BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@
OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA —
WOMEN’S
Mac Matthews was introduced as the head coach of the Southern Union women’s soccer team at Monday’s press conference.
Matthews has been coaching soccer since graduating from Samford University — where he played soccer and volleyball — in 1987. He has coached at the high school, club and college levels and helped build the Auburn High School girls soccer program from 2002 to 2013. Matthews also has experience since 2014 working for ESPN and the SEC Network as a color analyst. The opportunity to build Southern Union’s women’s soccer program from the ground up is an opportunity that Matthews said he doesn’t take for granted.
“We have an opportunity to kick it off, to corner the market, to be a blessing to tons of players who are assuming their soccer time is done after high school,” he said.
The head coach has already signed a number of players to compete for Southern Union this fall. One key thing Matthews said he looks for in his recruits is integrity.
“You get that kind of collective mentality, where it’s about leading sideways, and you’ll ruin some teams you shouldn’t have the right to be on the field with,” he added.
Matthews is new to recruiting but said he is looking forward to the process. Right now, he said his main strategy has been scouring smaller schools for hidden talent.
“It’s a brand new world to me,” Matthews said. “From my end, it’s been connecting with the many contacts I’ve built over many years. All I’ve done thus far is scour our smaller school programs. Everybody has got one player who is just incredibly good, especially if they are a small school. I’ve been in Alabama since 1977 and I didn’t know they existed. Every one of them has got a player who has not gotten any consideration — and they are almost always their team captain. Give me 24 team captains on one team and we will take care of business. So that has been my angle so far. I will continue to adjust and learn.”
The opportunity to help those who may have otherwise gone unnoticed is a big reason why Matthews chose this opportunity, he said.
“Soccer is called ‘the beautiful game’ for a reason, but it’s the opportunity to bless players who might otherwise just disappear off everyone’s radar,” Matthews explained.
Ultimately, Matthews seemed confident in the talent pool surrounding East Alabama, West Georgia and all of the Southeast. Although this fall will inevitably present some challenges, the head coach said he believes in his vision and what the Lady Bisons can do.
“We are playing quality soccer and recruiting quality players,” he said. “We have quality coaches and administration and support; it’s been unbelievable. So, yeah, we will play anybody.”
MEN’S
Taylor Jones is the head coach of the Southern Union men’s soccer team.
Jones spent last season as an assistant at Tennessee Southern and spent 2018 through 2021 as the head coach of the Andrew College men’s soccer program. Jones also brings with him experience coaching at the club and high school levels (Auburn and Smiths Station). Jones said he has seen the sport of soccer grow firsthand and is eager to continue that at Southern Union.
“The sport has really grown in the last 10 years especially,” he said. “I think the addition of these programs is an obvious sign. Hopefully us starting a program inspires other junior colleges in the state to follow suit.”
Jones said he hopes other schools will follow in Southern Union’s footsteps because as of now, there are no other men’s soccer programs in the Alabama Community College Conference. Jones said he plans for the Bisons to play several teams from Mississippi this fall.
“This first season is definitely going to be heavy on the away games,” he said. “The one perk of that is … region champs first year!”
The fact that Southern Union is located just one city away from Auburn University is another big pull for student-athletes to come play for the Bisons, Jones said.
“Being able to sell the city and the college experience of a big SEC school definitely helps with the recruiting process,” he added.
And the men’s team head coach said he agrees with Matthews that there is ample overlooked talent in the region and across the state from which Southern Union can mutually benefit.
“One of the big priorities for me is exposing the talent here in the state and in the Southeast,” Jones said. “We have a deep pool of players and talent to pull from in the state. A lot of guys get looked over here. When coaches think of Alabama, soccer is not exactly the first thing they think of. At Smiths Station, we had several guys who were division one talent that never played anywhere. Why? Because nobody is looking at small places like that. It’s all about getting eyes on kids and relationships.”
Jones said the main character traits he looks for in his players are passion and accountability.
The human aspect of the game is crucial for both players and coaches. Ultimately, Jones said he wants to develop his student-athletes to be not just great players, but great people, too.
“I think it’s the ultimate team game,” Jones said of soccer. “For us to be successful, we all have to be on the same page. We are a bridge to the next level. Finding the kids who don’t have the opportunity — that’s what we are here for. Knowing that I have, in my opinion, the ability to help them get [to the next level] and positively impact their life forever, and be a part of their life forever, that’s big for me. That’s the biggest part of recruiting. I preach I am here to make your son a better player, obviously, but a better student and better man.”