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Women's SoccerBrooks Monaghan

Women's Soccer Head Coach

University of Memphis

1.0

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Would Recommend

Overall

1.0

Caring

1.0

Motivational

1.0

Knowledgeable

1.0

Honest

1.0

Tags

Fitness Is ImportantOld School Mentality

My experience with this NCAA women’s soccer program has been extremely troubling. What should be an environment where young women are challenged, developed, supported, and encouraged to love the game can instead feel like an environment built around fear, excessive pressure, and humiliation. The treatment of players can be cruel. The standards are relentlessly demanding, but the greater concern is how those standards are enforced. Fitness testing has become such a dominant part of the program that it can feel less like athletic preparation and more like a mechanism for controlling players. The fitness requirements can be unreasonable, and failing a test can have immediate consequences for a player’s opportunity to see the field. When playing time is effectively tied to passing these fitness tests, players can feel that their soccer ability, tactical understanding, work ethic, and contributions to the team are secondary to meeting a physical benchmark. That creates enormous pressure and can leave athletes feeling that one failed test can determine their value within the program. The way players are spoken to is perhaps even more concerning. Team meetings should be places where athletes receive honest feedback and learn how to improve. Instead, players can feel personally singled out and attacked by the coaching staff. Being criticized for performance is one thing; being made to feel personally diminished by multiple coaches is something entirely different. There is a difference between demanding accountability and tearing down a young athlete. The cumulative effect of this environment can be devastating. Players who once loved soccer can begin to dread training, meetings, fitness testing, and even games. The passion that brought them to college to play the sport can gradually disappear. When athletes become afraid of making mistakes or failing a physical test, development and enjoyment suffer. College athletes already face enormous academic, physical, and emotional demands. They should not have to wonder whether their coaching environment is going to undermine their confidence or make them question their worth as athletes. There is nothing wrong with demanding excellence. There is nothing wrong with conditioning athletes or holding them accountable. But excellence does not require humiliation, intimidation, or unreasonable standards. A coach can be demanding without being demeaning. A fitness program can be rigorous without becoming punitive. And accountability can be enforced without attacking players personally. This program needs to take a serious look at the culture being created by its coaching staff. The question should not simply be whether players are winning games or passing fitness tests. The question should also be what is happening to the young women inside the program—and whether the methods being used are developing confident athletes or simply teaching them to endure an environment they have come to fear. Players deserve to be challenged. They deserve accountability. They deserve high standards. They also deserve respect. No collegiate athlete should have to sacrifice their love of soccer, their confidence, or their sense of dignity in order to earn the opportunity to play.

Women's SoccerBrooks Monaghan

Women's Soccer Head Coach

University of Memphis

5.0

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Would Recommend

Overall

5.0

Caring

5.0

Motivational

5.0

Knowledgeable

5.0

Honest

5.0

Tags

DirectDedicated To PlayersDevelops Team Beyond The FieldDirectGreat LeaderPlayers Coach

Have been able to deal with Brooks and his staff for years and the amount of communication and helping his players go further is amazing

Women's SoccerBrooks Monaghan

Women's Soccer Head Coach

University of Memphis

2.2

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Would Recommend

Overall

2.0

Caring

3.0

Motivational

1.0

Knowledgeable

2.0

Honest

3.0

Tags

IntenseFitness Is ImportantIntenseOld School Mentality

Think twice if you consider picking brooks and his staff. Brooks will make it clear from the start that he will put the starting 11 above the rest of the team and he will rarely be subbing. First impressions during scrimmages seemed to dictate whether you’d see the field again, with little focus on player development. The coaching staff created an emotionally draining environment. Individual meetings often felt personal and left players in tears. On bad days, their frustrations turned into harsh, unprofessional criticisms and would be personal not just about soccer. If you chose to transfer, he would go out of his way to damage your reputation, speaking negatively about the you to other coaches and attempting to block opportunities elsewhere. Also there is at least 6-7 players transferring each semester. You will regret it if you go. Also the 3 fitness test you will have to do is on another level but for them it’s just the “standard” and they will not acknowledge the hard work you are putting into passing them.

Women's SoccerBrooks Monaghan

Women's Soccer Head Coach

University of Memphis

2.6

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Would Recommend

Overall

3.0

Caring

2.0

Motivational

2.0

Knowledgeable

4.0

Honest

2.0

Tags

Fitness Is ImportantOld School Mentality

Isn’t honest until he needs to be honest. He make his decision on whether you will play or not in the first week. Cares about his reputation more than anything else, and will do anything to upkeep it. Really only cares about you to the extent that you will help him win. What he says and his actions rarely line up, he will say anything to get what he wants. High amount of transfers every year, don’t expect the team to ever look similar year to year. Doesn’t listen and really hard to talk to. He makes everything about himself and according to him you will never be working hard enough.

Women's SoccerBrooks Monaghan

Women's Soccer Head Coach

University of Memphis

4.4

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Would Recommend

Overall

4.0

Caring

5.0

Motivational

4.0

Knowledgeable

4.0

Honest

5.0

Tags

AccessibleCoolDirectIntense

Very passionate and very dedicated. Will be honest and will push you to be your best. Can be repetitive sometimes.