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The Mount welcomes young coach to helm soccer program

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They say age is just a number. The Dolphins at the College of Mount Saint Vincent will put that adage to the test.

School athletic director Barima Yeboah named Maxx Wurzburger, 25, the new head men’s soccer coach for the Dolphins.

“I’m not really too shocked,” Wurzburger said. “I know my age is kind of young, but I think I have a lot of great resources from other programs. I’ve met a lot of great people in the college soccer world.”

In fact, Wurzburger said, age doesn’t really have much to do when it comes to coaching not only soccer, but sports in general.

“I think if you have a lot of knowledge of a certain sport, you have great resources, you know the game, you’re an intellectual about it, you work super hard, you recruit, you do other stuff, you run camps and you build a foundation at a program, I think you can do well anywhere,” he said.

Wurzburger comes to The Mount almost fresh out of college. He had an illustrious playing career at Montclair State University in New Jersey between 2011 and 2015, scoring 14 goals, tallying 21 assists and making the NCAA Division III Final Four in 2014. After hanging up his cleats, Wurzburger served as an assistant at his alma mater until last year.

In typical millennial fashion, Wurzburger heard about the opening at The Mount online. In just a single phone interview, Wurzburger impressed Yeboah enough to earn the head coach nod.

In a statement, Yeboah said he was excited to have Wurzburger at the helm.

”I am confident with his coaching and playing experience.,” Yeboah said. “He will have an immediate impact on the young men in our program.”

Wurzburger got his coaching break during his junior year at Montclair State when Assistant Coach Tyler Stakiwicz offered him his own assistant role with the club soccer team. Stakiwicz is responsible for igniting a passion in him for coaching, Wurzburger said. 

In fact, it was Stakiwicz who recruited Wurzburger to Montclair in the first place, promising him he would take care of him not only during his playing career, but also in job searches after college. 

“He taught me a lot of things,” Wurzburger said. “He saw potential in me.”

So far at The Mount, Wurzburger has been rounding out his coaching staff and meeting with players. 

Since the incoming class was recruited by the previous head coach, Wurzburger has been doing his own recruitment. 

When looking for players, Wurzburger is open to different styles, admitting he isn’t looking to bring a certain style of soccer to The Mount. He wants to be flexible and adapt to the opponent.

“I don’t think there’s a certain style in soccer,” Wurzburger said. “I think if you scout a team and they play a certain way, based on the players you have, you adjust and you figure out a style for that game. A lot of coaches, they stick to one style and they love to play that way, and that sometimes can get them in trouble a little bit, in my opinion.”

Wurzburger will use his age to his advantage. He believes it will help in recruiting and marketing the team. After all, age is just a number.

“Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics, he’s young,” Wurzburger said. 

“I know there’s other (young) coaches that have had some success, and I think that’s because we can relate a little bit. We’re the same age and we can relate a little bit, connect with these guys and make relationships. We can show them visually instead of just telling them to do something.”

 

The Dolphins open their 2017 season Sept. 1 when they participate in the Potsdam College Cup tournament against an opponent yet to be determined.

Mount Saint Vincent, soccer, Maxx Wurzburger, Dolphins, sports, Daniel Ynfante

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