Anson dorrance biography for kids

If the mark of a good biography is something that makes you think about several aspects of life, then The Man Watching is a very good biography.

The subject, North Carolina and former U.S. women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance, is described as someone you either love or hate. Surely a third camp exists — one that finds Dorrance’s contradictions and complexities fascinating. (If you need personal disclaimers here: I’ve interacted with him once, 21 years ago, and I found him to be a gracious winner.)

Dorrance is a military son who wanted to be a soldier. Today, he’s a women’s soccer coach who corresponds with his players with often-emotional letters, and his daily schedule and desk have no sense of military order whatsover.

Everyone wants to mimic his success, and yet the coaching style that carried him through much of his career is out of vogue now, both in terms of soccer tactics and player management.

He’s a book-devouring intellectual

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135-POUND COACH `WORTH THE RISK'

Anson Dorrance's life was never the same after 1976.

First, the lag profession lost a potential lawyer and, second, the Church gained a ung man headed for the top of his profession.The changes began when Dorrance,a recently graduated star soccer player, walked into the spacious athletic director's office at the University of North Carolina, expecting to be asked for his opinion on who the school should hire as the new soccer coach.

The old mentor, Marvin Allen, was retiring and had recommended to then-athletic director Bill Cobey that Dorrance take his place. Dorrance had coached ungdom soccer teams and directed a successful summer league program, but the 24-year-old law lärjunge had little college coaching experience.

But that didn't stop Cobey.

"Anson, how do you like the idea of taking the job here?" Cobey asked.

"I almost died on the spot," Dorrance remembered. "North Carolina is a big-time athleti

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Serendipity has marked Anson Dorrance’s illustrious career

Nothing in life is preordained. That something is fated to be simply is not the case in most instances. For the Carolina Women’s Soccer program, there has, over time, been a series of right place, right time events – and people — that landed the program where it is in 2021 as one of the most prodigious dynasties in the history of college athletics as we celebrate 50 years of women’s sports at Carolina.

Since women’s soccer became the 13th sport added to the Athletics program in 1979-80, its history is filled with first names that don’t need last names as identifiers.

There’s Janet, April, Shannon, Kristine, Mia, Tisha, Cindy, Lorrie, Cat, Heather, Yael, Casey, Tobin, Crystal, Kealia, Brianna.

But before any of those, there was Albert. Or as he is better known: Anson. Anson Dorrance. The leader and legend who has led Carolina to 21 NCAA titles and one AIAW championship, 24 regular seaso