In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone chats with Paul Turner, the new head coach of Thayer Academy Girls Soccer. Turner, who has extensive coaching experience in high school soccer, shares his excitement about the new role, the challenges of leading a team with significant injuries, and his coaching philosophy. He also reflects on his journey from London to the U.S., the modern club soccer landscape, and his hopes for the future of the sport. Additionally, Turner and Langone discuss the growth of the National Women's Soccer League and the pros and cons of artificial turf in soccer.

Topics

00:34 Meet Paul Turner: Thayer Academy's New Head Coach

01:10 Paul Turner's Coaching Journey

02:45 Challenges and Opportunities at Thayer Academy

04:23 Team Dynamics and Player Development

06:12 Coaching Philosophy and Team Strategy

14:01 Paul Turner's Background and Passion for Soccer

17:01 Reflecting on the Evolution of Soccer

17:57 Challenges in Club Soccer

19:56 Defining a Successful Season for Thayer

21:55 Extra Time: Random Questions

22:31 The Future of Women's Soccer

25:42 Debate Over Artificial Turf

28:10 First Memories of Soccer

30:26 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone speaks with New England Soccer Journal high school soccer writer Patrick Donnelly about the upcoming high school soccer season. They discuss top teams and players to watch, challenges posed by the MLS Next factor, the impact of club soccer on high school participation, and share experiences covering high school sports. The episode also includes a fun segment called Extra Time, where the participants answer random soccer-related questions.

Topics

01:12 High School Soccer Insights

02:55 MLS Next Impact on High School Soccer

04:41 Early Season Highlights and Rankings

05:39 Challenges of Covering High School Sports

08:04 Players to Watch This Season

10:41 State Championship Atmosphere

12:16 Comparing High School and Prep School Sports

14:55 Pat's Background and Experience

16:04 Extra Time: Fun Questions

24:34 Conclusion and Sign Off

In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone welcomes Seamans Media Managing Editor and Girls Prep Soccer writer Mike Zhe. They discuss the upcoming NEPSAC 2024 prep soccer season, focusing on top teams and players in both girls and boys prep soccer. Key highlights include in-depth prospects for perennial powerhouses like Buckingham, Brown, and Nichols (BB&N) on the girls' side and Milton Academy on the boys' side, along with insights into other competitive teams like Taft, Northfield Mount Hermon, and Worcester Academy. The episode also features an engaging ‘extra time’ segment with creative and insightful soccer-related questions.

Topics

01:06 Previewing the Girls Prep Soccer Season

01:58 Top Teams to Watch in Girls Prep Soccer

05:12 Founders League Powerhouses

09:15 Class B Contenders: Pingree and Dexter Southfield

11:02 ISL Teams to Watch: Thayer Academy and Nobles

13:38 Teams Outside the Top 10 to Watch

16:08 Transition to Boys Prep Soccer

16:28 Milton Academy: The Team to Beat

17:57 Challengers to Milton Academy

20:53 Western Massachusetts Contenders: Taft, NMH, and Berkshire

22:37 Worcester Academy's Prospects

23:38 Founders League Boys Teams: Loomis Chaffee

23:53 Loomis Chaffee's Promising Season

24:21 Choate: The Team to Beat

24:59 Kimball Union Academy's Rise

25:57 Avon Old Farms and Nobles in the Rankings

26:52 Potential Top 10 Contenders

28:24 The Passion of Prep and High School Soccer

30:11 Extra Time: Fun and Creative Soccer Questions