BRONX, N.Y. , April 27, 2020 - As part of the NJCAA's #NJCAAForward campaign, Head Women's Soccer Coach Nicole Carroll spoke with MonroeExpress.com and reflected on being with the Monroe Express since Day 1 and how her program has grown in its first three seasons.

Q: You have been here since the start of the Monroe Express. What has your experience been like coaching at Monroe College so far?

NC: Coaching at Monroe has not only been a great experience, but it has been a rewarding one. When we started we had very little, and since then we have grown tremendously. I am proud of the program. We are continually growing and every year I have the unique experience to coach and to learn from so many wonderful players from so many different backgrounds.

 

Q: What are your thoughts on COVID-19 and the pandemic we are facing?

NC: I am wishing well to all the families and people out there that this is effecting. That being said, I believe this could be a good time to spend time with our loved ones and a good time to reflect on our lives and focus on the things that matter most to us.

 

Q: How are you staying connected with your players during this time?

NC: I know especially for my sport this is a complication, but with use of technology we are doing our best to not only stay connected, but to work on our individual skills by doing home workouts and drills over video calls multiple times a week.

I also try to stay in constant contact with my players checking on them as often as I can and making sure their academics are going as planned.

 

Q: What changes have you seen in your program from Day 1 to today?

NC: Primarily, I have seen a tremendous amount of growth, not only in technical ability and training, but growth in the overall mentality. Even though I lose players every year, the players that leave, leave behind an amazing attitude and family atmosphere.

This has helped us go a little further every year, as this past season we made playoffs for the first time, and I expect to continue to do so moving forward.

 

Q: How have you navigated this offseason?

NC: Well, unfortunately we had to cancel our spring season, which my girls were looking forward to. However, I have been trying my best to keep my players active by holding workouts multiple times a week.

It is tough but we are making due and I am hopeful for the season to come. And I am looking forward to my new recruits who will be coming to help continue to build the program.

 

Q: What do you look for when recruiting student-athletes?

NC: Besides technical ability, I look for game intelligence. But most importantly, I look at attitude. Do you bounce back well from mistakes? How do you handle adversity? Are you a leader? Do you help your teammates?

Those are just a few things I ask myself while watching players I'm interested in. No matter how good you are, if your attitude stinks, I do not want you on my team. And from my experience, I'm not the only coach that feels this way.

 

Q: What is the most rewarding part of being a coach?

NC: I would say that watching my players grow into stronger players and people is the most rewarding part of my job.

If you walk into my program and you leave as a stronger individual, then I did my job.

 

Q: As a coach, what values do you have for your team?

NC: I value growth and learning, and I value family. All my players understand that, most importantly, they care for each other no matter the adversity. Second, they understand that their growth on the field and their learning on the field transfers off of the field.

My coaching philosophy:

My goal is to create an environment in which young people can grow, not only as soccer players but as individuals, and have fun in the process. In order to truly learn the game, you have to love the game and enjoy every moment of it.

So again, I value the environment in which my team can grow together.

 

Q: What's the best advice you've ever been given?

NC: Someone once told me, "Figure out what you love to do, and then figure out how to get someone to pay you to do it."

And I did.

I am a firm believer in following your dreams.

Q: Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

NC: My high school soccer coach, Joe Corrado! He believed in me and helped me become who I am today. If he wasn't my coach, I may have followed a very different path. 

I approach my coaching in a very similar way that he did. Help as many people as you can, and invest in the ones who invest in themselves.

 

Q: What is your vision of the future of the Monroe Express women's soccer program?

NC: I hope to continue to grow this program. I hope to go further and further every year until we are one of the top contenders. However, primarily I hope to continue to grow good people and create an environment here that continues to do that.