Girls soccer has become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more young women taking to the field to pursue their passion for the sport. However, a growing concern among players and parents alike, is the inconsistent coaching practices within the CHS girls soccer team. While coaches are hard to find, finding one that sticks is even harder. When reflecting on years past, Junior Grace Ratliff explained the impact of this problem.

“I’ve definitely had a few coaches that didn’t really care about the girls and more so cared about the sport,” Ratliff said. “The way we played was definitely affected, and our team was not as successful. I also noticed that our team was not as much of a team, and we were playing more of an individual game.”  

Fragmentation of a team can lead to an overall lack of confidence within players, confusion on the field, and poor performance. Having coaches that stay in a program for more than one season shows the players that they care about success while creating relationships needed between athletes and coaches. 

“Having a coach stick around for more than a year is important to the player’s success and even the program’s success,” Ratliff said. “When we have to prove ourselves to a new coach every single year, it takes away from the real reason we play soccer–to have fun and hopefully win.”

Despite having a new coach this year, the girls team has adapted very smoothly. Varsity team starter Addison Sinkwitts (‘25), shared positive feedback in regards to their current coach Giorgi Nozadze. 

“He actually cares, and he’s very passionate about the sport,” Sinkwitts said. “Not only does he coach us on how to win, but he also coaches other skills that are important. It is clear that he knows what he’s talking about.”

Hopefully, the Chelsea sport program will continue to work towards implementing strong coaches that will benefit athletes so they can perform to their full potential. By implementing consistent coaching practices, coaches would have a better opportunity to help maintain meaningful connections with their players while also facilitating motivation within the team. This would not only help current athletes perform better this season, but influence them to have a love of the sport for a lifetime.