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My Top 7 Favorite Moments of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches Convention

Published: February 12, 2022
Updated: February 20, 2023
By: Jenn Ireland

Category: Coaching

In mid-January I traveled to Kansas City for the 2022 United Soccer Coaches Convention. This was my first time attending the convention in person (I virtually attended in 2021) and the whole experience was just wonderful.

For me, being a soccer coach who is overly enthusiastic about self-improvement, getting to spend 5 days at a coaches convention LEARNING was a dream. I spent the whole week absorbing information and trying to take in as much as I possibly could (while also trying to not catch Covid).

Beyond learning, easily the second best part of the United Soccer Coaches Convention was connecting with fellow coaches in a shared community. It was SO GREAT to be able to just hang out and spend time with high quality people that I enjoy being around – especially after the pandemic induced social isolation of the past 2 years.

While learning & connecting were my top REASONS for attending the conference, here are some of my favorite memorable MOMENTS of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches Convention (in no particular order):

#1 - Seeing Carli Lloyd play Teqball live

Carli Lloyd’s surprise appearance was definitely a highlight of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches Convention for me. She came to the convention on Friday, making an appearance as a newly appointed ambassador of Teqball. Not only was this the first time I’d seen a live interview with Carli (I’ve seen her play), but this was my first live experience watching Teqball. AND I LOVE IT.

What a fantastic, fun game to play to grow your soccer skills and fine tune your ball control! Not to mention it being an amazing alternative option to soccer for players who are recovering from injury or don’t want a contact sport. So yes, Teqball + Carli Lloyd, definitely one of my favorite moments of the United Soccer Coaches Convention!

#2 - Getting introduced to the mental performance work of Tiffany Jones and Amanda Ferranti

I had heard of both Dr. Tiffany Jones and Amanda Ferranti before attending the United Soccer Coaches Convention but I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore their work. Thankfully, I got to see both of them talk at the convention. Neither of them fell short of my expectations, and in fact, they highly surpassed them.

What I liked about each of these presenters, was that I was able to walk away with actual TANGIBLE activities and actions, things that I could actually do with my soccer teams, on the field, starting tomorrow.

They both provided mental skills tools that coaches could use immediately to start shifting things with their players – tools that actually help increase confidence and manage performance anxiety. And for this I am very appreciative, as often time presentations on mental performance skills are illusive and don’t leave coaches feeling anymore prepared than before.

#3 - Watching Roy Kent receive the 1st ever 'Believe' award

Upon sitting down at the United Soccer Coaches Convention Award’s Banquet Friday night, we were all welcomed by a video message from none other than Ted Lasso’s Roy Kent. This was one of the highlight’s of the convention for me for a very simple reason: it made me smile.

Ted Lasso’s fictional soccer world has extended far and wide, and that includes into the real live soccer community itself. The show delivers such a positive message about humanity even in the face of struggle and hardship and was a much needed dose of positivity during Covid-19. I’m happy that United Soccer Coaches recognizes and appreciates what these guys are doing.

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#4 - Being on the receiving end of the Joe Cummings Convention Scholarship

The reason that I was at the Award Banquet in the first place was because I was on the receiving end of a financial scholarship from the United Soccer Coaches Foundation – the Joe Cummings Convention Scholarship. Receiving support to attend the convention not only allowed me to have this great experience, but it’s already made me a better coach in regards to all the things I learned and have taken with me.

Receiving this scholarship has already been an impactful event. It’s helped me interact with my players differently, provided me endless content ideas for my soccer blog, and it also has given me the opportunity to connect with Joe, a truly wonderful person who cares deeply about the game and all of the people who are a part of it.

#5 - Hearing David Copeland-Smith preach about accountability

David Copeland-Smith of Beast Mode Soccer is a true gem. I mean this wholeheartedly. Myself, I LOVE going on-and-on about personal accountability with my players (and everyone I know, let’s be real), so to hear someone else also be so passionate about taking responsibility for yourself and your development – well that just makes me extremely happy.

David’s field presentation ‘Individual Development in Small Spaces’ was well designed, but honestly most of what I took away from the session wasn’t the activities he was running the players through: it was his accountability talk. It was the way he wholeheartedly speaks the truth about how PLAYERS are in charge of what they get out of their training sessions. THEY, and they alone, are in charge of how good they get.

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#6 - Watching Laura Harvey of OL Reign work her magic

What I liked most about the NWSL’s 2021 Coach of the Year‘s field session at the United Soccer Coaches Convention was her ability to adjust and create the session that the players in front of her needed in that moment in order to progress and improve.

Laura started with a pretty basic activity plan focused on defending transitions. But then she took this session outline and amended it on the fly, making it both easier and more difficult as was needed by the specific group she was given to work with.

It is very clear that Laura Harvey has high expectations of the players on the field with her and she knows how to push them to maximize their potential in a given situation. She coaches in a way that is simultaneously helpful and informative, but that also challenging and full of struggle for the players. It’s this perfect balance and I love it.

#7 - Being pleasantly surprised by a team-building session

The last thing on my list of favorite moments from the 2022 United Soccer Coaches Convention was my surprise ‘win’ of the week. You know – that presentation you randomly ended up at because nothing else looked very interesting so you just picked something, but you end up actually LOVING it! You know what I’m talking about right? That was how I felt about Molly Grisham‘s ‘Team-building for Female Teams’.

Now team-building isn’t the most interesting concept to me because I feel like it’s always a repeat of the same information: but Molly’s session was NOT that. It was so much more. She managed to make this illusive concept of team-building and connection into a very real, powerful thing that actually makes a difference in team dynamics. And she did so with such simplicity and creativeness that I was blown away.

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Can't wait for the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Convention!

One of the biggest things that stood out to me about the United Soccer Coaches Convention was how unique it is for soccer coaches to have a community that brings together EVERY LEVEL of the game, from youth to pro. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe that any other sport in America has something like this. And that is truly something to be proud of and something special to be a part of.

I have to give a shout out to the city of Kansas City before closing this out. What a wonderful place to spend 5 days in! Despite the frigid temps, I was completely smitten by KC. The free downtown streetcar trolly was fantastic, the old buildings were super charming and full of character, and the street art and color everywhere made me feel really welcomed. The food in KC was excellent as well, I was elated to find PokeSan nearby (I won’t pretend that getting my poke bowl fix doesn’t make any trip better, BECAUSE IT DOES.)

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Already looking forward to the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia! (There’s a poke place nearby right?)

Hi everyone! I’m Jenn and I create content to help female soccer players and coaches maximize individual and team potential by developing healthy mindset skills. Join other subscribers and sign up for the newsletter for all my best tips and advice!

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Hi everyone!

I'm Jenn, a USSF C-licensed youth soccer coach, mental skills coach & founder here at Expand Your Game. I created this site because it is the site I needed when I was a soccer player.

About me: I am a former newspaper photojournalist who loves downtempo electronic music, guacamole and books of every sort. And of course soccer! On days off you can find me researching tiny farms in Portugal , tossing a frisbee for my dog, or tending to my growing collection of indoor plants.