Interview with Coach Daniel Klinect                                Brookwood High School Head Boys Soccer Coach Proud Accomplishments 1.        Handing Brookwood their only defeat of the 2001 season while at Duluth HS. 2.        Being named the 2001 AAAAA Coach of the Year for Gwinnett County. 3.        Winning the AAA state championship in 2004 at Grayson High School as an assistant to my good friend           Scott Luthart. 4.        Defeating Parkview to win the 2006 8-AAAAA region championship. Question: What advice would you give to young players entering high school who want to play soccer for their high school    team?   First of all, I would tell all rising 9th grade students of the importance of maintaining good grades and staying eligible.  I would also tell them         that high school soccer is so much different than club soccer in the fact that you get to play in front of your friends and community supporters.  I still get chill bumps as we warm-up in front of our home crowd.  High school soccer is much more emotional than club soccer in that aspect. Question: What training would you recommend for a high school player who is dedicated to improving him or her self in the   off season? I tell all of my students to get involved with club soccer.  There are a lot of quality club teams with great coaches in the metro area that players can train with to gain valuable experience.  Play in as many tournaments as possible and always be a life-long learner with regards to soccer.  When you think you are the best you can be you will ultimately fail.  Everyone can learn something new about this great game. Question: What special skills do you think a successful coach must possess to lead his or her team during the season?   A successful coach must first be knowledgeable about soccer.  You must know the tactical as well as technical aspects of the game.  I also believe that the more successful soccer coaches have a passion for soccer and, more importantly, a passion for helping teach kids about the particular nuances of the game.  A coach is similar to a player, never sit back and think you know everything about the game.  I am constantly reading journals, books, etc from various soccer perspectives to enhance my coaching ability. Question: How has being a teacher helped you become a better coach? I consider myself to be a good teacher and this translates to having success on the field.  Coaches are teachers on the field in a different sort of classroom.  Brookwood has an abundance of talented players but they can always learn something new about the game, either physically or mentally.  If you went down a role call of great coaches (Holleman, Bostick, Mangrum, Luthart, Tavanni, Albertus, Coulter, Ridgway) you will find out that all are excellent teachers in the classroom. Question: Do you have any players that just graduated that are playing College Soccer now? If so, who are they and where are they playing? Do you have any advice for them? Stephen George (West Virginia) & Yakov Rubinchik (Wofford).  I told them both that college soccer is a once in a lifetime experience that I cherish to this day.  I was fortunate enough to play at Georgia State University in Atlanta from 1986-1990 and I have very fond memories of my playing experience and friendships that I still maintain.  NCAA soccer is very demanding and requires some self-sacrifice.  I told them that I would not have changed that for the world. Question: What advice would you give to student athletes who are struggling academically in school? I tell my student-athletes that get the help you need.  I have seen too many good players waste their high school soccer on poor grades. There are too many people who are ashamed to get help.  Don’t wait.  You could be missing out on some of the most exciting times in your soccer career by letting your grades slip.  I do not know a single coach that will punish a student-athlete for getting help and missing some practice time.  Coaches have to remember that education will take these kids further than any soccer talent.  Focus on your grades and develop good study habits. Question:  To whom or what do you attribute your ability to be a successful high school coach? I played soccer for Ron Mangrum at Duluth high school in 1985-86 on Duluth’s very first soccer team.  I would have jumped through a mine- field to play for him.  I was fortunate enough to play NCAA D-1 soccer, semi-professionally, and professionally and no coach motivated my like he did.  He will be the first to tell you that he was no soccer genius.  He just knew how to motivate players.  I try to emulate him with my coaching style. What do you love about the game of soccer? I love it for its universality.  No other sport in the world has the ability to be universally accepted and have an impact like soccer.  I find a 1-0 game to be thrilling.  It is a constant chess match, punch with counter-punch.  Soccer coaches earn their reputation and success on the practice field in my opinion.  You cannot call a timeout and regroup.  Both the players and coach have to read the game and make quick, on-   the-fly decisions that could impact the game. I love this game. What do you love about coaching high school soccer?   I love coaching high school soccer because the kids get to play in front of so many of their friends.  Most of the high school soccer players play in front of their parents and girlfriends on club.  High school soccer plays in stadiums, under the lights, in front of a community of supporters.  At Brookwood, we have great crowds of well over a thousand people.  It is a terrific atmosphere. Who is your favorite professional soccer team? My favorite professional team is Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga.  My family is originally from around that part of Germany and I love the people of Stuttgart because they are very similar to the people in the southern USA.  They are competitive, but not your mega-club like Real Madrid, Chelsea, Man U, etc that everyone loves.  I like to be different  Who is your favorite professional soccer player? Miroslav Klose – Werder Bremen … I told you I was different. Who is your favorite college soccer team? Easy … Georgia State University … Who taught you the game of soccer? My five older brothers when I was living in West Seneca, New York. We salute Daniel Klinect  for his contributions to Georgia High School Soccer and wish    his Brookwood Broncos all the best in the their upcoming 2007 season !!!!