Coach Speak: Tim Walters

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In early 2006, I was looking for a second chance at being a student-athlete. Fourteen years later, it's clear I have found a lot more than that in Omaha.

I like to think I have plenty of good recruiting lines – they mostly hit like dad jokes. But my favorite part of the final stretch of recruiting a player is when I get to sit down and tell them what I really love about Omaha. People here care more about your success than they do their own.

Yes, that seems pretty generic, but I have met a lot of people in Omaha the last 14 years, and it holds true. I have played soccer at one university and coached at two. I have somehow worked at five of the local soccer clubs (they change names every couple of weeks it seems). The whole time has been filled with the support of people who want to see me succeed. How amazing is that?

Coach Farrell gets a wry smile on her face about five minutes before we make an offer. She knows what's coming. 

I tell the recruits and their parents about how I came to Omaha 14 years ago and never left. I met my wife near 24th and Cass Street. We have three kids now. Then I throw in the punch line about how the only place I'd rather coach soccer is Hawaii. The parents laugh. I laugh, because it's a joke. 

Omaha is our home, and we're not leaving.

I fit in here now. Watching Coach Warming's team, or DH, or Riv, or Gabby, or Coach Porter or Buttermore work on a gameday is way more stressful than coaching my own game. I want it for them. I want them to win so badly. Their success is everything to me.

Caniglia will open back up for matches. We are training every day. It feels close. We are Mavericks, we are going to come out stronger, and there are going to be a lot of people cheering us on along the way.