Fred Frimpong
Soccer Coach · Player and Human Developer · Newsletter Author
About Me
A little bit about the person who sends you a newsletter every Monday morning:
I was born in Ghana, where football/soccer is everything. My family migrated to the United States when I was five years old, but the love for the game came with us. My dad made sure of that. He found me a team to begin playing with almost immediately. He was always my biggest supporter growing up, while also holding me to the highest standards. He was never the type to let me make excuses about the way I played. Not because he was hard on me — but because he believed in honesty. He wanted me to be accountable to myself, and he held himself to the same standard. That's probably where it all started for me. Oh — and he's also left footed. Just like me. Coincidence? I don't think so. I have a lot of memories tied to this game and to him. But my favorite might be the time we were down in Kansas City for a 3v3 tournament. Someone launched a ball way over the goal and my dad — being the guy he is — tried his best to stop it from going too far. He backed up, and backed up, and backed up... straight into the pond behind the field. Fell right in. The whole place clapped for him when he got up. That kind of passion for the game? Can’t teach it, but you can only hope to inspire it!
That foundation carried me further than I could have imagined growing up. I went on to play Division One soccer at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Drake University. In the summers I competed with the Des Moines Menace in USL League Two — one step below professional soccer in the United States pyramid. I just love this game and I want to be the best at whatever I do. That's just how I'm wired. If I start something, I want it to be great. Soccer was no different. But as much as the playing shaped me, the coaches shaped me more. Some of them were exactly what a young player needs — people who believed in me, pushed me, and made me better. Others taught me a different kind of lesson. They showed me exactly what I never wanted to bring into my own coaching. Both kinds left a mark. I knew pretty early that my path in this game was going to lead to coaching. It became real my senior year of high school when my club coach asked me and a few teammates to help work with the younger kids at the club. I'll never forget watching those players grow week by week. And I'll never forget feeling my own passion pour right out of me and into them. That was the moment. From then on my goal has always been the same — make every kid I coach love this game more than I do. I know that's probably impossible. But that's the bar I set for myself. I still play and love this game everyday, but, like I said, now I’m just focused on making others love it more!
I demand a lot. Every player I work with knows that. High standards, hard conversations, getting pushed out of their comfort zone on a regular basis. That's non negotiable. But they also know that every bit of it comes from a genuine place. I care about them as people first and players second. Always. That's what The First Touch is built on.
If you're a coach — I hope something here gives you a fresh idea or a new perspective to bring into your environment this week.
If you're a parent — I hope this gives you a real look at what a coach who truly cares thinks about and why. Your kid deserves that.
If you're a player — I hope you leave this ready to get outside and put in the work. The game gives back exactly what you put in.
Welcome. Let's get to work.
Coach Frim
