By Carter Findlay | Guest Contributor

When Bristol, Pa., sophomore Jordan Scott tore his Achilles tendon in his senior year of high school, he knew his soccer playing days were coming to an end. Now, just two years later, Scott has found another way to stay involved with the sport as the head coach of the Baylor men’s club soccer team.

“The reason I got into coaching was because my body started deteriorating to the point where I couldn’t play,” Scott said. “Coaching is a way for me to stay involved with the sport I love, while also helping other people as they progress as players.”

While Scott now has an outlet to stay involved in the sport, it was not an easy road getting there.

“When I tore my Achilles, it was really tough for me,” Scott said. “A lot of who I felt I was at that point was as a soccer player. Having that taken away from me, I felt very lonely for a while.”

It was not until one of Scott’s high school coaches introduced him to the idea of coaching that he realized he could have another path. A few months later, Scott started working on obtaining his coaching license.

Two years later, Scott heard about an opening for the head coaching position for the club team and he applied.

“They went through a selection process where they had about three candidates,” Scott said. “They interviewed us, talked with us, looked at our availability and eventually settled on me.”

He said the transition to coaching the team was intimidating at first because many players on the team are older than Scott, some even working on their master’s and doctorate degrees. However, Scott adjusted quickly.

“After the first two practices or so, I felt very comfortable with them,” Scott said. “I shared what I knew about the sport and what I knew we could do together as a team if people just bought into the philosophy. While it was difficult in the beginning, I’ve grown into the role.”

The emphasis of Scott’s coaching philosophy is all about teamwork. Although the team is made up of individuals, they must work together in order to achieve their goals, he said.

“I want them to express themselves,” Scott said. “I want them to be who they are. But I also want them to be there for each other and to build a community.”

Flower Mound junior Nathan Villalon has already noticed a difference.

“Jordan has brought a newfound commitment and culture to the team,” Villalon said. “He loves the game and is always looking to improve our training sessions and prepare us well for our games.”

League City sophomore Parker Westover agreed in Scott’s efforts to prepare the team for success.

“Jordan has brought the team focus and energy towards this upcoming fall season,” Westover said. “He has given us the direction we need to get enough attendance at practices that are spent well in effort and strategy.”

Ultimately, the team’s goal is to qualify for nationals, which will take place in November. The first step in achieving that is to finish in the top three of the Texas Collegiate Soccer League. According to Baylor’s Campus Recreation website, they will compete against schools across Texas and the surrounding states, including University of Texas and Texas A&M University.

If they successfully finish in the top three, they will move on to regionals, where they will have a chance to compete for a spot in nationals. It is not an easy task, but the team is committed.

“It is fun to be a part of a team where everyone is pushing each other and we have the common goal to win games,” McKinney junior David May said.

With over half a year until nationals, it is yet to be seen how successful the team will be in its goal. However, Scott said he will be doing everything in his power to ensure that the team comes together and achieves what it has set out to accomplish.