Creighton soccer fans and the soccer community throughout Omaha continue to get to know more about the Bluejays’ new head coach, Jamie Clark.
White & Blue Review caught up recently with Clark to chat about his move from Harvard to Creighton, his style of play, and what Jays soccer fans can expect of his first CU team this fall.
WBR: What are a few of the things that led you to take the head coaching position at Creighton?
JC: Well, first off, it is the best job in the country. The facilities are some of the best in the country and the academic standards allow you to draw in talent from all over. The size of Creighton was another positive that really drew me to the job. The attention each student receives from professors and other students really makes the student athletes take ownership in the program. They will need to represent the school on and off the field. And Creighton has one of the best athletic directors in the country.
WBR: Have you had a chance to meet many of the players?
JC: I have actually had the chance to meet almost all of them. With the number of players we have from out of town, it really speaks volumes to me that they are so dedicated for next season that they are here over the summer working together on their game. It really shows how determined they are to get the job done this year. They are a very dedicated group.
WBR: When will you get a chance to see the players compete and get them on the practice field?
JC: I have really only chatted with the guys and we are not able to start practice until August 15. This will give us only a few weeks of prep time for the season, but I am really happy to see how dedicated these guys are.
WBR: There are some coaches out there that will have a set style of play and others that will adjust to the talent on the field. Would you categorize yourself as either of these?
JC: I like to play out of the back, as I think it opens up the field a bit more. I am not sure if we will run a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2, but we will only have about 3 weeks to figure it out. I guess it is a bit of both, as I will work with the talent but also have a few certain formats I like to work with.
WBR: With only a few weeks to get things in line with the team, who will you be looking to for assistance this year?
JC: Johnny Torres will be staying at Creighton. He means everything to this program. He will be the one that I can point to while talking to any recruits or current players, and say he is the prime example that anything is possible when you play here at CU. He will be my #1 guy, as he is familiar with the program. I will lean on Johnny a lot.
We will also be bringing in Jeff Rowland, who was an assistant under me at Harvard. He is another great story and a great person to have involved in the program. Jeff was a walk-on at New Mexico, where he ended up as a two time All-American and runner up for player of the year. He has suffered numerous injuries in his career, including five ACL surgeries, but continued to put forth his best effort. Even after his fifth ACL surgery, he was picked up by FC Dallas of the MLS. He is a great individual that will be able to relate to the players.
WBR: Creighton has been active in getting the community involved with the soccer program. How do you see this staff continuing that effort?
JC: We have a very young and energetic staff with this program and we know that community involvement is something that needs to be done. We will certainly continue the effort.
WBR: Being a younger coach, do you ever get a chance to play anymore?
JC: During the spring I will play with the guys, but during the fall it is a bit busy. I like to think that I can still bring something to the pitch, but each day I realize that it is becoming less and less.