Octavia Saunders wrapped up a solid 2019 season with a 12-6-1 mark, posting the best winning percentage (.631) of any coach in the first two years of their career in Salem soccer history. She guided the 2019 unit to the 10th-most goals (40) in a single-season in program history.
With Saunders manning the sidelines, Salem won six road games in 2019, tying the 2013 and 2017 units for third-most in a single-season. The Spirits reached the USA South Conference Semifinals after posting a 2-0 win over Piedmont on Nov. 2.
In her first season on the sidelines, Saunders guided Salem to a 7-12 overall record, which included key USA South Conference victories against Meredith, N.C. Wesleyan, Methodist and William Peace. The Spirits, who posted five home wins during the slate, reached the first round of the USA South Conference tournament before bowing out to Covenant on Oct. 27.
Saunders brought a wealth of knowledge to the Spirits after spending three years as the assistant coach at Brevard College where under her coaching the Tornados reached a program-best 11-6-1 record and all-time best in NCAA era. While with the Tornados, she also worked for the North Carolina Olympic Development Program and the Highland Football Club.
In a recent conversation Saunders took time to discuss her passion for soccer and her life and provided the following responses:
Describe the coaching path that has brought you to Salem.
Saunders: Honestly, coaching wasn't something I ever saw myself doing, even my last year of college, I just wanted to continue to play ball. One thing I did know is that I didn't want to move back home to England, I wasn't ready to give up my life in the United States yet. Fortunately, Brevard College gave me an opportunity to stay in America and stay involved in the sport.
Shigeyoshi "Sugar" Shinohara gave me the assistant coach position the weekend before I took my final exams at University of Montevallo and to him I will forever be grateful because this move projected my life in a way I could never imagine. My first game day as a coach was the day I realized this is the career I want to pursue (game days are always my favorite day). I spent three years at Brevard as the assistant coach on the women's soccer program, where I was mentored, challenged, built connections with amazing people and gained a lot of experience that prepared me to take over my own program with my own spin. When the Salem head coach position opened up it felt like perfect timing and when I came for my interview I fell in love with everything Salem had to offer me and my student-athletes.
When you think back to learning soccer at a young age to where you are now (coaching it at a college level), what fundamentals do you focus on every day in practice and during the offseason to better the players?
Saunders: Growing up we didn't have female only football where I lived. At six years old, I went and tried out for the boy's team. I'm very thankful to Tony Sawyer (my first ever football coach) for letting me join the team. Tony taught me fundamentals, skills, and proper technique, but most of all he never treated me any different from the boys. He pushed me to get better as much as any of them; so the players saw me the same way, we all went in at each other with the same determination to win the ball. This was a big factor for my speed of play, quick decision making and game awareness. So, what we do at Salem is a lot of touches and a variety of touches in different situations. We practice playing in tight areas so they have to play quicker and it forces them to make quicker decisions, giving them ways to play out and break lines, but they have to come up with those solutions. We also make almost everything a competition, which brings up the intensity that we need in every practice which starts becoming their overall mindset.
Who are the individuals that have had the biggest impact on you as a coach and why?
Saunders: My Mum and Dad; me and my Dad could talk football/soccer for hours, my Mum gets annoyed on Facetime sometimes because we talk through every Premier League game that played on that particular Weekend. I also got his genes, he was an extremely good footballer back in his day. My Mum started the first women's football team in our town just so I would have somewhere local to play when I wasn't allowed to play with the boys anymore. They would drive over 10 hours a week just so I could play at the best club in our county and they have spent endless time on the field with me. Never letting me quit, always pushing me and encouraging me when I'm down on myself. I will forever be grateful to them. Even now they stay up at 2 a.m. to watch Salem play if the game is live streamed.
Another individual who impacted my path was Kristen Rosato, who is now the head lacrosse coach at Brevard. We were teammates in college and have always been someone I've looked up to. If it wasn't for Riz, I wouldn't have even had the opportunity at Brevard or realized coaching was an option for me. I still go to her for advice or just to chat as we're still great friends, so normal friend stuff too.
Now that you have had time to reflect on the accomplishments of the 2019 soccer team, name some things that you took away from the season.
Saunders: That we can compete against anybody in the USA South Conference. All of my players are very talented individuals but as we've built this family culture watching them flourish as a team has been one of my highlights for sure. I can't wait to see what they achieve next year.
How has reaching the USA South Conference semifinals in your second year at the helm help you in recruiting during the offseason?
Saunders: I haven't really changed the way I recruit, I stay genuine and focus on the relationship I build with each of my recruits and those personal connections. I'm always looking for the best players and the best people to add to our family. I'm sure it has helped though, people see what we're building here and they want to be a part of it. That is the type of player that continues our growth in culture, the hungry and the invested.
During the offseason do you watch a lot of soccer matches that you try to apply in your own offensive schemes?
Saunders: I will wake up on a weekend at 7 a.m. to watch the Premier League, every game I can watch I will, even if I'm doing something like being a game day manager. I will have the game up on my phone, don't tell my boss! I just love it and I love the Premier League. I love the passion and tactics behind it, it is definitely something I am proud of as an English native is our level and love of football. Honestly, yes it teaches me a lot, a foundation of understanding the game is watching a lot of it but I shape my tactics around the team I have and what would work best for us at that time.