Ep.12 LAFC 2 Assistant Coach, Stephen Campos | Life through Sport Show
Our guest for today is LAFC 2 Assistant Coach, Stephen Campos.
As you heard in the intro, Stephen is someone that was aware of the realities that came with working for an MLS club like LAFC… A reality where, his role within the club would be a desirable one for any ex player. Now, instead of adhering to this narrative and accepting his fate … he decided to do what he’s always done; put his head down, go to work, and find a way to become an asset. There’s no better example of that than his start with the Las Vegas Lights organization. Turning a marketing and partnerships role, where he captured video for the team, into a video analyst position, where he would impress and later become an assistant coach on the staff.
Stephens journey is full of stories like these… where he plants’ seeds, goes to work, and ends up getting a ten-fold return on his investment. His story is an inspiring one for young coaches struggling to find their footing in the coaching world. There’s so many gems in this one and I’m excited for you to hear it! Once again, you’re listening to the Life through Sport podcast, my name is Omar Zeenni, enjoy the show.
Timeline
0:00 Intro
:40 Stephens upbringing
1:30 Did your identity as a player transition into coaching?
2:30 Have your emotions ever gotten the best of you?
4:20 Process of getting into coaching
5:10 “I started in performance before coaching”
- “The insecurity of not playing professionally”
- “Be of use”
6:55 “I work so that I prove to myself that I’m good enough”
7:20 “Don’t ever be in a situation where you can’t even contribute a little bit to a conversation”
8:05 How has your voice changed as a coach?
8:50 “If I believe in what I’m saying then, I feel comfortable in any conversation”
- “Failing forward” - OZ
10:15 “I started at Monster Energy” Stephen
12:20 Chicago NAIA School – 1st Coaching Job
- Was it what you expected?
12:50 “I was able to observe how other coaches operated”
- good OZ and SC soundbites
14:40 Knowing when to coach vs observe
- "Do I want to react to my emotion right now or..."
15:25 “Giving the players the responsibility to make their own decisions”
15:40 What was your role in at the NAIA School?
16:20 Advice for young coaches? - Balancing the ego and being humble
17:00 “Absorb Absorb Absorb – it’s so much more than just tactics”
17:35 “Don’t judge yourself off wins and losses – more-so on how you’re impacting the group”
18:00 “Be a sponge”
- Arvin story on how Chris managed him
20:04 “As the GK coach, you can easily mail it in” — OZ
20:35 Planted a seed with a big ROI
- “Addressing player 20-24 because they’re apart of the group”
21:50 2018 – Start at Las Vegas Lights ––
- Started in marketing & partnerships and became the video guy
25:10 “Being afforded the opportunity to make mistakes as a volunteer”
25:40 “As a player they called me lazy – as a coach they believed I had so much potential” (good soundbite)
26:17 What insecurities held you back?
27:00 “I wish I would have asked more questions” good soundbite
28:06 “Ask tons of questions when you’re in a role that isn’t expecting much of you”
28:50 Hiatus from Pro Coaching – “the coaching staff I worked with was fired”
30:50 Early Assistant Coach responsibilities - Under Frank Yallop
31:15 Being the Head Coach between Wynalda and Yallop (during covid)
32:30 “Tommy Olsen backed me in front of the whole team”
32:56 What did those 3 weeks of being the HC do for you?
34:30 “I like to refer back to those hard / ‘landmark’ moments to say that I can get through this”
34:50 “There’s always a solution; find it” – Learning from Steve Cherundolo
36:05 Transition from LV Lights to LAFC
37:00 dealing with Imposter Syndrome (intro soundbite)
39:25 “not playing professionally is always in the back of my mind”
41:05 How has Steve Cherundolo impacted Omar and Stephen?
46:25 Working with Enrique Duran
49:00 Any qualms about leaving performance to be a full time coach? (Leaving my comfort zone)
50:45 “I understood that I was a supplemental piece to the staff”
52:00 How do you define your role as an assistant coach? (Soundbite)
53:05 Any moments that stood out from your development as a coach?
54:00 What advice would you give to your current self that would help you create the life you want in 10 years?