MSU announced its fifth head soccer coach in program history on Wednesday.
Tom Anagnost Introduced As MSU Head Soccer Coach
December 14, 2016 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Tom Anagnost was officially introduced as Mississippi State's new head soccer coach during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Anagnost (uh-Nag-Nist) comes to MSU from North Carolina State, where he spent the past season as an assistant coach, aiding the Wolfpack to a NCAA Sweet 16 berth.
The Saginaw, Mi., native was announced as MSU's fifth head soccer coach in program history on Dec. 8, 2016.
Below are quotes from Anagnost's press conference:
Head Coach Tom Anagnost
Opening statement…
"I am extremely elated and thankful to be here. I feel really blessed. I want to thank John Cohen. I believe in his leadership as a coach. (I want to thank) Scott Wetherbee for all of the connecting on campus and giving me the ins and outs of the institution. Mike Nemeth and Jared Benko have also been crucial to this process as well and have been very welcoming here. Everybody that I met on the first day here, I was all-in. Every single person I met made me feel extremely comfortable. You read about recruits going to schools and why they chose their respective institutions and a lot of them say 'It felt like home.' The warm comfort I felt from every individual I met made me want to be here. For me, the people here are special. That is why this is an extremely special place."
On his plans for the soccer program…
"I am a process-oriented coach and a day-to-day person. I am real big into winning the day. Our motto is 'Commitment to get better every day.' It is my job to teach our players to have a deep understanding of what that means. We measure things every single day. We rank the commitment level, competitive level and character traits of our players every single day in what we do. All of the things we measure are controllable and trainable. It is my belief that when you have the most committed, persistent, persevering people on a team, that is going to win games. So far, that has been the case. For me, it is a process every day and trying to prepare them they are finished with school. Not all of these kids are going to be professional soccer players. Very few will be. If I can teach them character traits they will take with them for the rest of their lives, I will have done my job. That is the process I have. The very first thing that I have already done and will continue to do every day that I am here is build relationships with these players and the recruits, who I have spoken with and those conversations have been great."
On his knowledge of soccer in the Southeastern Conference and recruiting…
"The network of people that my staff have is vast. I am familiar with the SEC from competing against multiple teams preceding this opportunity. Watching the conference and watching the teams, I am familiar with the coaches and have a giant amount of respect for each and every one of them and their programs. They are all excellent teams, all of which could be NCAA Tournament teams and elite ones in the country. As far as recruiting goes, it is a process of building relationships and connecting and finding the best people to match the profile of what we are looking for at this institution and in our program. I feel really good about recruiting in this area and outwards because I feel like we have a great thing to sell here. The conference is a wonderful sports conference and I think the sky is the limit for MSU women's soccer."
On his approach as a coach and the style of play he wants on the field…
"What I like to do in this measuring and recording process is a way for these kids to see progress every day. What has happened with a lot of student-athletes I have had is that when they are able to see progress, it is a motivator. The goal is for them to constantly want to ascend and beat whatever they have done before. You get ultra-competitive kids that are not just trying to beat their own score but beat each other's scores. This constant ascension, as I have learned, has been the crux of my programs and have helped these student-athletes. The teams become successful but also them as people. The style of play is going to be different for different games. As a coach, you try to see how you can beat the other team. Some games you don't play the same way because (opponents) won't play the same way. Each game will be approached differently in the fact that we may not play the exact same players in the exact same spots. We are going to expect each of our student-athletes to be fit, comfortable with the ball and to have a more urgent and aggressive type of play. A lot of the coaches that know me or know my teams would say that the kids would be playing harder. With those things intact, we could have success here."
On the challenges of changing the program…
"We want the kids that want to be here and want to embrace the challenge of making this thing something special. Those are the types of rare student-athletes that we are going to look for. Every class, we will not bring in dozens and dozens of kids. We are going to be thorough in who we bring in. We are going to have special human beings and special athletes that are going to be able to bring this program to where it should be. We are not at the top, but I want those who want to bring it to the top. I think my last experience at North Carolina State shows a module of what (N.C. State head coach) Tim (Santoro) did—bringing in a special groups of kids together for a little bit of longevity in the recruiting process. They made it into something remarkable. That is what I have every intention of trying to do every day."
On the importance of academics…
"I went to a really good academic school. That has always been ingrained in me. After I graduated and did my soccer stints and my coaching, I became a teacher. For me, the education part is paramount. We are going to recruit student-athletes. We are going to be trying to prepare them for after school is finished. How well they do and their commitment level to academics is going to give them a certain range of opportunities after school. I will be able to help them put more time in and use their time efficiently, working with our academic staff, to increase the standard in the academic arena. My track record shows that there is a deep commitment to being a successful student-athlete. Here, they have every resource available to ensure that they are successful."
On meeting with players…
"I have spoken to every current domestic player on our team. There are three international players. I am going to speak with one of them today. The other two, I am just trying to find the best mode of communication with them. All of those conversations have been awesome. I have been overjoyed talking to them and getting to know them. That process will continue. I am looking forward to meeting them face-to-face. The conversations with recruits have been good, too. I have two assistant coaches in mind and hope that decision will be made in the next handful of days. I am excited about what they offer. They are both special and will help our student-athletes in every single way in the best way possible."
On where his coaching philosophy came from…
"Most coaches steal stuff from other coaches and morph it into their own. Arguably the greatest women's soccer coach of all time is (current North Carolina head coach) Anson Dorrance. I have an enormous amount of respect for him. When I was younger, I read his books and they changed me—not just as a coach but as a person. That is where I adopted that type of coaching philosophy. It is different, but I made it my own."
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at "HailStateSOC."
The Saginaw, Mi., native was announced as MSU's fifth head soccer coach in program history on Dec. 8, 2016.
Below are quotes from Anagnost's press conference:
Head Coach Tom Anagnost
Opening statement…
"I am extremely elated and thankful to be here. I feel really blessed. I want to thank John Cohen. I believe in his leadership as a coach. (I want to thank) Scott Wetherbee for all of the connecting on campus and giving me the ins and outs of the institution. Mike Nemeth and Jared Benko have also been crucial to this process as well and have been very welcoming here. Everybody that I met on the first day here, I was all-in. Every single person I met made me feel extremely comfortable. You read about recruits going to schools and why they chose their respective institutions and a lot of them say 'It felt like home.' The warm comfort I felt from every individual I met made me want to be here. For me, the people here are special. That is why this is an extremely special place."
On his plans for the soccer program…
"I am a process-oriented coach and a day-to-day person. I am real big into winning the day. Our motto is 'Commitment to get better every day.' It is my job to teach our players to have a deep understanding of what that means. We measure things every single day. We rank the commitment level, competitive level and character traits of our players every single day in what we do. All of the things we measure are controllable and trainable. It is my belief that when you have the most committed, persistent, persevering people on a team, that is going to win games. So far, that has been the case. For me, it is a process every day and trying to prepare them they are finished with school. Not all of these kids are going to be professional soccer players. Very few will be. If I can teach them character traits they will take with them for the rest of their lives, I will have done my job. That is the process I have. The very first thing that I have already done and will continue to do every day that I am here is build relationships with these players and the recruits, who I have spoken with and those conversations have been great."
On his knowledge of soccer in the Southeastern Conference and recruiting…
"The network of people that my staff have is vast. I am familiar with the SEC from competing against multiple teams preceding this opportunity. Watching the conference and watching the teams, I am familiar with the coaches and have a giant amount of respect for each and every one of them and their programs. They are all excellent teams, all of which could be NCAA Tournament teams and elite ones in the country. As far as recruiting goes, it is a process of building relationships and connecting and finding the best people to match the profile of what we are looking for at this institution and in our program. I feel really good about recruiting in this area and outwards because I feel like we have a great thing to sell here. The conference is a wonderful sports conference and I think the sky is the limit for MSU women's soccer."
On his approach as a coach and the style of play he wants on the field…
"What I like to do in this measuring and recording process is a way for these kids to see progress every day. What has happened with a lot of student-athletes I have had is that when they are able to see progress, it is a motivator. The goal is for them to constantly want to ascend and beat whatever they have done before. You get ultra-competitive kids that are not just trying to beat their own score but beat each other's scores. This constant ascension, as I have learned, has been the crux of my programs and have helped these student-athletes. The teams become successful but also them as people. The style of play is going to be different for different games. As a coach, you try to see how you can beat the other team. Some games you don't play the same way because (opponents) won't play the same way. Each game will be approached differently in the fact that we may not play the exact same players in the exact same spots. We are going to expect each of our student-athletes to be fit, comfortable with the ball and to have a more urgent and aggressive type of play. A lot of the coaches that know me or know my teams would say that the kids would be playing harder. With those things intact, we could have success here."
On the challenges of changing the program…
"We want the kids that want to be here and want to embrace the challenge of making this thing something special. Those are the types of rare student-athletes that we are going to look for. Every class, we will not bring in dozens and dozens of kids. We are going to be thorough in who we bring in. We are going to have special human beings and special athletes that are going to be able to bring this program to where it should be. We are not at the top, but I want those who want to bring it to the top. I think my last experience at North Carolina State shows a module of what (N.C. State head coach) Tim (Santoro) did—bringing in a special groups of kids together for a little bit of longevity in the recruiting process. They made it into something remarkable. That is what I have every intention of trying to do every day."
On the importance of academics…
"I went to a really good academic school. That has always been ingrained in me. After I graduated and did my soccer stints and my coaching, I became a teacher. For me, the education part is paramount. We are going to recruit student-athletes. We are going to be trying to prepare them for after school is finished. How well they do and their commitment level to academics is going to give them a certain range of opportunities after school. I will be able to help them put more time in and use their time efficiently, working with our academic staff, to increase the standard in the academic arena. My track record shows that there is a deep commitment to being a successful student-athlete. Here, they have every resource available to ensure that they are successful."
On meeting with players…
"I have spoken to every current domestic player on our team. There are three international players. I am going to speak with one of them today. The other two, I am just trying to find the best mode of communication with them. All of those conversations have been awesome. I have been overjoyed talking to them and getting to know them. That process will continue. I am looking forward to meeting them face-to-face. The conversations with recruits have been good, too. I have two assistant coaches in mind and hope that decision will be made in the next handful of days. I am excited about what they offer. They are both special and will help our student-athletes in every single way in the best way possible."
On where his coaching philosophy came from…
"Most coaches steal stuff from other coaches and morph it into their own. Arguably the greatest women's soccer coach of all time is (current North Carolina head coach) Anson Dorrance. I have an enormous amount of respect for him. When I was younger, I read his books and they changed me—not just as a coach but as a person. That is where I adopted that type of coaching philosophy. It is different, but I made it my own."
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at "HailStateSOC."
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