” Fagan has a soccer resume that reads like a president’s memoir. She is currently Head Coach and Program Director for the TEYSA U9 girls, Technical Director of TEYSA’s FC Europa Premiere Teams, Director of Training- Girls’ Programs for Radnor Soccer Club, Coach of Conestoga High School’s Girls’ Varsity Soccer,
a member of Region I camp staff for US Youth Soccer, ODP staff and a part of FC DELCO as an ECNL Scout and Coach-at-Large. As if that wasn’t enough to impress you, Fagan is also the founder and owner of SOCCERDCF (Development, Character and Fun) and www.soccerdcf.com where she offers training courses, clinics and creates enthusiasm and passion for the game of soccer. Fagan played soccer throughout her undergraduate years at Villanova University, starting in 1989 and was captain of the team in 1992. Shelly Chamberlain, the head coach at Villanova at the time, was the first person to give Fagan a taste of coaching when he asked her to be the assistant coach of the team while she pursued an MBA. Fagan left the soccer world briefly upon graduation in the mid-nineties to start her journey up the corporate ladder. Fagan got involved in coaching once again in 1997 when she bumped into Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer CEO Chris Branscome at the EPYSA Coaches Workshop. She inquired about coaching opportunities and Branscome got Fagan involved with the Lower Merion Soccer Club. Fagan continued work-
ing fulltime until 2003 when she left corporate America and devoted herself to soccer fulltime. But leaving the business world didn’t necessarily mean leaving her aspirations to make her mark on the corporate scene. Fagan channeled her passion for soccer into SOCCERDCF. Since then, Fagan has travelled the world learning more and more about the game and bringing those lessons back home for her players and clients. Fagan’s return to soccer was in no small part due to the pleasure she takes when she sees her players begin to understand the fundamentals of the game and feel the same passion for soccer as she does. “My favorite part about coaching is when the light switch goes on for the kids and they get what you’re talking about,” said Fagan. “When they reach success, I reach success. That’s how I measure it. It’s not always about winning, it’s about development.” Fagan advises other coaches to learn from one another. “Your peers are your biggest asset,” said Fagan. “Learn as much as you can; the information is out there. It doesn’t matter if it’s soccer for girls or soccer for boys, it is still soccer.” Fagan says soccer has given her life purpose. “I planned to climb the corporate ladder and become a CEO,” said Fagan. “I feel like now I am getting the business side accomplished while remaining true to my passion for the game.”
The Real Coaching Heroes By Mike Barr, Director of Coaching EPYSA Youth Soccer
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op players and their families learn to value coaches at the younger ages, since many of these coaches are recognized as being responsible for providing the foundation for later success a son or daughter experiences on the soccer field. Most players can look back to that certain coach, who not only introduced them to the sport, but inspired them to appreciate soccer through developmentally sound and fun instruction. The Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s
Olympic Development Program has provided the opportunity to train very talented players each year. Our goal is to further develop each player’s skills in order to enable them to reach their full potential. Increased pressure in training technique, team tactics, match related fitness and more challenging competition are all part of the Olympic Development experience. These players would not be involved with ODP without those club coaches who gave up so much of their own time and effort to work
20 EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SOCCER • TOUCHLINE
with these players. The sacrifices and time a volunteer coach makes available is often overlooked or unappreciated. Each coach should always feel a significant part of a player they once coached as they move from youth soccer to college and possibly playing professionally. Within Eastern Pennsylvania, we wish to acknowledge the club coaches who are currently training or have trained our ODP players. For a list of these coaches please visit www.epysa.org.