Coach Steeves answers questions about his coaching career and his time with Soccer Youth
This week’s Coach Spotlight features Kris Steeves. Coach Steeves is originally from Scotland. He began coaching around sixteen years old. Coach Steeves started coaching because his younger brother became interested in soccer, so he wanted to help him out. He started out with a professional club in Scotland, St. Johnstone FC. Coach Steeves has had early success in his coaching career and has advanced quickly, becoming the boy’s technical director at Palm Beach Gardens Predators in Florida.
SY: So, when did you begin coaching?
Coach Steeves: “I began coaching around sixteen or seventeen years old. I somewhat messed up my playing career, but my brother is ten years younger than me so when he started showing an interest (in soccer), I wanted to get into coaching to help him out.”
SY: Where all have you coached at?
Coach Steeves: “I started coaching with a professional club, St. Johnstone FC, in Scotland. They’re currently in the Premier League in Scotland. I started coaching through their community scheme when my brother was coming through. Then I started working with their regional squads, then on to helping out with their professional youth teams. I also started coaching for the Scottish Football Association’s East Coast group.”
SY: That was all your coaching while you were in Scotland?
Coach Steeves: “Yes, that was all while I was in Scotland. I came to the States in 2004 to do the summer camp circuit. I got a job in a training company up in Delaware/Pennsylvania. I spent a year as head coach of Delaware ODP. I went back to Scotland for three years around 2008 while I was waiting for my green card, and that’s when I started coaching for East Scotland. I moved to Florida in 2011 and worked a couple of high school jobs, and now I’m the boy’s technical director of one of the larger clubs in Florida.”
SY: Can you give me your overall thoughts on Soccer Youth?
Coach Steeves: “I really enjoy working with Max and the others over at Soccer Youth. I feel like they do a good job of filling a gap in the soccer market, especially in Florida. I feel like they give kids an awesome game and experience without the politics of a club affiliation. It’s a great way to get kids involved with the game over the course of a weekend – playing some pretty high-level stuff while still being a fun, safe environment for the kids.”
SY: Can you describe a normal weekend for you at Soccer Youth?
Coach Steeves: “I’ve been fortunate enough to be both on the coaching side and on the director side. I really love the coaching side because you get to know the kids, get involved with coaching through games, and helping players do well. The thing I like about the directing side is that you get to see the bigger picture at an event. You don’t just see the kids you’re working with – you get to have a look at everyone. You don’t have the same relationships with players, but you get to see a lot more soccer, players, and talent. A typical weekend, I’m pretty busy, but I love it. When we start out, we put the kids in their places, rank them, get them into teams. As a coach, you get to know the players a bit and have fun with them, learn about them and what makes them tick and maybe get them out of their comfort zone to try new things. It’s rewarding to see different kids perform and by the end of the weekend – maybe the shy kid comes out of his shell and performs really well. It’s a great weekend for me.”
Coach Steeves, along with the other fantastic Soccer Youth coaches, will be at the All-American series throughout the summer. With eighteen events scheduled for the summer, Soccer Youth will be all around the country to help kids grow and realize their soccer potential!
