Welcome to our 'People of SYSA' series! This series is where we talk with players, coaches, administrators, parents, referees and volunteers from all across SYSA and learn a little bit about them and why they love being a part of Seattle Youth Soccer Association.

Rec soccer in Seattle runs on volunteers. Without volunteers to organize practice fields, do the admin work and coach the teams, thousands of kids would not get the opportunity to play soccer each and every year. In this edition of People of SYSA, we are proud to feature not just ONE of SYSA's amazing volunteer coaches, but TWO of them: and from the same household!

Photos courtesy of Jay Patrikios and Cassie Martin

Jay Patrikios and Cassie Martin are partners who coach for Woodland Soccer Club. Jay currently coaches their son's U9 team and Cassie, their daughter's U10 team. Recreational soccer is all about the kids having fun and enjoying the game: both Cassie and Jay embody this through and through and it is exactly why they come back each year and continue volunteering their time. They understand the immense value that recreational soccer provides to their kids, and to everyone, in the community.

Here's more from our conversation with Cassie and Jay:

GETTING INVOLVED WITH SYSA

Of Jay and Cassie, Cassie is the one that comes from the soccer background. She played all the way up through college, at which point she decided she needed a break from the game. Years later, after seeing the Wallingford neighborhood park full of kids playing soccer, her 6-year old daughter expressed interest. Cassie signed her up to play with Woodland, and signed herself up to coach. "We started out with a group of random kids and now it's a really tight community that we have, 5 years later," says Cassie. Their community extends outside of soccer as well. "One of the parents is a pharmacist and we've done team flu shots. We do stuff like that together. The kids all love one another, it's just been so great."

Jay didn't pick up the coaching mantle until the following season when their son also decided that he wanted to play. He did not have a soccer background like Cassie, but because his son asked him to coach, Jay was happy to do it and enthusiastic about the idea.

THE COMMUNITY ASPECT

When asked about the best part of being involved in the rec soccer world, both Cassie and Jay went straight to the community aspect. "The community part is just really important," says Jay. Looking at his team, 4 years after they started playing together, "the collective is really strong and supportive of each other. The player and parent community is SO strong - we all help each other and it's just been wonderful." Cassie adds how the parents worked hard to kept the kids playing together during Covid and just how healthy that had been for them all to have those relationships during that time.

Extending beyond Woodland, and looking at the SYSA community at large, Jay says it's really awesome how his players will all go a summer camp together, make new friends with other kids from around the city, and then end up playing them during fall league. "The players will remember them and want to go say hi," says Jay. "Community wide, the players remember and make friends with kids from other teams. It's really great."

Both Jay and Cassie love that team sports have this unique ability to create community. "Team sports can really help you through rough times in life. I see our kids benefiting in so many ways, ways in which you can only get from being on a team," Cassie says. Jay, having been a distance runner and NOT a team sports person growing up, says that now he totally gets it. "I'm actually SEEING it, I am seeing the benefits of the the team stuff, the community stuff. Translating off the field too."

COACHING STYLES

Jay is all about teaching durable skills that translate from soccer to regular life. One of Jay's big things is that he likes having players take leadership of the team. He wants them to feel like the team is THEIR team and that their ideas matter. He incorporates this into his coaching by often asking questions like, "what do YOU think we need to work on?". This approach not only helps the players self-advocate more, but it helps them feel invested in the team and WANT to support their teammates more and work hard for each other.

Cassie also brings in a lot of characteristics into her coaching that are important to the family as a whole. "A big one for me is always be inclusive of everyone," she says. "We really see the kids rallying around each other and finding each other's bright spots. Generosity is another another one: sharing a ball, having a good assist, being generous with your time and your ideas, etc." And last but not least Cassies says, "have fun. Always have fun. Even if you're working hard, you should still be having fun."

Jay fully lives by this when coaching his son's team. "The important thing for my team, is that you've gotta work with their strengths. No rigid discipline, it won't work. Maybe a couple of drills at practice, but then let's scrimmage," he says. "You gotta work with the vibe of the team. And my team, they are wild and fun and they love it."

They both understand that the kids want to play, have fun, make friends and enjoy the game in a relaxed environment with no pressure."Want to know what our team cheer is? Fast Flying Tigers - LET'S HAVE FUN!!!", Cassie says. "After a game, the questions are always 'did you have fun?' and 'did you try your best?', thats it. Never 'did you win?' Rec soccer is so important because of this - it's gotta be all about the fun."

THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEER COACHING

Both Cassie and Jay agree that there are a ton of benefits to being a volunteer soccer coach for SYSA. One of the biggest benefits being the added time they get to spend with their son and daughter. "My son asked me to coach his team, and I figure there's a limited amount of time that my kids are going to ask me to do stuff with them. I want to take advantage of this time," says Jay.

Cassie adds, "Coaching is a lot of work, but coaching forces you to stop and do something different with your time. There's something really nice about knowing that you can turn all that stuff off and just focus on the kids."

And for Cassie and Jay as a couple, they have bonded over coaching as well. "It's really cool that we can talk to each other about coaching. It's really nice to bounce ideas off of Cassie that I am considering trying. It's nice to talk to each other about soccer, something that isn't work and isn't parenting and I find it really beneficial. Rec soccer has become a fun aspect for everyone, it creates a fun family dynamic for all four of us."

Thank you so much Jay and Cassie! We here at SYSA appreciate all of the time and dedication you have given to your teams over the years. Rec soccer in Seattle would not be the same without you!