As a college coach, Dan Donigan watched thousands of players, in countless games.
Nearly a decade after leaving Rutgers University, he sees more players and matches than ever.
In fact, it’s his full-time job.
As U.S. Soccer’s talent identification manager for 11 states, he leads a staff tasked with finding the nation’s top players, then stocking the pool for national teams from U-13 all the way to U-23.
There are differences between then and now. While assistant coaching at his alma mater, the University of Connecticut, then as head coach at St. Louis University and Rutgers, Donigan was a “recruiter.” His goal, he says, was to find the most talented athletes, then convince them to come to his school for (hopefully) four years.
With U.S. Soccer, his time frame is longer. He looks at potential, as well as current skills. He assesses intangibles like relentlessness and “growth mindset,” trying to determine who has the mental and emotional strength — as well as the technical skill and tactical understanding — to withstand the rigors and challenges of national team service.
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