Oct 30 2024 70 mins
In Episode 157, we are recasting our interview with Margueritte Aozasa, UCLA Women’s Soccer Head Coach, former Stanford Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach, and former Santa Clara University Defender/Midfielder, who talked with us about her incredible first season at UCLA, during which she became the first coach to win a National Championship in her first year as a head coach, what mission and personal “why” drives her to do what she does, building trust with her team, healthy conflict prevention and resolution, how her and her husband “coach” each other, what she was thinking in the final minutes of the National Championship game, whether college soccer has a place in professional and national team player development, and a whole lot of great leadership nuggets. No doubt you’ll love this fun conversation with an incredible coach!
Specifically, Margueritte discusses:
· Her personal story, including how she grew her passion for soccer, coaching, and leadership, and how she got to be where she is today (5:40)
· Her transition from Stanford assistant coach to UCLA head coach, and the lessons we can learn from her journey (9:29)
· The importance of head coaches mentoring their assistants to flourish in their program and beyond (13:35)
· Her personal why/mission statement and how she is living it out (18:43)
· How she leads herself and pours into her players’ leadership development as a head coach (20:49)
· A couple defining moments in her life and how they impacted her development (24:00)
· A few coaches that deeply impacted her life, what set them apart, and what life and leadership lessons we can learn from them (30:57)
· How she keeps a team full of top players content and at their best when they aren’t playing, or even making the travel squad (38:16)
· How she builds trust between her and her staff and players, and among the players (42:15)
· How to deal with conflict before it gets out of hand and starts impacting the players and team (45:42)
· The highs and lows of the current state of soccer in the US (48:35)
· The place for the college game in the development of players at the professional and national team levels (53:00)
· What she was actually thinking during the final minute of regulation of the National Championship game last year (it just might surprise you) (1:01:28)
· How she has used lessons learned from sports in her marriage and other relationships (1:05:50)
· A couple great book recommendations (1:10:01)
Resources and Links from this Episode
· Margueritte on Twitter - @margaozasa
· Coaching the Bigger Game Program
· Phil’s email for DISC Training
· Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game’s Analytics Revolution, by Ryan O’Hanlon
· Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds, and Matches, by Carlo Ancelotti