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Tracy Hamm has been on the pitch coaching soccer for about 20 years. Currently, she is the head coach at UC Davis, where she has coached for the past four years. Before coaching at the D1 level, she was the head coach at San Francisco State University from 2015 to 2019, where she continuously brought home victories. Additionally, she is the only woman from America who earned the most prestigious coaching license, UEFA “A,” which according to UEFA, gives coaches the “understanding of player and team development at the top amateur level.” We sat down and took a look into the world of Tracy Hamm and got to know what the switch from coaching D2 to D1 was like. 

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Start of the Season 

At the beginning of each season, Tracy thinks about a couple of things to prepare for the weeks ahead. She says she starts by looking at the talent and the depth that she has on the team to figure out the different kinds of relationships that players have. She looks at who is going to help each other be successful and highlights those key strengths. Since every year there is a new team, at the start of the season she takes a step back to look at the roster and see how the formation will look. Her goal each season is to get everyone on the same page as quickly as possible. Tracy wants a team of players who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves and improve the program.

Everyone's path is different, so do not compare yourself to others.

-Tracy Hamm

The Big Switch 

When Tracy originally moved from a DII to a DI program, her coaching methods didn't change. From the beginning, Tracy has always trained her players as if they were Division I athletes. At San Francisco State University, she treated her athletes the same and had similar expectations and demands. The one tangible difference between the two programs, she said, was the higher level of resources, funding, and facilities provided by UC Davis. 

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Tracy noticed a shift when it came to the players. Some athletes who joined the team at UC Davis had plans to develop into professional players or choose the school because they wanted to challenge themselves more academically. Tracy has had to learn to be more mindful of their academics and the different classes offered. She believes that the priorities of each player are different compared to the DII level. This isn't to say that one is better than the other–just be sure to consider your goals both athletically and academically in the recruiting process.  

Going Up From Here 

Like any good coach, Tracy has goals. She plans to bring in the right talented players that will add to the great team culture they have created. She also wants players who have the acceptance and openness that the team provides while putting in the work and competing. Her constant goal is to find the right players that can help build the team up every season. 

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Recruiting Methods

The first thing Tracy does when going into recruiting is looking at the positional needs that are crucial to the team at the time, and that can be a challenge–when playing at a higher level, there is also a much higher demand for athletic players. Generally, Coach Hamm wants someone fast, exceptional with their feet, has endurance, is strong, and good in the air. The coaches at UC Davis want an all-around coachable and competitive athlete willing to grow as a person and player. 

Advice From the Wise 

Tracy believes one of the most vital aspects needed at the collegiate level is passion. “If you do not love soccer, it is going to feel very daunting going to practice every day and missing out on the college scene,” she said, adding “You have to look at your life and think, ‘I have the luxury of playing soccer.'” Ultimately to play at the next level and survive it, you have to love it and be willing to make sacrifices because you want to do it and not because you have to. 

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The second piece of advice Tracy offered is to be patient because not everyone's recruiting journey is the same. Do not pick a school for the coach or the money–pick a school you genuinely love and appreciate even if you have to wait a bit. Also consider that  your coach might move, or you could get injured and will be unable to play. Regardless of what happens to you athletically, you should find the school that is best for you and consider if you like the campus, location, and academics, as well as the athletics. Tracy wisely adds that “Everyone's path is different, so do not compare yourself to others.” 

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Image Credit: Davis Enterprise

* Originally published on January 9, 2023, by Daesha Harper