by David Falk, www.GOALSeattle.com

Mark Collings enters his first full season as head coach of the SPU Men's soccer program in 2008. Read more about Coach Collings on his Bio Page. Check out the SPU Falcons Men's Soccer Website, too.

#14 Andy Wolverton eyes the ball as the Falcons tangle with archrival Seattle U.

Photo by JimKim.

How different is this off season for you now that you are moving from assistant to head coaching duties?

 
The transition to head coach has been great so far, I have been putting the majority of my time into building on my relationships with each player.  The fact that I’m the one holding them accountable for their actions now has been different for some of them.  Instead of being the person to make suggestions, I’m now taking the input and making the final decision.

Spring scrimmage matches will start soon. Who do you guys play? What's the role these matches play in developing your program? 
 

We start our spring season on Thursday, March 27^th.  We have a challenging spring schedule that includes the Seattle Sounders, University of Washington, Oregon State University, Seattle Wolves, Seattle University and an Alumni game.   
 

Spring is a really important time of year for our team.  It gives us an opportunity to take a look at players in new positions as well as watch players that didn’t see much game time in the Fall.  We have a small roster (15 including one player recovering from ACL surgery) so each player will be given a chance to demonstrate their abilities.  The spring season gives us a chance to work on a system of play and give the players an understanding of what we are for in the Fall. 

#6 James Coggan on the attack for the Falcons. JimKim photo.

Last season the Falcons had so many close calls, including six 1-1 draws. Talk about the 2007 campaign. You guys seemed just a few 'bounces away' from a better record, didn't you? 
 

Soccer is a funny game and our 2007 season demonstrated that more than any other season I have been a part of at SPU.  I suppose you could look at the draws as either we were that close or that far away.  We had a difficult time putting balls in the back of the net, but as I really look at our season we didn’t do a great job of defending either.  A big focus will be placed on defending this off season.  If we do a better job of capturing the ball in our opponents end we should be able to generate more goal scoring opportunities.  Scoring a goal is a difficult thing to do!   
 
Looking at 2008, you've got some shoes to fill because of graduation. What challenges will that present and who do you see stepping up on this year's roster? 
 

We had a great group of Seniors last Fall.  Certainly it will be difficult to replace those players not only for the playing ability, but their leadership as well.  That said, I’m really happy with the work rate I have seen from the returning players thus far. I believe that we will see these young men step up to alleviate the hole left by the Seniors.  It’s not a matter of one or two guys stepping up.  It’s going to take everyone’s commitment to achieve our goals.   
 
Talk about the new recruits. Who are they and what hopes do you have for them? 
 

I’m excited about our new players for coming next fall.  We have added a group of young men who have been playing at high levels and seen success both with their teams and as individuals.  We expect them to compete for playing time right away.  Please check our website in the next week for details about each of our recruits. (Note: you can read about the new SPU recruits HERE.)

Spring matches against the Sounders help SPU raise their game.

Who do you see as the favorites in the GNAC this fall? 
 

I was really impressed with Western Washington last year.  I thought Travis and Greg did a great job with their team. They were organized and very dangerous in the attacking third of the field.  Montana State-Billings will also be a team to watch.  They have a very talented front runner who causes problems and plays with a lot of spirit.  If I was forced to pick a favorite I would say Western Washington University.    
 
What are some short and long-range goals you have for the SPU Men's soccer program? 
 

We have a lot of work to do to get the Men’s Soccer program back to playing for National Championships.  It all starts with commitment and accountability.  We had to develop a new mentality within our program.  We have been working hard to develop consistency.  Our immediate goal is to establish a consistent approach in the way our student athletes conduct themselves on and off the field.  We can’t ask for one type of behavior in the classroom and then ask for another behavior on the field. 

What are your impressions of the "Seattle soccer scene" from youth, to academy, to colleges, to the Sounders...to MLS? 
 

I have one word to describe the “Seattle soccer scene,” change.  I’m amazed at how quickly the youth soccer world is changing.  The training opportunities available for kids now are amazing.  You have a lot of people out there that put a lot of time and money into helping develop kids.  
 

I’m really excited about the Seattle MLS franchise.  The Sounders have done a great job of building interest in professional soccer in Seattle.  Coach Schmetzer and everyone else with the Sounders should be commended for their efforts.  Everyone wants to be associated with a winning organization and the Sounders have done plenty of that over the years.  The MLS team has a great opportunity to enhance the “Seattle soccer scene” all the way down to the youth level.  There is a lot of positive energy surrounding the franchise and next season, people are going to want to be a part of it.