On Friday, May 15th we dove into the mind of the Lincoln Middle School soccer coach, John Ginestra, he shared about how good team communication and team building plays a big role in this age group’s soccer team.
Coach Ginestra shared a story about a high school championship game he coached a few years ago. He explained that his team was warming up, passing the ball, and staying active, while the other team was sitting around doing very little before the game started. His team went on to defeat the number one ranked team 4–1. He said that having fun and staying loose before games can make a big difference in performance.
We also asked him what the most important skill for middle school players to learn first is. He responded, “Team aspect and communication is one of the best things you will learn in your career.”
When asked what inspired him to become a coach, Coach Ginestra said, “It’s a sport I played when I was a kid, and it’s a good way to connect with students and give back to the community.” He also advised athletes to stick with the sport as long as they enjoy it, because while adults often focus more on jobs and responsibilities, kids should focus on enjoying sports and having fun while they can.
By looking into the mind of a soccer coach, we learned valuable lessons about teamwork, communication, and enjoying the game. Coach Ginestra shared positive thoughts about how strong team dynamics can lead to success both on and off the field.
