Sarah Carvajal/The Rider
Name: Paul Leese
Sport: Menโs soccer
Title: Head Coach
Years Coaching: 24 (three at UTRGV)
Hometown: Liverpool, England
Whatโs your favorite part of coaching soccer? โI like the skill thatโs involved with soccer. I cannot remember a time where I was not absorbed with soccer. Obviously, playing it as a kid, and now coaching, still allows me to be involved in the sport that I love.โ
Whatโs your favorite place to eat off campus? โIโve got to give a plug for the Centennial Club [Downtown McAllen]. I havenโt eaten at many places because I have two little boys, so they keep me attached to home, but the Centennial Club, I went out and it was just a fantastic place.โ
How was the adjustment going from athlete to coach? โThatโs been easy for me because I did it so long ago. You know, I came over and played at college when I was younger, too, and itโs been easy because I love the sport. I love watching games, analyzing games. I think as a player, I was very analytical, so it was a very natural path for me to go straight into coaching. The transition was very easy. I was even coaching young kids when I was playing, so itโs just been a natural extension.โ
How do you feel coaching this team? โVery good, this year. We didnโt have a complete team last year because it was our first year, so we didnโt have the time or resources to find a full team. Iโm really enjoying the group we have now. I think the players are starting to jell more together and because weโve added more players, I think weโre now a more complete team, so itโs a lot of fun. The players are really committed. Theyโre very serious and thatโs what I want in the players I recruit and the team. I want guys that are very committed to their soccer, very committed to their education and very committed to the university.โ
Who is your favorite music artist? โIโm a big fan of the old โ70s R&B and Soul, so if I had to pick one, Curtis Mayfield is one Iโm a fan of. Isaac Hayes is one Iโm a big fan of. The Isley Brothers, I think they can do it all, so they are for me.โ
Where would you go on your dream vacation? โI donโt even consider that, you know, but if I had to choose somewhere, it would have to be to watch a soccer game. It sounds sad, but soccer is just a passion and something that I love doing, so if you ask me dream vacation, it would be to go see Barcelona play in the New Camp stadium. So, to go to Barcelona, Spain, it would be primarily to watch F.C. Barcelona play.โ
–Compiled by Sarah Carvajal
