We asked coaches in our community one simple question: “What is your biggest win as a coach?”
The answers might surprise you. Not a single one mentioned a league title.
The Real Wins
Relationships That Last
“Players still calling me ‘gaffer’ whenever they see me, years after managing them when you bump into them outside of football. Still really close to a lot of my ex players.” — FCA Member
The Long Journey
“Taking a team from U9s all the way through to U18 and finishing with a squad of 19 players who all still enjoyed their football.” — FCA Member
Including Everyone
“Still going, starting at U7 and now U16 with a happy bunch of currently 18 kids. We have included kids who did not get to play much at other clubs and kids who no other club would take.” — FCA Member
The Comeback
“At U12 it was coaching the boys to a 4-3 win, coming back from 3-0 down at half time and the winner scored on the last kick of the game.” — FCA Member
Against The Odds
“When I was head coach of a step 3 team and had one of the smallest budgets in the league and we played the team with the highest budget away in front of around 900 supporters and we won 3-0.” — FCA Member
Building From Nothing
“Having to rebuild the team after the previous manager dumped the team a month before the start of season. We completed the 1st season and then at the end of the second season won the league fair play award.” — FCA Member
Character Over Result
“Turning things around with a halftime talk after getting clobbered in the first half. We did not win, but we went down fighting and were the better team in the second half.” — FCA Member
The Greeting
“The biggest achievement is all players I have trained always greeting me when they see me.” — FCA Member
Professional Success
“For me, it is always when one of my former players has made it in the professional arena. Like goalkeeper Julian Pollersbeck, who gave me my greatest success with his U21 European Championship title.” — FCA Member
What This Tells Us
Notice the pattern?
- Relationships over results
- Longevity over quick wins
- Character over championships
- Inclusion over exclusion
- Resilience over dominance
Redefining Success
If you measure your coaching by league positions, you will be disappointed more often than not.
If you measure it by:
- Players who still love football
- Relationships that outlast the team
- Kids who came back next season
- Parents who thanked you
You will find wins everywhere.
Your Turn
What is your biggest coaching win?
The moments that matter most rarely show up in trophy cabinets. They show up in greeting you receive years later, in the player who kept playing because of you, in the team that never gave up because you showed them how.
Those are the real wins.
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