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Preseason Q&A With Tulsa Head Coach Rena Richardson
8/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 16, 2004
HOW DID IT FEEL TO OPEN PRESEASON CAMP AS THE HEAD COACH AT TULSA?
It's been both exciting and a lot of fun. I sometimes catch myself smiling too much because I look out on the practice field and see the players working so hard and giving me all they have. Their commitment is there and that makes for a great atmosphere. It's an easier environment to teach in and get everybody on the same page. It's been wonderful.
THIS IS THE THIRD SCHOOL WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN THE HEAD COACH. HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR APPROACH TO PRESEASON CAMP?
I think I am a lot more patient than I have been in the past. My role has also changed. My most recent job was as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama, and as an assistant I was kind of a "good guy" coach. Now, I have to play both sides, good and bad, because I am accountable for these student-athletes.
THE TEAM HAS MANY GOALS THIS SEASON, BUT WHAT IS THE ONE GOALYOU WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING YOUR FIRST YEAR?
I want this team to be competitive, unified and able to look back and say we've achieved certain goals and now we want to look ahead and be one of the top teams in the conference.
I would also like to see our players walk away at the end of the season knowing that they had achieved their individual goals. I know one of our main goals is to be competitive in every game, but I also want them to be content on their performances. That goes back to me being able to teach and get the right information to them, along with their commitment to training and learning. I want these players and this team to be better at the end of the season than they were at the beginning.
TULSA'S FIRST GAME IS ON AUGUST 27. ARE YOU GOING TO BE NERVOUS WHEN YOU WALK OUT ON THE FIELD FOR THE FIRST TIME?
I don't think I'll be nervous, but actually just anxious. I'm ready. I'm excited about this season and what our players can do. I believe we are a very talented group. I think their commitment and training level will take them far and many good things will come. So, I'm not nervous.
IS THE TEAM READY FOR THE FIRST GAME?
Not yet, but in less than a week they will be. I can honestly say I don't know what our starting lineup is right now. There are still some toss-ups as far as what players will play which role and what the starting lineup will be. The whole team is fighting for starting positions and they're making it tough on me, but in a good way. Everybody is working hard and making the adjustments they need to make.
I think there will be a lot of trial and error in the first couple of games. With such a young team, it's important that the newcomers get some early exposure.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A VERY DETAILED COACH?
I try to make everything simple and organized. I believe if you are organized, then you can focus on details, and details can sometimes make a huge difference in a game. I like to have everything black and white, so it makes it very simple for everybody else. My hope is to rub some of my organization off on the players, because they need to pay attention to details like if a forward is right-footed, then we need to force them to the left. Little details like that can make a difference, so we're trying to get them to pay attention and see those things.
