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Matt Spear - Put 'mental fitness' first to foil burnout
College-coach-turned-wellbeing-expert MATT SPEAR tells STEPH FAIRBAIRN how leaders in soccer can spot warning signs and improve their mental health
Matt Spear has had numerous different lives in soccer – as a player at NCAA Division I program Davidson College, a sports marketer, returning to his alma mater as a full-time coach for 18 years, and president and general manager for the third-tier US pro side Richmond Kickers.
During his time at the Kickers, a number of things collided, resulting in Matt experiencing what he calls a "dark depression" as the result of burnout.
It is what led him to his current role – a life coach and wellbeing advisor. He works with a number of clients, including the United Soccer Coaches’ national office staff and various athletes and coaches.
SCW caught up with Matt at the United Soccer Coaches convention to chat about why coaches are so susceptible to burnout, what some of the signs might be, and how open coaches should be about their mental health in front of their players…
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