AN INTERVIEW WITH ANSON DORRANCE, HISTORY’S WINNINGEST WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH
By Gloria Averbuch

For only the second time in their storied history, the 20-time national champion University of North Carolina (UNC) women’s soccer team experienced back-to-back losses this past weekend. As the defending NCAA Champion Tar Heels attempt to get back on track in their next game on Thursday, coach Anson Dorrance reflected on the UNC-Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) connection.

Q: You said that after suffering a rare back-to-back loss last week, that Sky Blue FC is your inspiration. How and why?

A: If you look at the arc of the Sky Blue FC season what is amazing in hindsight is to see where the team started. They struggled a bit at first but never gave up on themselves and the mission of the team. With their self-belief and confidence, they went on a never-ending ascent that culminated in the WPS Championship. It wasn’t as if they were a “shoo-in”. They had their nicks and bruises along the way. But the fact they ended up beating teams they never had is proof of a wonderful commitment to themselves, and wonderful self-belief. With the hits we took last weekend, we are trying to replicate Sky Blue FC’s experience.

Q: When Sky Blue FC had barely made the playoffs, you immediately predicted they would go all the way, and win the WPS Championship. That seemed very unlikely at the time.

A: I simply have a never-ending belief in my own players, and since Sky Blue FC had four of them,* I was absolutely convinced they were never going to quit.

Q: Sky Blue FC benefited from players stepping up into leadership roles. You are a strong believer in player leadership. Why is this so crucial?

A: This is no mystery, and what I’m going to share is not the least bit profound. All coaches know this. There hasn’t been any kind of team that has been successful without powerful leadership. Christie Rampone stepping into the breach was wonderful. Certain players stepped in, such as (Jenni) Branam making big save, (Keeley) Dowling and (Heather) O’Reilly scoring crucial goals. Football calls it making a big play. It was a collection of different people deciding they would be the margin of victory. It all began with Rampone stepping up. I read her wonderful quote when the team made the playoffs, “Pack for LA.” The team was not told to pack for just one playoff game, but all the way to the Championship. For any team to be successful you need leaders to instill this kind of wonderful self-belief. I think that’s what Sky Blue FC had. Having this collective belief, and the talent, are the first steps to making success happen.

Q: You have supported WPS by avidly promoting it to your players, and buying season tickets from a variety of teams. Why is this so important to you as a college coach?

A: This is my game. In 1976 I was hired to coach men, and in 1979 I was given the women’s team. What was cool was that no one felt the women’s game was going anywhere. But I felt I had a chance to pioneer something. WPS is the last piece in this pioneer journey. For our game to be complete, the circle has to have a viable pro league. On the women’s athletic landscape it is vital to have a crown jewel. It has to be a place where young women who enjoy and love the game have a chance to play it as a career.

Q: You’ve been at this a long time. How will WPS develop the same kind of fame and fan tradition as UNC?

A: The key is we have to figure out a way that girls who love playing get excited to watch. There is still a huge disconnect. We need to get them as fans and supporters of the game, either watching the excellent FSC television coverage of WPS or attending as many WPS games as possible.

At UNC , we are working to make our players fans, encouraging them to watch FSC and support their former teammates and people they know in the league. The next critical step is to become basically fanatics for our game.

What’s also interesting about the league is that the most sophisticated players are still the internationals, and for one reason. It is not that they play better competition. At a youth and collegiate level the average American is playing a much higher level of competition than her European or South American counterpart. But the difference is they all watch the game. The Kelly Smiths and Martas come from a culture where they’re brought up watching the game. As a result, the average international player is more sophisticated in the nuances and subtleties of the game at the highest level. There’s a compelling reason for elite American and aspiring elites to become fans. If not, our players will always lack the sophistication of the Europeans and South Americans.

It is the responsibility of the coaches of these young girls to make them fanatics as well. Basically, all our youth should attend pro games as an education, a laboratory for their own development.

*Former UNC players on Sky Blue FC are Jenni Branam, Kacey White, Heather O’Reilly, Yael Averbuch

Anson Dorrance and Gloria Averbuch are the co-authors of “The Vision of a Champion—Advice and Inspiration from the World’s Most Successful Women’s Soccer Coach” (Huron River Press).