CFCA soccer coach Michael Breslin with son, Jackson, and wife, Danielle.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)
Cape Fear Christian Academy varsity boys soccer coach Michael Breslin was asked about a turning point in the 2022 season that culminated with the NCISAA 1-A championship on Saturday.
Yes, there was, Breslin said — and it came with his approach to coaching
“On August 31, we played Ascend Leadership,” Breslin said. “Going into the match, I felt confident about the team’s ability and expected us to control the game. We lost that game, 0-1, and in the aftermath, I almost lost my team. To explain, I need to give some background to put things in context.
“Soccer is the only sport I really care about. My history with the sport goes back all the way to 1975 when I started playing. As a player, I loved it all — practices, drills. If no one else was around to play with, I’d go kick a ball against the side of the house and work on making diving saves. I loved it.”
Breslin’s passion transformed further as a goalie for J.E.B. Stuart High School, now Justice High School, in Falls Church, Va.
“Game day was almost a religious experience for me,” said the CFCA coach. “By the time I’d put on my uniform, stretched, gone through warm-ups, and stepped in front of the goal, I was on a different plane. Every practice and every game of every season was like that for me. It was magical and growing up, I never felt more alive than I did playing soccer. And I played on teams with guys who were of the same mindset. Soccer was the only thing that mattered. As a coach, I’ve always tried to instill the same desire in my players.
“After we lost to Ascend Leadership, I sat on the bench sulking. I watched my players walk away and saw that by the time they got to their cars, they’d left the game behind and were more concerned about where they were going to get dinner than they were about the loss.
“I collected gear from the field and took it back to my classroom. While I was there, one of the players came to me and apologized for his play. Rather than doing the rational thing and accepting his apology and telling him not to worry about it, I blew up at him. I just — for the life of me — could not understand why they didn’t care, and I took out my frustration on one of my players.
“On my drive home after that game, I was on the phone with my wife (Danielle), venting to her how frustrated I was with the team and she asked me a question, ‘So then, why do you do it?’ This simple question stuck with me and forced me to really consider things. That evening I came to a realization. What I’ve accepted is that for most of this team, soccer is just something to do. At the end of the season, most players won’t touch a ball until the next season.
“Up until that point, I could not understand or accept that not everyone was as passionate about soccer as I am. What I realized is that it’s OK that they’re not soccer players. Rather than make them love the sport, my job is to pull the best out of them. I wish I’d learned that years ago.
“Before our scheduled practice the day after the loss to Ascend Leadership, word got back to me that several players were going to boycott that day’s practice, and those who were going to attend were upset. One thing I always tell my players is to own their mistakes. It was time for me to own mine.
“Before the practice, we met as a team, and I explained … my approach to the game and the epiphany I had just experienced. I apologized and asked for their forgiveness. I sent an email to the guys who weren’t to recap what I had said. Being the great young men that they are, we moved beyond it.
“So what changed? I did. This episode changed my outlook. As uncomfortable as it was, it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. Lifting the burden of hyper-intensity changed everything. I remembered how much fun the game could be. This doesn’t mean that we stopped trying. This doesn’t mean that we stopped working and improving. This doesn’t mean that we didn’t go out and compete and do our best. We still did all of that.
“Winning is still so much more fun than losing. None of that changed. But what I’ve realized is that it’s OK for my players to leave the game behind when they step off the field. I had learned to do the same.
“The games after that were different. We dropped a few games, losing to Crossroads (a very good team) and Berean Baptist (2-A), by scores of 3-1. We also lost to Northwood Temple (another 2-A school) by one goal. But, we were competitive in those matches.
“After that, we were off to the races. By the time we got to the (Mid-Carolina 1-A) conference tournament, we were a soccer team. By the time we got to the state tournament, we were a very good soccer team. This group of guys — decidedly non-soccer players — were playing some good soccer!”
The Eagles were playing well enough to defeat Lee Christian, 4-1, in Rocky Mount for their first state title in the sport that Breslin loves. CFCA finished with an 8-7-1 record after a 1-5-1 start.
