The Same Game

Article Found at: www.topdrawersoccer.com Link: http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/component/option,com_topdrawer/Itemid,251/nid,6212/ Written by ESNN (Elite Soccer News Network) October 21, 2008

For all the variables and nuances involved in coaching multiple age groups and both genders, CASL's Michael Milazzo manages to focus on the central point. Milazzo with wife Barbara Osborne, stepson Stephen Bickford (back), and son Cristian. "The approach may be different, but the common denominator is still that we're teaching soccer players," Milazzo said. "The approach to the game doesn't change, but your demeanor, communication and mannerisms might change." Milazzo has won regional championships for the Raleigh-area club in the last few years with a Girls U19 team and a Boys U15 team. He has background in goalkeeper training, college coaching, technical training for younger Boys and Girls players and match coaching for some of the best club teams in the country, including his current duties of coaching the CASL U16 age group team in the USSF Academy. At 35, the Manchester, Connecticut native has built a stellar resume, playing club soccer at Oakwood SC then college ball as a goalkeeper at Old Dominion and North Carolina. After some time with Eurosport, he worked as an assistant coach for the North Carolina men's program for three years before starting at CASL. Now in this 10th season and coaching his 10th team at the club, Milazzo also is the technical director for the U12 age group (which under the club setup means overseeing the technical instruction and coaching education four boys and four girls teams at that age). Milazzo reiterates that to be successful in coaching male or female, young or old, a coach has to distinguish between soccer essentials and teaching methods. "One thing I've learned from coaching the girls is that early on they have to know you believe in them," he said. "We don't coach girls at CASL ‘like girls,'  but like soccer players. That's one thing that separates us – Primarily we have men coaching our top elite girls teams, so we adjust our mannerisms and demeanor, but the principles of the game we teach will never change." Betsy Frederick, now a player at North Carolina and a member of that Region III U19 Championship team, said Milazzo's communication skills and mannerisms suit him well for the job. "He's really calm. I've never seen him lose his temper at all. It's good for a lot of  different types of players," she said. "If you do something wrong, he just pulls you aside and says ‘hey next time try this.' He doesn't scream and embarrass you on the field. He's very personable." This is not just a coincidence with  Milazzo, who has spend a lot of time studying the principles involved in coaching at a high level. "Early on in my coaching career, I spent a lot of time on group dynamics and how that related to the team as a whole," he said. "As the years have progressed, I've been able to do a lot of research on sports psychology, group dynamics and the tactical aspects of game. Now as a coach your perspective is different than it was as a goalkeeper and you have to think more about how it correlates to the team. Over the past 4-5 years, I've spent more time on technical and functional training of each position, and on really improving on each player's technical function as it pertains to the game." That last part seems to be near the heartbeat of Milazzo's approach to the game these days. He mentioned a symposium where two orientations were discussed, one where a coach manipulates the contest as a purveyor of a particular system, and another where players are developed technically and tactically in a way where they can be special players WITHIN the team dynamic. "As we define our roles within the club, the technical director focuses on individual player development and coaching education within the club," he said. "We're not looking at wins and losses but looking at how each player can affect the game technically. We have this for the U9, U10, U11 and U12 ages." Milazzo poses with his U19 Region III Champions. Milazzo is married to Barbara Osborne, a professor of sport law at UNC. They have a 4-year old son, Cristian. Milazzo recently led along with fellow CASL coach Rusty Scarborough an all-star team of Americans to play in an event at English giants Chelsea FC in London. Players on the team included Alex Long, Wesley Sever, Kevin Cope, Andrew O'Malley, and Sean Cote. From that event Milazzo was confirmed in his thinking that the training, tutelage and opportunities provided for older youth players in this country needs to be improved. "At ages 14-16 our top elite players are just as good, and sometimes better than their European counterparts," Milazzo said. "But at 17 to 19 when their young players have a chance to break into the Reserves and become professionals, we still find ourselves at a crossroads." Whatever happens with that, you can count on Milazzo through his role as an Academy coach also as someone working with the youngest ages, to take a thoughtful and balanced approach to focusing on the essentials of player development.