As an athlete, we can take all the tips n tricks from coaches when returning to play after the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked some are coaches for their best advice for practices and tryouts, we hope it will help you guys out! Enjoy!

Coaches

Andy Riesenburg: Assistant Director for Women's Volleyball at Mintonette Sports located in Powell, Ohio.

Jess Nash: Director of Coaching and Program Outreach at Rush Wisconsin located in Madison, Wisconsin. 

Mark Thomas: Executive Director at Penn Fusion Soccer Academy located in West Chester, PA (Philadelphia).

Bryan Perez: Technical Director at FC Wichita Academy located in Wichita, Kansas.

Kye Martey: Director of Coaching at Alliance FC located in Kansas City, Missouri.

Andy Riesenburg

Coach Andy encourages athletes to be understanding and patient with themselves to know that they’ll be rusty. He also encourages athletes to be willing to put in what it takes to get back to where you were at. 

Jess Nash

Coach Nash encourages players to do as much as you can at home like you do to prepare for a pre-season. She also encourages teammates to stay in contact with their teammates. She goes on to describe Rush’s unique accountability partner system during these unprecedented times. 

Mark Thomas

Coach Thomas tells us how Penn Fusion has promised every returning player that they have a soccer home with them if they choose to stay. He also encourages players to be true to who they are during tryouts to best showcase their skills. 

Bryan Perez

The biggest piece of advice for players is to relax and have fun. The biggest piece of advice he has for coaches is to be patient and try to understand that they as coaches don’t know what the kids have gone through with their families over the past couple of months.

Kye Martey

Coach Kye’s biggest piece of advice for being nervous during tryouts is to communicate where you’re at with your coach. It will be nerve racking the first time back on the field, and that is okay. 

Whenever we are able to return to the field, just know that others are in the same boat as you! It is okay to feel nervous and be rusty at first, you will gain your skills back.