John Boccacino
CHURCHVILLE — Chances are good that, on any given week night, Bill Bennett can be found on the soccer pitch. Soccer has become akin to a second full-time occupation for the Spencerport resident.
Only this gig involves Bennett's children, and instead of money, Bennett is satisfied to receive smiles and hugs as compensation for his coaching efforts. With all three of his daughters — Caroline, 12; Emma, 9; and Isabelle, 5 — heavily involved in soccer, Bennett decided to don the coach's hat and became the head coach of both the Churchville Soccer Club's U10 house and U12 travel squad.
Starting on Monday, Bennett leads Caroline's team in a Rochester District Youth Soccer League U12 game, with additional contests/practices occurring on Wednesdays and the occasional Friday night.
Tuesdays and Thursdays belong to Emma's U10 house team, with Bennett and co-coach Sue Cosgrove running the 75-minute practices at Cottonwood Park.
"Yeah, it's insane doing all this coaching," said Bennett, 44, who also assists Isabelle's Tiny Tots (ages 4-6) team. "I have everything I can do to get home from work, change clothes, and then get out to the fields. It's a crazy life, very demanding being a multiple-coach ... but I love being here and doing this." And to think, Bennett might never have gotten into coaching if it weren't for Caroline's persistence. Back when she was playing on a U8 house team with all her friends, Caroline chose to focus on soccer instead of T-ball. After dropping her off at practice, Bennett found himself sticking around for most of the team's practices and games.
So when a call went out before the next season for coaching volunteers, Bennett didn't hesitate to sign up. An avid soccer player growing up, Bennett admits he never imagined coaching, but now that he does, it's a perfect fit. "Caroline really inspired me to coach, but I signed up not knowing what would happen," Bennett said. "I thought I would maybe start out as an assistant coach and work my way up, but there I was as a head coach. I can't stand being on the sidelines and doing nothing, so I wanted to be out there and involved, and it's worked out great."
During a recent Thursday practice with the U10 team, Bennett leads the girls in dribbling and shooting drills while wearing his customary garb: an orange Churchville Soccer Club T-shirt, black baseball cap (the program's official colors) and, of course, his trusty orange whistle.
Caroline and her father agree on most things soccer-oriented, but on one important issue they don't see eye-to-eye: How dad treats Caroline on the field. Bennett feels he's always yelling and screaming at his daughters during games because "he expects a lot more from them," and hopes "they understand where I'm coming from, because I think the world of them," while Caroline doesn't notice any discrepancy.
"Sure, he might say he's hard on his kids, but really, he's not," said Caroline, a sixth-grader at Churchville-Chili Intermediate School.
"My team is in awe over how some coaches get so frustrated and angry at their kids, even when we think they're doing a good job. ... It's really an honor to have my dad be my coach; he's always willing to help."
Before her dad started coaching her, Emma was having some difficulty accurately shooting the ball on net. After a few pointers from dad, most notably striking the ball with the top of her shoe and her laces, Emma has noticed a dramatic improvement.
"He's taught me all the moves I know," said Emma, a third-grader at Churchville-Chili Elementary School. "My dad's great; I was actually really excited when he decided to coach me. He'd worked with Caroline for a couple of years, and I really liked the way he coached that team, so I wanted him to become my coach, too." For as long as Sara Bellanca has played softball, her father Carl has been her coach. Growing up as a baseball player, Bellanca always thought he'd end up coaching his children's sports teams: But he never envisioned coaching a daughter, much less three, in their softball pursuits.
"Let's face it, every guy is hoping they have a son and, especially if they're athletic and willing, will play sports for their father," said Bellanca, a Webster resident and head coach of Sara's 16U travel team and Ally's Minors team and an assistant on Marisa's 12U team.
"But there are just as many, if not more, opportunities with female athletes. Softball's just as challenging and just as competitive. ... The most rewarding part has been watching them be successful and having fun. Spending time with them on the diamond really forces you to be a family." While most of Bellanca's youth sports coaches were forceful and used fear to motivate the team, Bellanca has employed a gentler approach when working with the girls.
"Someone once told me boys play for emotion, and girls play with emotion, and it's so true," Bellanca said. "You have to be firm but sensitive at the same time, and you really have to be cognizant of their emotions. You can't motivate the girls with fear."
Of all the positives Sara's father has instilled in her, the biggest is keeping her composure during a bad outing. In the past, when a team used to hit her fairly hard, Sara said usually the wheels would come off.
"We're both very competitive people, and he used to tell me during my rough games to keep my composure and focus and not get rattled," said Sara, 15, a Webster Thomas ninth-grader and member of the Webster Xtreme 16U travel team. "Before, I wouldn't be able to bounce back, but now it doesn't rattle me. I've matured a lot as a pitcher because of my dad. He's an awesome coach and all the girls adore him."