09/14/2022
After a decade as the Regional Director of the Milwaukee Kickers East Region, Jock Mutschler has decided the time is right to step down from his leadership role, having built a strong soccer community on the East Side and served thousands of local children during his tenure. Jock will continue serving on the Kickers Board of Directors and as head coach of the University School men’s soccer team.
Many people who have worked with Jock for more than a decade are not aware of his soccer pedigree. Jock played for Notre Dame and served as captain his senior year, attained his USSF B National Coaching License, was awarded coach of the year in 2011, earned a master’s degree in coaching, and lead teams to numerous conference, regional, and state championships. A lifelong student of the game, Jock is also humble and reserved about his many accomplishments. His love for the art of coaching will be one of his legacy contributions to the region and to Kickers.
Jock has given many thousands of hours to the Milwaukee East Region over the last decade, managing multiple duties so parent coaches could focus on their players’ development. He has always done so with a quiet, patient, problem solving approach. He managed all communications for the entire region, maintained and lined the region’s six soccer fields himself, procured and distributed gear for more than a dozen teams each season, and hosted regional meetings regularly at his home. His successors report that they cannot understand how a single person could manage so much and do it so well.
One of Jock’s most significant contributions has been recruiting and developing the region’s volunteer coaches. His effort to codify strong coaching practices has culminated in a detailed coaching handbook in which Jock promotes the Kicker’s mission and its player-focused soccer development philosophy and combines it with practical pointers for both new and experienced coaches. In keeping with the player-focused approach, Jock created and launched the “silent soccer weekend,” during which all adults refrain from any shouting or sideline coaching for the duration of their kids’ games. Silent Soccer is an opportunity to let the children play the game their way and solve problems on their own. As one measure of his commitment and creativity, Jock bought bags of lollipops and individually wrapped pieces of chewing gum for every team in the Milwaukee East region, to be distributed to all parents for silent soccer weekend. Those who struggle to hold back comments could remind themselves of their goal by sucking on candy instead.
Jock began his involvement with Kickers East as a parent coach of the “Blue Whales” from U8 to U11. In 2018 while coaching the University School men’s team in a game against Rufus King High School, Jock watched seven of his former players from the Blue Whales compete in a varsity match. After the game, Blue Whales alumni from both teams posed with Jock for a reunion photo. Later, Jock shared his impressions of the moving event with all East region coaches. He wrote, “The friendships and associations that you as coaches forge and stimulate are strong and pervasive and meaningful.”
As the East region moves into its next era, it will take an entire team of volunteers to assume the work that Jock shouldered alone. Thanks to Jock’s tireless efforts and inspiring leadership, the region is well poised for continued growth.
We are proud to share that Pete Coffaro will be taking over as MK East's new Regional Director. If you have any questions you can contact Pete at [email protected].
