Peter Nowak of the Philadelphia Union is one of the most well-respected coaches in Major League Soccer. Nowak has achieved at several levels, both as a player and now in coaching. The former US National team assistant and Olympic team coach has his Union squad in form as they head into the Major League Soccer playoffs.
The workload never ceases — not for Nowak. One day last month at training, Nowak took a tactical approach. He disciplined his players on the sport, the formations, the fitness, the regeneration, the focus necessary for competition. Later on, he reminded them of the game’s mental angle, of the finite opportunity within which they can succeed.
The manager of the Union, and the club’s executive vice president, Nowak also wears other hats. He’s the team psychiatrist with a non-judgmental ear, the father figure with a calming influence, the guidance counselor with a grab-bag of solutions to everyday dilemmas. He’s the man who might as well tattoo, ‘Carpe diem,’ across his forehead.
In not so many words, Nowak has delivered that mantra countless times to players occupying the Union’s locker room.
“Some day, you put the boots on the hook and it’s going to be it and you’re not going to play again. And you’ll look back to this moment with me and you’ll say, ‘You know what? Why did I waste those five minutes in training?’” Nowak said. “It could be five minutes, 10 minutes, one practice, two weeks, one month, one game. Instead of playing five years or 10 years in MLS, it could be three in MLS and seven in Europe. I try to show them that this, here with us, this is just the beginning."
The manager of the Union, and the club’s executive vice president, Nowak also wears other hats. He’s the team psychiatrist with a non-judgmental ear, the father figure with a calming influence, the guidance counselor with a grab-bag of solutions to everyday dilemmas. He’s the man who might as well tattoo, ‘Carpe diem,’ across his forehead.
In not so many words, Nowak has delivered that mantra countless times to players occupying the Union’s locker room.
“Some day, you put the boots on the hook and it’s going to be it and you’re not going to play again. And you’ll look back to this moment with me and you’ll say, ‘You know what? Why did I waste those five minutes in training?’” Nowak said. “It could be five minutes, 10 minutes, one practice, two weeks, one month, one game. Instead of playing five years or 10 years in MLS, it could be three in MLS and seven in Europe. I try to show them that this, here with us, this is just the beginning."
No comments:
Post a Comment