Porter wears multiple hats for Akron, US Soccer

Akron's Caleb Porter was named head coach of the United States under-23 men's national team, which will try to qualify this spring for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Porter now has to balance both jobs as he wears multiple hats, with his Akron Zips in the NCAA National Tournament and the US Under-23 team going through preparations for qualification for the next Olympics.

"It's a challenge, because I've had to shift gears and focus on two teams," he said. "There's a lot that goes into this if you're doing it right. You're thinking about all the little details. There's a method, a plan.

"But it's worked because USA Soccer is letting me focus now on Akron. Once the season's done, I will put both feet in with the U.S. team. I have a really good staff here at Akron; I would not be able to do it without them. And fortunately, I have a wife who understands my obsession. She knew what she was getting herself into. It's not a 9-to-5 thing. It's a live-eat-breathe-sleep-it thing."