A few summers ago, one of Adam Bican’s friends asked him to come to one of the Clarkston boys soccer conditioning practices to help out. Bican helped out at the practice and less than three years later he is entering his first season as head coach of the Clarkston varsity boys soccer team.
‘I came out here and I was addicted,? Bican said. ‘I had a great time. It’s really easy when the kids are extremely coachable. It’s kind of odd because before I wouldn’t have seen myself here doing this. Now it’s great. I couldn’t be happier about the way it turned out and getting a chance to work with these kids. The thing about these kids is they listen, they are coachable and they work hard, which makes my job so much easier.?
Last season, Bican was the junior varsity coach and the varsity assistant coach the year before. He said he never went into coaching with the intent of becoming a varsity head coach.
‘I really didn’t look at it as a goal of mine to take over a varsity soccer program,? Bican said. ‘Working with the kids was so rewarding that I found out this is what I wanted. I’m really here for the kids. I’m not here for me at all. Yeah, it’s rewarding to give back, but these kids mean a lot and I’m here for them.?
Bican will coach many of the kids he had on the junior varsity team that went 4-8-8 last season. Bican said he thought last season was a success because the team continued to improve.
‘I don’t think you can measure the success of last year by the record,? Bican said. ‘We were a family and we played the right way. Even if it didn’t show in the wins and losses, we took some strides.?
This season, Bican said he would like the team to become a family like his junior varsity team last season.
? I would like them to come together so there is no factions,? Bican said. ‘I want us to be a family and of course I want to win some games. We are going to have a young team. I’m going to be throwing some young kids right into the fire, but I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think they could handle it. I also think the guys who are left over from the varsity team last year know my style and are comfortable with me. I don’t think it will be a tough transition at all.?
Bican’s goals for this season are to compete for the OAA I title and go as far as possible in the state playoffs. He also has long term goal to build the boys soccer program into one of the elite programs in the state.
‘I want to get the soccer program to where the basketball and football programs are, where they expect to win,? Bican said. ‘My goal is to have the soccer program on that level.?