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| Youth soccer coach thrives on passion for game |
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| Written by Marc Aceves | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Friday, 23 May 2008 | |
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“Coaching has given me my personality. It's who I am. I love to work with kids. It's great to teach them, to develop them, to show them something new.” — Trish Vlha Patterson Competitive Soccer Club coach There isn’t one defining thing that makes Patterson’s Trish Vlha a good soccer coach. It’s a mass of things, and they culminate with an intense passion for the game at all levels. Honesty, commitment and determination are three keys to the third-year coach’s success, but ultimately, Vlha says, she needed to break free of her reticent tendencies to become a confident coach and display her innate ability to lead. “Coaching has introduced me to something that I thought I’d never do,” she said. “Now, it just comes naturally.”  Trish Vlha “You should always try to get the team to learn something from every experience,” Vlha said. “I put together everything in my own way, but I’m always willing to learn from the new experiences around me.” Ask Vlha, who also serves as the Patterson Competitive Soccer Club registrar and vice president, about how she came into coaching, and she’ll smile. She played softball in junior high, but she never competed athletically at the high school level. It wasn’t until she was a mother and her children began developing undeniable athletic abilities that she rekindled her love of sport. Vlha’s daughter showed a particular interest in soccer. When the opportunity to coach her presented itself, Vlha dove in feet first. “At first, I doubted that I could coach competitively,” Vlha said. “But I started talking to lots of coaches, going to college games and working with people who knew the game inside and out.” Inexperience turned out to be the least of Vlha’s problems. She had taken on a position of authority as coach of a girls soccer team with little knowledge of the sport itself. “Soccer had never really interested me until my children showed that they could play,” Vlha said. “I devised a plan once I decided that I was going to coach. I learned the rules as I watched. I got my licenses and carried on with a way to help the girls share the rewards of the work I put in.” She challenged herself by studying game footage, questioning people who knew the game and reading through any soccer manuals and articles she could get her hands on. It wasn’t long before her instincts took over. “I coach with high intensity, and I always practice in game-like situations,” Vlha said. “I’m always challenging the girls to play and focus on possession, anticipation and drive.” Three seasons later, she now coaches a pair of Patterson Competitive Soccer Club girls squads. Leading the Tsunamis (10 and younger) and the Venom (16 and younger) is what Vlha says she looks forward to doing most, forming lasting relationships and friendships with players and parents alike. Soccer has opened other doors for Vlha, too.Soon after she accepted her first coaching gig, she realized that her calling was in teaching. Now, Vlha is working toward her credentials even as she multitasks as mother, coach and educator. She has set the bar high for her players by encouraging each of them to pursue college scholarships to continue their education. She monitors her players’ grades and behavior, both inside and out of the classroom. “When these girls were younger, I wanted them to strive to make the varsity team,” Vlha said. “Now they are in high school. My goal is to help the girls who want to get into to college (by playing soccer) realize their dreams.” She said she would love to see some of her athletes break free from their comfort zones, perhaps seeking out what the world has to offer them outside of Patterson. “Coaching has given me my personality,” Vlha said. “It’s who I am. I love to work with kids. It’s great to teach them, to develop them, to show them something new.” To reach Marc Aceves at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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