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Women's Soccer Mike Still, Bison Sports

'It's about the relationship you have with the individual'

Through a variety of coaching experiences, new Bisons womens' soccer head coach Mark Colvin has been steadfast in developing connections with his players. Learn more below.

The Bisons women's soccer team will have a new head coach on the sidelines this year, in Mark Colvin. With over ten years of experience in elite female soccer, including at the senior professional level, Colvin is equipped with a wealth of knowledge, energized with the opportunity ahead.

"I'm incredibly excited. I think it's an awesome platform. Our women's soccer program is the highest level of women's soccer in the province. It's an incredible opportunity and something I'm very excited to be a part of, and very much committed to," the Toronto native said.
 
"Over the last number of weeks, I've gotten to really know the players. I have a really good understanding of the qualities that they have and the energy that they're bringing this year. That's really what my impression is. The players have so much energy and passion that they're looking to bring into the season."
 
Colvin's coaching experience includes eight years with North York Cosmos SC and Toronto High Park FC, as well three with Lakehead University Orillia, where he was the head coach of the men's team that competed in the OCAA.
 
He returns to Canada after three years coaching abroad in Sweden, working with IF Brommapojkarna's renowned academy, developing some of the top players in the country, while competing against Europe's biggest clubs such as AS Roma, FC Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid.
 
He most recently served as head coach and academy director for Eskilstuna United in Sweden's Elittetan professional league.
 
Through all of his experiences, Colvin has been steadfast in developing connections with his players.
 
"It's about the relationship that you have with the individual and how they make you feel. For me, that's very clearly the most impactful part of the job, how you connect and communicate with others," he noted.
 
"It's about putting the person before the player. Treating everyone fairly and with respect, and taking the time to get to know everyone. The way that one person wants to be communicated with and challenged and pushed, is different than someone else."
 
With a foundation of clear communication and respect, Colvin-coached teams consistently performed well, on and off the pitch.
 
When he arrived at Lakehead University Orillia for example, there were concerns around academic performance and eligibility. In his first year, every player on the team was eligible to compete and play.
 
"A big part of that was setting the tone on expectations for the group, and also being there to support them," added Colvin. "We used the fun, and interest in being a part of soccer, to drive commitment in the classroom."
 
With North York and Toronto High Park, members of each roster went on to compete at the collegiate level in USPORTS, NCAA (D1, D2 & D3), and CCAA, and with Eskilstuna United, Colvin worked with players who were consistently represented on district and national team programs. 
 
"What I learned over the years was clear communication. You don't have to speak the same language to work together," he said.
 
"No matter the environment that you're in, the way that you communicate with everyone, the trust that you're looking to build remains the same. The same things remain true. It's the same building blocks."

Mark Colvin
 
'You have to make sure that you're clear'
In Sweden, Colvin – who completed his graduate studies in sports psychology at Staffordshire University and holds a UEFA A license from the Scottish FA – was pushed out of his comfort zone. The experience he gained in a new country helped him grow as a coach.
 
Within 24 hours of being in Sweden, he was coaching a training session, learning yet again, the value of effective communication.
 
"I had a piece of paper that I had wrote out, in the Swedish words, what was left, right, pass, receive and shoot. I listed five or six key words in Swedish translation, and then I walked out on the field with younger players," he recalled.
 
"You have to make sure that you're clear. It's just about using simple terminology, using the same words within a team. You have to be very specific on the words you use. It becomes a symbol to mean something, no matter what language you speak."
 
Colvin worked with youth and senior players during his time in Sweden, witnessing yet again, that "culture affects sports so much." For the youth, being around professionals they aspired to be like, was impactful, and a reminder of what is possible if you worked hard. That same dream is now possible in Canada.
 
"The biggest difference, is the club level in Sweden, young players every week are able to come see the professionals for their club play, and they see the pathway to being a professional," he said.
 
"Literally every single weekend the academy players could come in for free and watch a professional soccer game. There's players wearing the same jersey as them, players that they've interacted with. In Canada just this year, there's a professional league, and so the professionalization of women's soccer in Canada is just starting. I think that's such a big step for the growth in Canada, seeing women make a career out of soccer and to inspire the next generation."
 
The Bisons begin training camp this weekend, kicking off regular season play on the road on August 29 against MacEwan. Colvin's goals for the Herd are to play with a "proactive mindset, full of energy while being aggressive."
 
"No matter if we have the ball or we don't have the ball, we can take control and be proactive all of the time. All of the fans coming to watch us, should expect a team that's going to be extremely aggressive, extremely proactive, and at all moments of the game are looking to control and dominate," he added.
 
"When I say that, it means that without the ball, we want to press. We want to put our opponents under a lot of pressure, limit time and space and force errors. On the attacking side, we want to be extremely great on the ball. We want to be a possession-based team, but our priority is to always go forward. We want to be extremely aggressive and extremely dangerous when we have the ball."
 
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