Wildcats Embrace the Process
10/23/2015 11:00:00 AM | General, Women's Soccer
By: Kelly Boutelle, Northwestern Correspondent
The history of Northwestern women's soccer has seen a lot of ups and downs. After an extremely successful 1998 season with 16 wins and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, the Wildcats flew under the radar. Since 1998, the team has not won more than ten games in a season—until now.
Even with two games remaining in their regular season, the 'Cats have won 11 times this season. This record already makes them the best team Northwestern has seen in years.
So what happened? Head coach Michael Moynihan happened.
Do not take this year's success lightly. Coach Moynihan has been building this program since he first arrived at Northwestern in the winter of 2011.
After an outstanding 15-year career as the women's soccer head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, leading the Panthers to 12-straight conference titles and nine NCAA Tournament appearances, Moynihan came to Evanston ready to start a new chapter in his coaching career.
Coming in with so much success and knowledge about the sport, Moynihan took a somewhat surprising approach in building his new team.
"I didn't want to come in and impose things," said Moynihan. "I wanted them to pick and choose what they wanted to incorporate and embrace as a team, and it was their choices that led us in the right direction."
"He came in here not used to losing and I think we could really tell that it was hard for him to adjust to," senior defender Jennifer Korn said about Moynihan in an NNN interview with John Beers, "So it made us strive to make him proud and bring the team back up to where he's used to it. I definitely think his success has brought on our success."
The Wildcats were ranked for four-straight weeks in the NSCAA Coaches Poll this season for the first time since 1998. And significant changes were made in order for them to get this far.
"When I came in with my new staff [assistant coaches David Nikolic and Shannon Neely] we first had to evaluate and see where the team was at," said Moynihan. "Something that I've always focused on as a coach is building a healthy culture to work in. When I first evaluated the team, some of the pieces were in great shape, but others needed work."
In his evaluation, he saw a very talented, driven team that was good to each other, but he did not believe that everyone understood what it takes to be successful at a high level.
"You have to be selfless, a good team person in terms of investing time on your own and really loving the game," he said.
The hardest part, Moynihan explained, was that he always saw soccer as an escape and something to be enjoyed. But in a competitive academic environment like Northwestern, soccer seems like another source of stress. This just proved to be another hurdle that Moynihan sought to overcome.
But, then again, Moynihan is always looking for new hurdles to challenge.
"I saw coming to Northwestern as a new challenge and that was a big part of why I did it," said Moynihan. "I got to a point in Milwaukee where I was comfortable with the environment I had built, but I want challenges just like how I expect my players to challenge themselves."
Before coaching, Moynihan worked as a teacher and held various small jobs in his native Wisconsin-Milwaukee area. However, when his mother – the previous head coach of the Milwaukee Panthers - was diagnosed with cancer, he rushed to her side and ultimately took the reigns of the women's soccer program with the help of his sister.
"When coaching started paying, I had to make a choice between staying a teacher or moving to become a full-time coach," said Moynihan. "I have always been passionate about soccer so I didn't have to give it a whole lot of thought."
However, he never really left teaching as he sees a lot of overlap in his two careers. The head coach explains that the frustration that comes with being a teacher is always feeling like you are the enemy. In reality, you are just trying to help others get better.
He believes this is the same concept with coaching.
In order for the players to feel like they are being coached and mentored through the process, they need to have ownership of the ideas and direction of the program.
In other words, Coach Moynihan is not a yeller.
"He's not one of those coaches that yells at you and tells you how awful you did on a certain play," said senior co-captain Nandi Mehta on his coaching style. "He and the staff want to work with you and ask questions instead. As a freshman it was something that I had to get used to but as a senior I've grown with them and come to really respect their style of coaching."
When it comes down to it, this team is succeeding because their head coach truly believes in them. The sky is the limit under Moynihan's reign.
"We aim so much higher now," Mehta said. "Some people say it's unrealistic but we keep pushing ourselves to get there. We're still on the climb—we haven't even peaked yet."
Through the success, Coach Moynihan still remains humble and focused.
"Yes, we've had success, but there is still plenty of room to grow," said Moynihan. "We want to be an elite team in Division I soccer, but it's a process. There are still a lot of pieces coming together but I know we're headed in the right direction."
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter and Instagram, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook and sign up to receive promotional text alerts for the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
The history of Northwestern women's soccer has seen a lot of ups and downs. After an extremely successful 1998 season with 16 wins and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, the Wildcats flew under the radar. Since 1998, the team has not won more than ten games in a season—until now.
Even with two games remaining in their regular season, the 'Cats have won 11 times this season. This record already makes them the best team Northwestern has seen in years.
So what happened? Head coach Michael Moynihan happened.
Do not take this year's success lightly. Coach Moynihan has been building this program since he first arrived at Northwestern in the winter of 2011.
After an outstanding 15-year career as the women's soccer head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, leading the Panthers to 12-straight conference titles and nine NCAA Tournament appearances, Moynihan came to Evanston ready to start a new chapter in his coaching career.
Coming in with so much success and knowledge about the sport, Moynihan took a somewhat surprising approach in building his new team.
"I didn't want to come in and impose things," said Moynihan. "I wanted them to pick and choose what they wanted to incorporate and embrace as a team, and it was their choices that led us in the right direction."
"He came in here not used to losing and I think we could really tell that it was hard for him to adjust to," senior defender Jennifer Korn said about Moynihan in an NNN interview with John Beers, "So it made us strive to make him proud and bring the team back up to where he's used to it. I definitely think his success has brought on our success."
The Wildcats were ranked for four-straight weeks in the NSCAA Coaches Poll this season for the first time since 1998. And significant changes were made in order for them to get this far.
"When I came in with my new staff [assistant coaches David Nikolic and Shannon Neely] we first had to evaluate and see where the team was at," said Moynihan. "Something that I've always focused on as a coach is building a healthy culture to work in. When I first evaluated the team, some of the pieces were in great shape, but others needed work."
In his evaluation, he saw a very talented, driven team that was good to each other, but he did not believe that everyone understood what it takes to be successful at a high level.
"You have to be selfless, a good team person in terms of investing time on your own and really loving the game," he said.
The hardest part, Moynihan explained, was that he always saw soccer as an escape and something to be enjoyed. But in a competitive academic environment like Northwestern, soccer seems like another source of stress. This just proved to be another hurdle that Moynihan sought to overcome.
But, then again, Moynihan is always looking for new hurdles to challenge.
"I saw coming to Northwestern as a new challenge and that was a big part of why I did it," said Moynihan. "I got to a point in Milwaukee where I was comfortable with the environment I had built, but I want challenges just like how I expect my players to challenge themselves."
Before coaching, Moynihan worked as a teacher and held various small jobs in his native Wisconsin-Milwaukee area. However, when his mother – the previous head coach of the Milwaukee Panthers - was diagnosed with cancer, he rushed to her side and ultimately took the reigns of the women's soccer program with the help of his sister.
"When coaching started paying, I had to make a choice between staying a teacher or moving to become a full-time coach," said Moynihan. "I have always been passionate about soccer so I didn't have to give it a whole lot of thought."
However, he never really left teaching as he sees a lot of overlap in his two careers. The head coach explains that the frustration that comes with being a teacher is always feeling like you are the enemy. In reality, you are just trying to help others get better.
He believes this is the same concept with coaching.
In order for the players to feel like they are being coached and mentored through the process, they need to have ownership of the ideas and direction of the program.
In other words, Coach Moynihan is not a yeller.
"He's not one of those coaches that yells at you and tells you how awful you did on a certain play," said senior co-captain Nandi Mehta on his coaching style. "He and the staff want to work with you and ask questions instead. As a freshman it was something that I had to get used to but as a senior I've grown with them and come to really respect their style of coaching."
When it comes down to it, this team is succeeding because their head coach truly believes in them. The sky is the limit under Moynihan's reign.
"We aim so much higher now," Mehta said. "Some people say it's unrealistic but we keep pushing ourselves to get there. We're still on the climb—we haven't even peaked yet."
Through the success, Coach Moynihan still remains humble and focused.
"Yes, we've had success, but there is still plenty of room to grow," said Moynihan. "We want to be an elite team in Division I soccer, but it's a process. There are still a lot of pieces coming together but I know we're headed in the right direction."
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter and Instagram, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook and sign up to receive promotional text alerts for the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
Players Mentioned
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