ALITHSA Volunteer Recognition Program

Paul Furlong - U10 Mixed Coach, U12 Girls Assistant Coach and ALITHSA Field Coordinator

ALITHSA would like to recognize Coach and Field Coordinator Paul Furlong for his "above and beyond" volunteer work.

One of the nominations he received said:

"Paul Furlong is a very dedictaed volunteer. Not only does he make sure the kids on his U10 team are having a great time playing soccer, but he somehow finds the time to make sure all the fields are in the best possible condition."

We took a few minutes of Paul's time to get to know him better.

ALITHSA:

How long have you been involved in soccer and in what forms?

Paul:

I was raised playing soccer, my Dad is English. I played for the Hoffman Estates Park Dist. in HS (mid 70's). I started coaching when my oldest daughter started playing 6 years ago and picked up a second team 5 years ago when my 2nd daughter started playing.

ALITHSA:

What are the three top things for you as a coach?

Paul:

In my mind the most important thing is for the kids to have fun. Coaches and parents alike lose sight that they are kids and it's just a game.
Good sportsmanship. Sports are a very social thing. I hope if kids get the right message here they will bring it with them into the rest of their social life.
Team work. I try to get the kids to trust each others skills and talent. Even the players that aren't as strong with individual skills still play a huge role in a team sport and those with the stronger skills can't win without the others. This also builds a good life lesson.

ALITHSA:

How do you make time being a coach and also doing a fabulous job on ALITHSA's soccer fields?

Paul:

I'm not sure, I just squeeze it in where I can. I have had a lot of help the last few seasons from other volunteers and the villages. I do work from home so that gives me some flex time and my wife says I neglect my work around the house.

ALITHSA:

What can we teach our kids about playing soccer and who is your favorite soccer player role model?

Paul:

Like I mentioned earlier sportsmanship and teamwork. I don't really have a soccer role model.

ALITHSA:

Please tell us about your most special soccer memory or event.

Paul:

Watching my U6 players pick flowers, catching moths, and my keeper doing cartwheels. Now watching them as U10 players to see how they have developed into soccer players.

ALITHSA:

How in your mind can we make soccer in ALITHSA as creative and fun as possible?

Paul:

We need to get our parents more involved in any way they can, in volunteering or coming out to support their kids/teams. Keeping our eyes open for more and better ways to work on individual and team skills for our kids and coaches.

ALITHSA:

Anything special you would like to share with all of us in ALITHSA about being a volunteer?

Paul:

I love doing this. Being involved with the kids and have their parents trust in me to coach them, it makes the time I spend well worth it. Keep it fun for the kids and keep on volunteering!

ALITHSA:

Thank you Paul!

If you know of any ALITHSA coach, asst. coach, team mom, referee or coordinator that goes above and beyond, please let us know about it. We want to regularly recognize those that stand out from the crowd.

Please send your nominations and the reason for the nomination to mvp@alithsa.org.

Home Page Recreational Program Travel Program Registration Parent Participation Rec Schedules Travel Schedules FAQ Medical Waiver Form Maps to Parks Incident Report Form Volunteer Recognition Referee Information The Laws of the Game ALITHSA Constitution Board Meeting Minutes Contact Us		ALITHSA Volunteer Recognition Program Paul Furlong - U10 Mixed Coach, U12 Girls Assistant Coach and ALITHSA Field Coordinator ALITHSA would like to recognize Coach and Field Coordinator Paul Furlong for his "above and beyond" volunteer work. One of the nominations he received said: "Paul Furlong is a very dedictaed volunteer. Not only does he make sure the kids on his U10 team are having a great time playing soccer, but he somehow finds the time to make sure all the fields are in the best possible condition." We took a few minutes of Paul's time to get to know him better. ALITHSA: How long have you been involved in soccer and in what forms? Paul: I was raised playing soccer, my Dad is English. I played for the Hoffman Estates Park Dist. in HS (mid 70's). I started coaching when my oldest daughter started playing 6 years ago and picked up a second team 5 years ago when my 2nd daughter started playing. ALITHSA: What are the three top things for you as a coach? Paul: In my mind the most important thing is for the kids to have fun. Coaches and parents alike lose sight that they are kids and it's just a game. Good sportsmanship. Sports are a very social thing. I hope if kids get the right message here they will bring it with them into the rest of their social life. Team work. I try to get the kids to trust each others skills and talent. Even the players that aren't as strong with individual skills still play a huge role in a team sport and those with the stronger skills can't win without the others. This also builds a good life lesson. ALITHSA: How do you make time being a coach and also doing a fabulous job on ALITHSA's soccer fields? Paul: I'm not sure, I just squeeze it in where I can. I have had a lot of help the last few seasons from other volunteers and the villages. I do work from home so that gives me some flex time and my wife says I neglect my work around the house. ALITHSA: What can we teach our kids about playing soccer and who is your favorite soccer player role model? Paul: Like I mentioned earlier sportsmanship and teamwork. I don't really have a soccer role model. ALITHSA: Please tell us about your most special soccer memory or event. Paul: Watching my U6 players pick flowers, catching moths, and my keeper doing cartwheels. Now watching them as U10 players to see how they have developed into soccer players. ALITHSA: How in your mind can we make soccer in ALITHSA as creative and fun as possible? Paul: We need to get our parents more involved in any way they can, in volunteering or coming out to support their kids/teams. Keeping our eyes open for more and better ways to work on individual and team skills for our kids and coaches. ALITHSA: Anything special you would like to share with all of us in ALITHSA about being a volunteer? Paul: I love doing this. Being involved with the kids and have their parents trust in me to coach them, it makes the time I spend well worth it. Keep it fun for the kids and keep on volunteering! ALITHSA: Thank you Paul! If you know of any ALITHSA coach, asst. coach, team mom, referee or coordinator that goes above and beyond, please let us know about it. We want to regularly recognize those that stand out from the crowd. Please send your nominations and the reason for the nomination to mvp@alithsa.org.