This coach’s soccer saga begins six years ago when his youngest daughter, Danielle, started playing for a U-9 soccer team. At the time, Edward was somewhat unfamiliar with the sport having never played as a kid, but that did not stop him from helping out with his daughter’s team on occasion, and by the next year he was offered an assistant coaching position. Within the following two years, Edward gained valuable coaching experience and was asked to be the head coach of the Conrad Weiser - Golden Goals girls U-12 soccer team. Edward accepted this position knowing exactly what kind of head coach he wanted to be.
“I remembered how I felt when I was playing sports, in my youth, and it wasn’t always pleasant, Edward recalls. “The emphasis was more on winning and less on the players doing their best, regardless of where that best would fall, I felt that in my years of training with management and employees in my 30 years of sales that I could make a difference with the youth of our community. That coupled with the positive reinforcement my mother instilled in me as a youth growing up, I knew I could make a difference, one way or the other.”
It appears Edward has made an impact within his community through a positive coaching style and passion for the sport of soccer. He received a coaching license in soccer and continues to learn as much as he can about this sport through the Positive Coaching Alliance organization, reading books and being active on websites like Weplay.
Edward says, Weplay is like a form of therapy. While writing game recaps, he is able to go over the things he did well and the areas he needs to work on as a coach. He credits Weplay as a great organizational tool on a platform that gets the whole family involved. Edward’s most recent team, CWYSC U-11T3, won a local tournament, and is currently in second place with only three more games to go this season. The success of this team can be summed up through the motto “Always Try - Never Quit!”, said Edward. The players, parents and coaches all abide by this simple yet effective mantra.
When Edward is not coaching on the soccer field or giving out Weplay Props to his team, he is either managing a Meineke Car Care Center in Sinking Spring, PA., or spending quality family time with his wife, Barbara, his daughters Jyssica,19 and Danielle, 14 and family pets: golden retrievers Jigger and Carrie, guinea pigs Molly and Cammy and Rudy the corn snake.
Edward Blanchette’s Three Tips to Team Moms:
1: Get involved… No matter what you do, big or small is huge to a coach. Whether it be volunteer for a team snack or helping to manage the team over-all, every little bit helps.
2: Don’t talk down to your team player or over criticize, especially after a game. Your team player has probably put it all on the field (in their mind) and they need your support and encouragement to stay positive. Especially if you want them to succeed and keep playing. What we like to call, “Filling The Tank!” Your player will go far, if you can do this.
3: Don’t talk down to other players, the coach, the ref, other parents or other teams in front of your team player. If you have a concern, bring it up for a meeting with your coach. And if you can’t talk with the coach, talk with someone in the league he/ she represents. But always keep it positive and civil.
