ISSUE 006: Meet the USL League 1 Coach of the Year

IN THIS ISSUE

• 🤝 Introduction: Progress is rarely a straight line

• ☕️ A Special Offer: 15% off at Kickoff Coffee Co.❗️

• 👨‍🎓 Soccer Thought Leaders: Meet the USL League 1 Coach of the Year, Dominic Casciato

• 👥 Mentorship Opportunity: 1-on-1 with Dominic

• ⚽️ Soccer Jobs: The most interesting new jobs in soccer

• 📋 Featured Jobs: MLS Cup edition

• 🫵 Do This Now: Crafting a standout cover letter

INTRODUCTION

Happy December, Pathwayers!

Today, we’re pleased to share a conversation with one of the rising stars in the American coaching ranks - the USL League 1 Coach of the Year, Dominic Casciato. His winding career path has taken him from England to New York to Barcelona to El Paso to finally landing in Omaha. 🌎

You can read more about Dominic below - including his thoughts on how to break into professional coaching - but his journey so far is a good reminder that there are rarely straight lines when pursuing your dream job.

Be sure to scroll down past our conversation with Dominic as he’s kindly offered to make himself available for a few 1-on-1 mentorship sessions. If you’re an aspiring coach or analyst, this is an incredible opportunity to speak directly with someone who’s done it.

On a separate note, have you sent us an email yet? You should, just to say hello and tell us what you like most about the newsletter so far (or where we can be better!): [email protected].

-John Bello, Co-Founder & COO

SOCCER THOUGHT LEADERS: DOMINIC CASCIATO OF UNION OMAHA

“Get around people that you can learn from, that are going to push you, challenge you, make you better.”

Dominic Casciato currently holds the roles of Head Coach and Technical Director at Union Omaha in the USL League 1. In his debut season, the London native guided the Owls to a record-breaking campaign, securing the most points (65) and highest number of goals scored (61) in a single season in league history. The team’s success saw Dominic named as the 2023 USL League 1 Coach of the Year. Not bad for your first go.

Before taking charge at Union Omaha, Dominic served as an assistant coach in the USL Championship and worked in youth academies both in the U.S. and abroad. Our discussion unpacks his unique perspective on the mindset required to break into the industry, climb the coaching ladder, and transition into the role of a professional head coach. Though you won’t be able to hear his English accent in the text below, we hope you’ll still enjoy.

Questions and answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity (and any emphasis below is ours, fyi!)

PATHWAY: In January 2023, you took on the role of head coach at Union Omaha, marking your first season as a head coach at the professional level. Looking back on that process and building out your first technical staff, what were the two or three key insights that you gained from that experience?

DOMINIC: The biggest takeaway for me was trying not to do it in a rush. I didn't have the luxury of time in making a real thorough, robust recruitment process. And I think if I was to do it again, I would try and take my time to make it a little bit more task oriented. I got really lucky this year and I ended up bringing in a really good support team, but it was more through people I knew in my network that were available at the time.

I'm actually recruiting for a coach right now, and I'll make it a lot more process driven in terms of understanding what that person's skill set is. How are they going to compliment me in terms of personality with the players, in terms of personality in the office? And in terms of what's their X factor? I'm a big believer that all players, all coaches, all members of the technical staff, they're going to have something that makes them special, that they excel in. So, finding out what that is and figuring out if that fits with what we need right now is really, really important.

PATHWAY: Can you give us an example of how you're approaching the current coach search to be more task-oriented to uncover someone's skill set, personality, and their X-Factor?

DOMINIC: Step one, they'll send over a video on a recent training session. You're going to get a general sense of energy, enthusiasm, level of organization, and how the players are responding. You're going to be able to see those things from watching 10 or 15 minutes of a session they've run. They are kind of the ABCs of coaching - are you organized? Have you got energy? Are you enthusiastic? Do the players respond to you?

Once we've got through that stage, we would then have them look at an opponent. What are the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses? And now, based on those strengths and weaknesses, design two training sessions, and tell us why you would do these exercises based on what you saw. Then the last stage would be developing a set piece routine based on that team's defensive setup. And that just gives us a little window into how the coach thinks. If they're analytical, if they can see things that are there, or if they kind of make things up that are not there. I think that's really important because some people can watch a team, maybe understand the team, but then not know how to put into actionable exercises that can help the team beat the opponent.

And the reason why we put all these different things in there around scouting, around training sessions, and around set pieces, is because at our level, the resources and the staff are obviously spread pretty thin. So, whoever we bring in has to be versatile and has to be able to wear many different hats. But at the same time, we want them to have an X factor that complements what we're doing and what our leaders and staff already have.

PATHWAY: Prior to Union Omaha, you took on a more position-specific role as an assistant coach with an attacking focus at El Paso Locomotive. Can you talk about how dedicating time to a specific role, alongside other responsibilities that you had, contributed to developing skill sets that you think helped prepare you for being a head coach?

DOMINIC: I think the more you know, the more valuable you are and the more well-rounded you are. When I went to El Paso, I was primarily tasked with looking after the in-possession stuff. And a lot of it was working with the forwards, but I was walking into an organization that was really successful. Mark Lowry is an excellent coach. His right hand man, Matt Williams, is a very good coach and those two worked really well together. I started to really think “what can I bring that's going to make it even better here? How can I help serve the players even better?” And Mark was brilliant in terms of guiding me, in terms of what he wanted. 

So for me, it was - if we play this type of style and Mark wants to create chances in this type of way, then let’s create exercises that are going to put the players into the positions that they are going to face in the game based on his playing style. And through doing that, it allowed me to think about the most important part of the game at a really deep level, scoring goals. Because everybody loves goals and goals win games and goals are ultimately what keeps or loses a coach's job. 

Alongside that I was helping with everything else. And I think that mindset is more important than being a specialist in an area, just being willing to roll your sleeves up, being humble, being willing to do whatever the team needs you to do to be successful because every successful staff that I've been part of, everybody's always had that attitude. No one puts their ego at the front. It's always been a bunch of guys that enjoy being with each other, but want to roll their sleeves up, want to work, and will do whatever it takes for the team to be successful. And that's always been my mindset. And as much as I kind of specialized in a certain area with my experience at El Paso, I think it was that mindset that the whole staff had that helped us to be successful.

PATHWAY: For young coaches, is that in line with the advice that you would give to them if they’re looking to break into the sport and want to put their best foot forward?

DOMINIC: Everybody's circumstances are different. If you want to get into the game, it’s a very competitive industry, so you've got to find ways to get in. And then once you get in, you've got to find ways to stay. You've got to be trustworthy, you've got to have integrity, you've got to be good at what you do. You got to be reliable, and you've got to communicate. But I think having that mentality that I'm here to help, I'm here to serve the players, I’m here to do whatever I can do to help the team be successful, I think is probably the number one asset you can have.

PATHWAY: You’ve been open in sharing about your experiences transitioning into a pro head coach online, which is a bit non-traditional in the coaching world. Why have you taken that approach?

DOMINIC: I don't think there's much out there in terms of making the transition from being an assistant to being a head coach. You certainly don't cover it in any coaching courses or anything like that. I thought there’s probably a lot of people in my position who want to make that step up. And the only reference they're going to have is people within their network. That all I really had - speaking to people, calling other head coaches who'd been an assistant, asking them what’s the biggest difference for you? What are some of the biggest challenges? What are the things that I need to make sure of before I take this jump? So, I just thought trying to share a little bit of that would be really beneficial for people. I think a lot of it comes down to me as a person, just being quite an open person and being willing to help and try and offer a little bit of insight that may be beneficial for certain people. A lot of it comes from my own experiences when I kind of needed help as a younger coach.

PATHWAY: If you could give one piece of specific tactical advice to somebody who's trying to break into working in soccer, what would it be and why?

My advice would be to get around the best people that you possibly can. Don't worry too much about the salary, certainly don't worry about the title. Get around people that you can learn from that are going to push you, challenge you, make you better, and that you think can help you get to where you want to get to in ten years’ time.

I think some people, especially younger guys, if you don't have a family, if you don't have too many commitments, I think you've got to be willing to take those risks and be willing to put yourself out there. And I don’t want people working for free, but I think you've got to look at the type of opportunity that presents itself in front of you. What are you going to take from it that is going to be more valuable than a salary? I think for me, If I was a younger coach, if I could get around even more of those people, then I would do it and sacrifice the financial side of things for a little bit. 

PATHWAY: Simply, what's your favorite thing about working in soccer?

DOMINIC: Working with players is great and it's really rewarding when you see an individual player really integrate himself into a team and be willing to sacrifice for the team. When you see a collection of those guys go from being individuals into being a team, I think it's really rewarding as well. But, there's probably nothing better than seeing your ideas that you've worked on throughout the week come to life on a Saturday and that help you win the game. 

Ed. Note: You can connect with or follow Dominic on LinkedIn.

PATHWAY MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITY: 1-ON-1 WITH DOMINIC CASCIATO

Dominic Casciato has generously offered to conduct three (3) 1-on-1 mentorship sessions next week. If you’re interested in speaking with Dominic directly, click below to raise your hand for the opportunity. 🙋

• PATHWAY MENTORSHIP APPLICATION: Dominic Casciato, Union Omaha

SOCCER JOBS: THE MOST INTERESTING NEW JOBS IN SOCCER

New week, new jobs! Here are a handful of the most interesting - and most recent - jobs that have been posted.

• Director, Finance and Payroll - NWSL [NWSL HQ]

• Director, Academy Goalkeeping - Austin FC [MLS]

• First Team Assistant Coach - St. Louis City SC [MLS]

• Head Women’s Coach - Long Island University [NCAA]

• Chief Business Officer, Women’s Soccer - Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• Senior Manager, Content Strategy - U.S. Soccer Federation [USSF HQ]

DO THIS NOW: CRAFTING A STANDOUT COVER LETTER

You’ve spotted it - the job that’s perfect for you. The one you’ve been waiting for. Now, it’s time to apply. There’s a lot to think about but one thing you’ll want to nail is a succinct and memorable cover letter. 

Here’s a framework for how you can approach crafting your very own standout cover letter:

• Familiarize yourself with the job description.

  • Print out the job description and grab a red pen or highlighter  

  • Highlight essential keywords, company values, and required skills

  • Pro tip: Pay attention to repeated words or phrases - they’re emphasizing them for a reason

• Next, focus on creating an engaging opener:

  • Grab the employer’s attention early: Avoid the conventional “I am writing to apply for” approach.  

  • Instead, consider telling a compelling story:

    • In a recent application for a project-based role at a technology company seeking “soccer experts,” I implemented this approach. My intro paragraph began with, “Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of winning the World Cup.  In 2022, I ended up getting my chance, not as a player, but as a coach, representing the United States of America.” While I can’t confirm it secured me the interview, it certainly was the most memorable opener I’ve used on an application.  

• Customize your cover letter to the specific needs of the club/organization and job:

  • Avoid generic content - tailor your letter to the job description

  • Clearly articulate why you’re an ideal fit, emphasizing your alignment with the company culture, key requirements, and skills. This is your chance to tell them your superpower! 

  • PATHWAY RESOURCE: Here’s a real cover letter recently written for a role at a pro soccer club in the U.S. - use it as a point of inspiration 

• Be concise and impactful:

  • Hiring managers often skim cover letters, so make every word count. Be concise while conveying your enthusiasm and qualifications.  

  • While every role and every applicant is different, it’s a good rule of thumb to keep your cover letter to between 300-500 words (and use full paragraph breaks, too!)

• Provide a link to your work:

  • As Columbus Crew President & GM Tim Bezbatchenko pointed out in Pathway Issue 002, “The ability to take your expertise and communicate it in a way so that someone can use it to make a decision is a lost art”.  

  • Showcase a work product (an article, a report, a case study, etc.) that is easy to digest and highlights your ability to communicate your expertise 

By following these steps, you’ll be on your way to crafting a cover letter that not only captures attention but also showcases your unique value to prospective employers. Good luck!

When you’re ready, here are a few ways we can help you:

1. If this email was forwarded to you, you can sign up here to ensure you get every issue (sent on Wednesdays!) directly in your inbox.

2. And, if you’re a club or brand looking to hire the most ambitious talent in soccer, drop us a line and we can tell you about our process, our growing talent pool, and the services we offer.

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LAST WEEK’S ISSUE: MELISSA ORTIZ IS EVERYWHERE 📺

If you missed last week’s issue, it’s worth a read. Here’s what you’ll find in Issue 005 [reminder: They’re all free!]:

• A conversation with broadcaster Melissa Ortiz, who drops a ton of knowledge on the broadcast world and chasing your dream job

• We share a detailed X/Twitter growth hack that you can start immediately

• And, as always, links to a bunch of recent soccer jobs! ⚽️

Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? See you next week, Pathwayers.

• John Bello

• Kyle Sheldon

• Nolan Sheldon