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Printer-Friendly ModeWomen's soccer coach stresses leadership, character
August 25, 2005 —
Anyone can just kick the ball and any team can just win games. It is character and program building that is the emphasis on the 2005 SVSU women's soccer team. Coach Drago Dumbovic stresses those points with every word.
"I think what is very important to understand about our program is that we are actually building a program," Dumbovic says.
Build is the key word, because Dumbovic is constructing the SVSU program from the ground up, especially since his team consists of only four seniors and about 50 percent freshmen.
He adds, "We have to see it like a puzzle. A lot of pieces must come together."
The program Dumbovic is ultimately trying to create at SVSU will be a program that will eventually retain a legacy.
"You try to establish something in the long term, so the new players coming in can come into a program that is already established and I'm not talking necessarily about the skill of kicking the ball," he says. "We are truly trying to take care of the people first."
Since taking over the program three years ago, the team has had it's share of ups and downs.
His first year the team went 5-10-1, followed by last year's improved 9-4 record. But sometimes success does not always equate into victories.
"For instance last year, we did not have necessarily great talent," Dumbovic says. "We were probably somewhere in the middle of the pack with the talent, if not even lower. So our success on the field could not be looked at in soccer, our success was based on a environment where kids worked hard, never wanted to give up, challenged every ball, every inch on that field. It was like a family."
The attitude of the team is no more apparent than in the way Dumbovic tries to overemphasize the look of the team. Every player dresses the same, and when at team functions, everyone must enter at the same time and everyone must leave at the same time.
"If you see us we look the same, all dress the same, we are all going for that one common goal, playing for each other," he explains. "Establish the attitude, never give up, never give in."
During the offseason, Dumbovic kept busy with recruiting trips and trying to establish connections with players and other recruiters. Those things helped him to know which players to watch and which games and tournaments to attend.
"A good program does not wait for the season to start," he says.
The team also participated in many summer camps, here at SVSU and at Mackinaw Island. Dumbovic is trying to promote not only the team, but also the University. This will help for future recruiting trips.
"Like I said in the beginning, there is a difference between playing games and creating a program, and unless you bring the community in the program, you will not be a program," he says.
Another trait in establishing a solid program is the environment players feel comfortable in.
"I think that the program is about creating a particular environment, a particular atmosphere, so it doesn't matter when new people come in, the program is already established," he explains. "Established by the seniors, by the leadership.
"I am extraordinarily happy about the captains on the team that I have had over the last three years," he continues. "I say to myself, how am I so lucky that I have these types of people around me? They make us successful."
With his emphasis on leadership, Dumbovic has his definition of what exactly that is.
"When you look for leadership you don't necessarily look at the best player," he says. "You look at the quality of the leadership. A person who is never late, first come, leave last. They stand up and take responsibility for the things. People who sacrifice their own time for others. People who listen and inspire others. People who work harder than anyone else. Someone who will lead by example."
Any individual who competes under Dumbovic knows this must be something earned, a word the coach likes to overuse on occasion.
"I tell my team this all the time, you earn things in life, so you have to earn respect from me [as a coach] and earn respect from teammates," he says.
This season's team is very young and inexperienced, so Dumbovic must look for guidance from his returning squad. The list includes Ashley Kackman, Julie Connor, and Kelly Pruitt, among others. This is why leadership is so important and widely accentuated for this season.
"I am very proud of our leadership, I am very proud of our seniors, our captains are the ones that must establish that," Dumbovic says. "The leadership skills are genuine and they care about each other. That is very important to me."
Those same players must retain last season's domination on defense. Last season they out shot opponents by an alarming 236 shot attempts to 180. They also stepped up the defense in the second half, by only allowing 78 shots and giving up 10 goals all season. They play with an intensity and energy that can only be described as high.
The Cardinals open the season on Saturday, Sept. 3 against Rockhurst and open up conference play against Mercyhurst on Saturday, Sept. 24.
Mercyhurst is a young, upcoming team that everyone in the conference is looking at; it will be SVSU's first true test of the season. The game may determine if they are good enough to beat Ashland and Grand Valley State, the two best in the conference, according to Dumbovic.
"You have to beat them to get respect in league or around the country," he says. "You have to beat them to be the best. To be the best you have to go through them."
Last season the Cards split the two games against them, beating the Lakers at home and losing to Ashland on the road.