As head coach of the CMS women's soccer team Keri Sanchez has her hands full most days. But it's her night job that really boggles the mind. This spring she began "moonlighting" as a defender with The Los Angeles Sol in the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league.
"Luckily, this last playing season occurred during a more down time of year for my coaching," Sanchez says. "I was picked up by The Sol as a free agent in May during finals week, so my teaching and coaching duties were completed for the year. I would practice in the mornings with The Sol and work in the office during the afternoons and evenings."
Sanchez arrived at CMC in 2004 with a master's degree in exercise physiology from the University of Oregon where, for seven years, she assisted with the university's soccer team. In 1995, she received her undergraduate degree from North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where she majored in physical education while competing on four consecutive NCAA championship soccer teams.
While at Chapel Hill she earned various honors as a player, including Academic All-American for two years, and captain/MVP her senior season.
From 2001-2003, Sanchez played soccer professionally with WUSA teams in her hometown of San Jose, Calif., and in Boston. Prior to that, she shared soccer fields with such legendary American stars as Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, April Heinrichs, and Julie Foudyall members of the U.S. Women's National Team.
"I'm very proud of Keri as her friend and colleague, and I really admire her athletic ability, something I always wish I had at the same level," says Mike Sutton, CMS director of athletics. "For her to have this experience enlivens her life and enhances her offerings as a coach, as well as the wow' factor for the athletes on her team.
"She is playing their game at the highest level, which adds additional credibility to her already sound teaching and coaching style," Sutton adds. "Like the experiences our students have in the classroom with world-class professors, our women's soccer teams have the same opportunity to learn from a world-class coach."
To be sure, the athletic laurels have come with a price.
"Over the years, I have made lots of personal sacrifices to be a coach and to be a player," Sanchez says. "Many holidays as a coach are spent recruiting. As a player, you miss family reunions, weddings This past summer I missed a family cruise to Mexico with my mom and my son. Luckily, they were still able to go and have fun, but you hate to miss those moments."
Born in Colorado, Sanchez at the age of 8 moved with her mother, father, and older brother to San Jose where her sports-oriented family indulged their passion for athletics.
"My dad played lots of sports growing up, she says. "My mom did not have as many options when she was younger, but snow-skied and water-skied growing up, and is now a runner and coach for track/cross-country. My brother is very athletic; his main sport was ice hockey."
At an early age, Sanchez knew she wanted to be a professional athlete. "I loved all sports," she says, "but at that time there was very little pro men's soccer, let alone women's pro sports in general, except for golf and tennis. Oddly, I grew up wanting to be a men's pro football or hockey player. It was only later on in high school that I focused more on soccer."
Sanchez trains most days of the week via a combination of cardio (running, biking, etc.), lifting weights, and ball work on the field, and fully believes that a superior athlete is someone who is "dedicated to working hard at being the best they can be, and never being satisfied.
"My strengths as a player are my work ethic and my knowledge of the game," she says. "Also, I am an attacking-minded defender which many coaches like. My weaknesses are on the technical side; I do not have the consistent touch of some of my teammates. I have to continually work on compensating for that."
Last month, in the first-ever WPS championship game, The Los Angeles Sol lost 1-0 to rival Sky Blue FC (NY/NJ) in a hotly contested game.
Sanchez was suited up to play, but didn't make it into the game. "You always want to be picked to go in and help your team, but the substituting rules on the professional level are different," she explains. "There are only three subs allowed all game and we were scored on early and received a red card in the first 30 minutes which changed our game plan."
What goes through the mind of a player like Sanchez before a championship gamewhen the success of the season is riding on the outcome?
"As a player, you try to visualize your position and go through the positive things you want to do in the game," she says. "You think about your opponent or mark, and figure out their weakness and try to exploit that. Also, you set goals that you want to accomplish, which help get and keep you focused.
"As a coach, you try to plan as well as you can," she continues, "you try to prepare yourself for the different scenarios that may come up, to be as prepared as you can be, and you always remind the players to have fun. Because if you are having fun, you will be relaxed enough to play well."
Sanchez uses that same clarity and preparation when recruiting soccer players to CMS. "I try to watch them play at club tournaments or by video," she says. "I look for athletes who have one or more special qualities, like speed, shooting ability, soccer intelligence, skill, etc."
When she isn't coaching or playing, Sanchez likes to relax with her son, play with the dogs or just "veg" on the couch with a good book like My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. The Village Grill and Hero's are her favorite local restaurants, and 21 Choices in the Claremont Village is her pick for frozen yogurt.
"What is especially great for our department," Sutton notes, "is that Keri is still that same down to earth person who really adds to our environment and the enjoyment of the people we work with."