Ken Leonard ‘Soccer Coach’ Computer Program Brainchild Of Ex-Coach

Now you can boot up a soccer coach.

Team Management Software Ltd. has developed a program that includes everything from basic soccer exercises, all accompanied by illustrations, to pre-written letters advising parents on expectations - like when to bring snacks.

“Soccer Coach” is the brainchild of Ken Leonard, who said the idea grew out of his experience with the Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association.

The former football and rugby player said he became a coach when he signed up his then five-year-old son to play.

The response: “Your son can play, but the bad news is we need a coach.”

Nine years later, he finally hung up his whistle. Along the way he served on the association’s board, and was responsible for recruiting the coaches needed to keep up with the swelling number of players.

Leonard learned the skills essential for player instruction at various coaching clinics. Organization was something else.

Despite prodigious note-taking, he said, he could not keep track of everyone and everything that occurred at practices and games.

Leonard said he started thinking about a sports-scheduling program. After a casual survey of the market potential he dismissed that idea, but saw an opportunity for a product that would help soccer coaches.

There are an estimated one million coaches in the United States, he said, most of them nurturing players below the age of 12.

Leonard has extensive experience in process control or software management with Kaiser Aluminum, Key Tronic and Group Health Northwest.

For the last year, he has taught systems analysis and design at Eastern Washington University.

He developed “Soccer Coach” with the help of two outside programmers, and incorporated Team Management Software in 1995.

“A lot of these were just spreadsheet ideas,” he said.

Leonard said the need for an upgrade that would expand the program’s capabilities was apparent immediately. Even so, “Soccer Coach” was deemed instructive enough to earn the endorsement of Bobby Howe, the former coaching director of the Washington State Youth Soccer Association.

A second, simplified program called “Soccer Player” has been written for beginning players and their parents. “Soccer Player” concentrates on ball skills and, like “Soccer Coach,” allows the user to print out the illustrations for use on the field.

Leonard said the company is shooting video that will be added to compact-disc versions of both programs. TMS, he noted, is negotiating a potential 20,000 CD deal with a tape producer looking to enter new markets.

Marketing Director E. Suzanne Case said she expects “Soccer Player” to become a retail product, while “Soccer Coach” reaches buyers through soccer associations and publications.

Because the basics of the game don’t change, she said the company can focus on refining its marketing efforts, which have admittedly sputtered.

Leonard said a mailing of 1,000 demonstration programs earlier this year did not bring the expected response.

Case said software-based sports instructional materials are still uncommon, so merchants don’t devote any shelve space to them.

With more offerings, she said, that will change.

Leonard said “Soccer Coach” and “Soccer Player” could be the foundation for a line of programs covering several youth and scholastic sports.

One Oregon high school coach of football - that’s American, not European - finds just the organizational segments of “Soccer Coach” help him manage his team, he said.

Leonard said TMS is rewriting the program for use as an organizer by physical education teachers.

And Vice President Larry Tripp said the programs need not be limited to sports.

A consultant in human resources and safety, he said new versions could be used for supervisor and employee training.

“Every week we get some new insight,” Leonard said. “The hardest thing we have to do is be patient.”

He added that just creating a finished product is a source of pride.

Case said the difficulty launching “Soccer Coach” has been frustrating, but the quality and durability of the program should make it a success in the long run.

“It’s good today. It will be good 10 years from now.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo