Get to know the State University of New York at New Paltz Department of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation staff, starting with first-year Head Men's Soccer Coach Kyle Clancy.
Why did you get into this profession?
Having played soccer most of my life, I always had a strong passion and love for the game and wanted to be involved in some capacity for the rest of my life. I also knew I would love the competitive aspect that coaching provides.
What was your first coaching/staff job?
My first position was here at SUNY New Paltz as the assistant men's soccer coach under our current AD,
Stuart Robinson. He helped guide me into the profession and gave me the opportunity to begin my career.
What is your favorite aspect about the College/department?
I really enjoy working with such a great group of coaches and staff members. Everyone here is very passionate about their career and have a desire to be great and make New Paltz great. Coming back to New Paltz as a head coach, I saw the support that everyone gives each other to help the department succeed. I have had a lot of great conversations (and still do) with different coaches and it's great to learn about them and learn from them.
What do you like to do in your spare time/offseason?
I'm pretty obsessed with soccer, and it's a priority for me to watch my favorite team, the Tottenham Hotspurs, on weekends. I also enjoy traveling, hiking, biking, snowboarding, watching live music and exploring the area with my fiancé. We love to try new places to eat and discover all that the Hudson Valley has to offer. I also love to spend time with my family and her family.
Do you have a favorite athletic/coaching memory?
It is tough to decide between two things. One is definitely starting the Sage men's soccer team from scratch. It was such a unique and exciting opportunity and I learned so much along the way. It had a huge impact on my development as a coach and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I was given. The other was winning our first Skyline Championship at Sage. I was a bit naive as a young coach and thought it would happen a lot quicker. So after six years of hard work, a lot of tough losses and lot of learning, when it finally happened it was an amazing experience. I'll never forget watching the team run onto the field and celebrate when the final whistle blew.
What is the toughest aspect of your job?
Management of the team and creating a great culture. There is a lot of work involved to create a culture of excellence on all levels. We want our student-athletes to excel on the field, in the classroom and to represent our athletic department and University well. It involves a lot of work during the recruiting process and even more work during the year, but creating and maintaining a great culture is the foundation to a successful team and is something we will continue to work hard at as a program.
What sports did you play growing up?
Everything. I grew up with five siblings and we were constantly playing sports in our yard, driveway or basement. We were a very competitive group so it didn't matter what we played, we just wanted to compete and win. As I grew older, my main three organized sports were soccer, basketball and baseball. After my sophomore year of high school, I focused solely on soccer.
Who do you admire the most?
My parents. Today, it is almost unthinkable for families to have six kids. I still don't quite know how they did it, but they did an amazing job raising all of us. A lot of what I focus on as a coach in creating the right culture and in helping to develop our student-athletes comes from what I learned from my parents growing up and I feel very fortunate to have had such good examples.
What was your dream job growing up?
For a while, I always dreamed of being a professional soccer player. Unfortunately I never signed a contract, but I did have the opportunity to play five years of semi-professional soccer and to play against a few good teams in Europe while playing on those PDL teams.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
I cannot think of one specific thing off the top of my head, but my parents always taught us to work hard at what we do, to be honest and respectful and to treat others as we would want to be treated.
