Great Coaches on Great Soccer: Coach Jen Lalor-Nielsen on Soccer Nation, Soccer News, Youth Soccer, Pro Soccer, Club Soccer, Soccer Training

Name: Jen Lalor-Nielsen	Club: SDFA
Years Coaching: 11	Years Played: 30
What is your Coaching Experience? Currently Director of Coaching Girls at San Diego Football Academy as well as coach at Miramar College. Head Coach of the Sea Lions San Diego Semi pro team. Former Head Coach Poway High School for 6 years as well as Coach of Youth Club Soccer for 3 years. Co founder of JB Soccer (Updated January 2011)
Playing Experience? College at Santa Clara University. Played for the U.S. Women’s National team 4 years, went to the 1995 Women’s World Cup in Sweden. Played professional in Japan, Denmark and Sweden. 3 years in the WUSA New York – Power, and San Diego Spirit.
SoccerNation: Who were the coaches you play under? What did they teach you? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: My Dad – he taught me the value of repetition and the perfect touch. My husband Bo for preaching about positive coaching and communication. Coach Sean Bowers for teaching me about match ups and game breakers.
SoccerNation: What is your style of coaching? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: Competitive practices, lots of Fitness and play, positive reinforcement, and communication.
SoccerNation: Who are the players you are particularly proud of on or off the soccer field? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: People that carry themselves well and people who help other people.
SoccerNation: What do you look for in a player? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: Hard working on and off the field, skillful, fit, fast, aggressive, & the ability to read game.
SoccerNation: What advice would you give to any player looking to become a professional soccer player? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: To any player I would say if you truly want to be a professional soccer player you can. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. You need to schedule your life around soccer, educate yourself about training, nutrition, and set goals for your self, clear goals. Use mental training if you really want to win.
SoccerNation: What advice would you give the parents? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: This is a tough one and it is hard to give specific advice so I will offer some scenarios to explain: The role of the parent should always be a parent first, and a coach 2nd. – I have witnessed several cases where tense parent/player relationships have affected performance and their family relations. Support their dream and be parents to. Teach good sportsman ship and be a good role model
SoccerNation: Your team is playing for the championship title and they are down by three at the half. What do you say in your halftime pep talk? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: You have now given yourself a great chance to show that “We DO have Character” “We will fight to the END” “One Step at the time, one pass at the time” …. Did you guys come all this way to watch the game to, ha ha. We need participation in the 2nd half from everybody and desire to win, change the momentum and we are right back in it. Let’s go, quitters never win, winners never quit. Win win win.
SoccerNation: Who is your favorite professional soccer player? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: Right now it is Messi, he is amazing. He should remind people that size doesn’t matter but ball skills, speed & tactical understanding are far more important than size.
SoccerNation: If you could, would you change anything about soccer what would it be? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: If the score is tied after full time, no PK’s, every 5 mins each team takes a player off the field until a goal is scored.
SoccerNation: What is your favorite quote? Jen Lalor-Nielsen: “Practice is what you become”