Sidebar

29
Fri, Mar
29 New Articles

Typography

It took one month for Sam Houston State University soccer head coach Tom Brown to go from preparing for a match against the eventual Southland Conference champions to preparing for a match against the 2015 FIFA World Cup champions.

Brown assisted Trinidad and Tobago’s Women’s National Team, the Soca Princesses, in its 6-0 friendly loss to the U.S. Women’s National Team last Thursday in San Antonio. Brown backed T&T’s head coach Randy Waldrum after serving as goalkeeper coach under him for with the Houston Dash this season.

“I believe any experience in which you can work with players of a higher level helps push you as a coach to raise your level,” Brown said. “You get to work in that environment because there is something that you can do to help the team get better, but I feel that I learn a lot too.”

Heading into the match, Brown prepped video of how the U.S. attacked on set pieces and what the Women Soca Warriors would need to do to defend as well as what they could do exploit weaknesses in the U.S.’s set piece defending. During the game, he focused on what the U.S. was doing to his team and offered insight to Waldrum on what the team could do to shut down the Americans’ opportunities.

“The speed of the [international] game is quicker and as a coach you have to be able to solve problems faster,” Brown said. “Things that I recognize in the game, observe in training or pick up in our coaching preparation can help me make our players better here at Sam Houston.”

Before the game even started, Brown and his side had to overcome problems beyond the pitch. After the USWNT cancelled the first of two matches scheduled with the Women Soca Warriors due to turf conditions, the coaching staff had trouble from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association providing an adequate training camp before the contest.

Then after losing a few players due to finals, the staff had to call-up players around the area, including a 14-year-old player who plays for the U-17 T&T squad, just to produce depth on the bench. Brown said this makes it hard on the coaching staff and players and is a constant concern on the players’ minds.

“Not only do you go into this game to compete against the World Cup champions, you already start at a disadvantage in terms of preparation,” Brown said. “This team wants to be successful.

“They were minutes from qualifying for the 2015 World Cup, and they know they can compete when they are prepared properly.”

The Women Soca Warriors will next gear up for the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying in February at BBVA Compass Stadium against Guatemala, Canada and Guyana. Brown is hopeful the federation will retain Waldrum through the competition.

“I really appreciate the opportunity that Randy Waldrum gave me to work with the team,” Brown said. “I am honored that he feels that there is something that I can bring to the team to help them be successful. I would like the opportunity to continue working with the team and try to qualify for Rio 2016.”