My Coaching Philosophy

Lauren Robinson

1. What is my background with both education and athletics?

o I went to Dearborn High School (class of 2002) and graduated with
honors. I was captain of the swimming and soccer teams and was
awarded senior scholar-athlete for DHS.
o I attended Hope College for 5 years and graduated with honors with
a degree in German and Spanish Education.
o I was a four-year soccer player at Hope and was a co-captain during
my senior year.
o I studied abroad in both Germany and Spain during my time at Hope
and played club soccer in both places.
o I obtained an M.A. in TESOL from Cornerstone University in 2011.
o I am currently attending GVSU for an M.A. in School Counseling.
o I have been coaching now for 12 years in various places such as the
Soccer Stop in Holland and the school districts of Hamilton, West
Ottawa, and Zeeland.
2. Why do I coach?
o I enjoy seeing student athletes improve, both on and off the field.
o I love to witness hard work in action.
o I enjoy the energy and enthusiasm that teenagers bring to the
game and to life.
o I believe myself to be a positive influence/ person, and I think I have
a lot to give back.
o I believe coaching educates students in a way that classroom
education cant, and as someone who learned from sport and my
coaches I see a lot of value in good and positive coaching.
o I am a teacher by profession and instinct, and this is an extension of
the classroom for me.
3. Why, in particular, do I coach soccer?
o Soccer is a fantastic sport and has taught me numerous life lessons.
o Soccer is an international language and something that I know can
bring people together if used in the right way. ( It can certainly
divide as well!)
o I fell in love with this game in high school and want to help others
discover the beauty and teachings of such a wonderful sport.
4. What do I expect of myself as a coach?
o I will plan appropriate practices for my players.
o I will continue to improve in my knowledge of the game and
coaching strategies.

o I will care about my players as individuals first and soccer players

second.
o I will do the best I can to be supportive of my players and to help
them improve.
o I will expect to put in extra time to give the players a good season
and facilitate learning.

5. What do I expect of my players?

o They will respect me as I will respect them.
o They will work hard at any task that is asked of them.
o They will openly communicate with their coach and their
teammates.
o They will want to improve.
o They will come to me when conflict arises and will stay positive with
others, including parents.
o They will advocate for themselves on this team and not rely on
others to advocate for them.
6. What do I expect of parents?
o Parents will ultimately respect that I am making decisions that I
believe are best for the team.
o Parents will tell their children to advocate for themselves if they
need to, but will not discuss playing time, positioning, etc. with the
coach.
o Parents will be supportive of ALL members of the team, not only
their child.
o Parents will refrain from speech that is negative about team, coach,
etc.
o Parents will ALWAYS be positive in the stands. There should be no
negative language geared toward OUR players, nor toward the
OTHER team.