In the Queen’s Court, we’ll introduce you to an important member of Seattle Reign FC head coach Laura Harvey’s staff. In our latest installment, we spoke with Seattle Reign goalkeeper coach Doug Herrick.
Herrick, recently decided to retire from professional soccer after playing in the MLS, USL and overseas. He previously coached goalkeepers in an individual training capacity and also at De la Salle high school in California before taking his current role with Reign FC.
How did you learn you wanted to get into coaching?
“Truth be told, I didn’t really ever expect to get into coaching. I always figured that when I stepped away from the game I would keep some distance. As I started transitioning away from my own career, I was invited into Reign practice on a volunteer basis. I enjoyed looking at goalkeeping on a granular level and also managing the psychological side of the position. I was thrilled to be offered a formal position on the coaching staff. In the fall I will enroll in graduate school for Counseling Psychology, and I have really been diving into the overlap between coaching and mental health psychology.”
What is your favorite thing about the profession?
“I believe the connections between coaches and players can impact lives. Coaches I have had over the years have helped me find a deeper sense of self — something that will be with me longer than soccer will. As a coach, I have enjoyed challenging the ways my goalkeepers look at the position with the goal of improving performance and finding joy. As soccer is just a small part of life, I hope my players walk out of training with an air of confidence and joy that they can take into the rest of the day and ultimately find that deeper sense of self that I have started to find through the game.”
How has your season with Reign FC been?
“Soccer seasons are a difficult thing to sum up, they tend to contain a multitude of different emotions and phases. This season has been pretty unexpected in many ways. June was a very difficult month; we were constantly on the road (to unbearably hot places) and struggling to get results. Those weeks started to drag a bit. Then we returned home to three fantastic results in seven days — it brought us to life. In general, I am incredibly proud of this team and my goalkeepers for the ways that they have found their way through a season’s struggles. This season has asked our players to be dynamic and I think they have, and will continue to show that quality.”
What were your expectations when you joined the club?
“I had been around the team on and off for a few years as I worked to stay fit during my own off season, so I had a good idea of what I was getting into. I have continued to be impressed by the ways that the Predmore family and Laura [Harvey] strive to make the club a special place. I have been around organizations that simply seemed happy to exist, and I believe that the Reign could do that. Instead, the front office has set the standard much higher. Additionally, I have been impressed by the ways that the organization recognizes its employees as people and empowers its players and women as a whole (I take great pride in coaching with the only female head coach in the league). In total, I believe this creates a unique community of players who are doing more than just showing up for work on a daily basis. I feel apart of this community; I am proud to work for this organization and want to do my part to support these players. I would love to join them in lifting some trophies this year.”
