Newbee no more
McGahey confident in early stages of second season as soccer coach
Though Peter McGahey is entering just his second season as the head coach of the Central Michigan University soccer team, the last thing he feels like is the new kid on the block.
McGahey led CMU to an 8-4 Mid-American Conference record in 2013 after Neil Stafford left for the head-coaching job at Cincinnati.
"I don't feel new anymore,” McGahey said. “I feel as though sometimes when people feel new, the expectations from the past don't apply. I don't think that's the case.”
McGahey was plucked by Athletic Director Dave Heeke from Minnesota State where he tallied a record of 74-21-13 and was named Intercollegiate Coach of the Year in 2012.
At CMU, McGahey said consistent success is achievable and a work already in progress.
“The championship expectations for the program and for me are very tangible,” he said.
Laura Gosse, one of CMU’s senior leaders in 2014, said she has watched McGahey adjust to the Division I learning curve nicely.
"I think a lot of us, especially the upperclassmen who experienced Peter as a coach last year, adjusted (to McGahey’s style) pretty well,” Gosse said. “Coach has an empathetic nature. He is very understanding of where we are at and he has realistic goals.”
Gosse said McGahey understands athletes better than many other coaches she has worked with.
“The fear of failure in any athlete comes from a goal that is set too high,” she said. “With that being said, he really pushes us so we can reach our full potential as individuals and as a team."
Just as many second-year coaches are doing, McGahey thinks about short-term success and long-term “championship culture” building simultaneously.
"We are going to bring in new players, and players that are here will grow and evolve, so you are always trying to find what are their new strengths are,” McGahey said.
CMU’s next game is Friday against Detroit. Game time is 1:00 p.m.
