Chamblin chosen to lead Tiger soccer
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — The next few months for the McClain boys soccer program will be filled with a variety of emotions with the passing of former coach Shawn Jackson, but the man chosen to lead the Tiger program is a familiar face, a friend of Jackson and one who has been a part of the ups and downs with the Tigers for nearly a decade.
Jon Chamblin (McClain '87), who has been an assistant boys soccer coach the previous eight seasons, is now the leader of the three-time South Central Ohio League champion Tigers, as he's not only taking over the team, but replacing one of his close friends … continuing what they worked together to build for nearly 10 years.
"I'm happy they gave me the chance to be the head coach. I'm looking forward to this season … it's going to be different, obviously, with the loss of Shawn," Chamblin said. "We'd been coaching together for a total of 12 years because we started coaching in youth soccer together.
"It's definitely going to be different without Shawn, but we are going to try to keep the same philosophies intact. It's going to be a rebuilding year for us with losing nine seniors (eight starters), so we have a lot of young talent to step up and take on different roles."
Chamblin, who played baseball and basketball for the Tigers, spoke about the relationship he had with Jackson as a coach and as a friend.
"Shawn and I met 12 to 14 years ago, and we became close friends," Chamblin said. "Not only did we coach together, but we hung out together. We hunted, fished and had a close relationship."
Chamblin said it was Jackson who brought him to the varsity soccer level nine years ago when Jackson was named head coach, as the two friends coached against each other in the SAY youth soccer program.
"When he got the head coaching job, he called me and asked me to be his assistant," he said. "I don't know if that was due to the year we coached in the youth leagues or how competitive we were, because I came out of the youth division with a winning record with league and tournament championships."
Chamblin then explained how he got involved with coaching soccer to begin with, as he never played the game before.
"I got involved with the sport when my son was 5 years old and came to me and said 'Dad, I want to play soccer.' I started coaching in Hillsboro in the SAY league because Greenfield didn't have a SAY league back then.
"The league didn't have enough coaches, so I was asked to coach, and I had no idea about the sport whatsoever at that time."
When Chamblin began coaching, he was not only new to the sport, but he became a self-taught student of the game.
"It was a lot of reading, going to the library, watching videos … it became anything I could get my hands on that was soccer-oriented, I studied," he said. "There were online classes, and I pretty much educated myself about the game and went on from there.
"I started coaching the 5-year-old level, then moved up through the ranks with my son, and the last SAY ranks I coached were the U12 before I moved on to high school."
Being a self-taught coach of the game, Chamblin has parts of the sport he enjoys, as he feels soccer can give all kids a chance to excel.
"Obviously, I like the competitiveness of soccer," he said. "It's a fast game, and I feel it's a game where any kid can play no matter what the talent level is. Any kid should be able to play the sport, and I like how the sport can give a kid a chance."
As he stated earlier, the season is going to be tough, emotionally and physically, as there are many changes taking place simultaneously with the team.
"It's going to be really tough, again, with the loss of Shawn and the nine seniors … trying to take over as head coach and rebuild at the same time is going to be extremely tough," Chamblin said. "I've got some great kids, but I have some young kids.
"They are in soccer camps right now, so they are gaining some experience I hope they can bring back to practice. It's going to be an interesting and challenging season."
The challenges, he said, include replacing the eight spots while having just two seniors and two juniors, plus he is still in search of an assistant coach for the '12 season.
As for the community aspect of the sport, Chamblin said he feels the acceptance of the sport as a whole is still on its way, but the new varsity head coach said his team is a strong group of kids.
"I don't know if the community has fully accepted the sport yet, but winning the league the past three years has helped," he said. "I think it has opened a lot of eyes in the community, and I hope it continues to grow.
"The group of kids we have this year is a very strong group. They've stood by each other through all the tragedy we just went through. They were all there together, so emotionally they are a great group, and I couldn't ask for a better group of kids. I think given that, they are going to put it all out on the field this year."
Chamblin said it's an honor to be a head coach at his alma mater.
"Being a graduate of McClain, it's a great honor to come back and coach," he said. "Given the type of year we are going to have this year … I just ask everybody be patient and try not to judge me and the kids based on the outcome of this season.
"My philosophy on soccer is it's not all about winning, it's about learning to play the game. The game is about dedication."
Chamblin is married to his wife Carol, and he has two children, Nathaniel and Ben, as Ben will be a senior on the Tigers team this season.[[In-content Ad]]
Jon Chamblin (McClain '87), who has been an assistant boys soccer coach the previous eight seasons, is now the leader of the three-time South Central Ohio League champion Tigers, as he's not only taking over the team, but replacing one of his close friends … continuing what they worked together to build for nearly 10 years.
"I'm happy they gave me the chance to be the head coach. I'm looking forward to this season … it's going to be different, obviously, with the loss of Shawn," Chamblin said. "We'd been coaching together for a total of 12 years because we started coaching in youth soccer together.
"It's definitely going to be different without Shawn, but we are going to try to keep the same philosophies intact. It's going to be a rebuilding year for us with losing nine seniors (eight starters), so we have a lot of young talent to step up and take on different roles."
Chamblin, who played baseball and basketball for the Tigers, spoke about the relationship he had with Jackson as a coach and as a friend.
"Shawn and I met 12 to 14 years ago, and we became close friends," Chamblin said. "Not only did we coach together, but we hung out together. We hunted, fished and had a close relationship."
Chamblin said it was Jackson who brought him to the varsity soccer level nine years ago when Jackson was named head coach, as the two friends coached against each other in the SAY youth soccer program.
"When he got the head coaching job, he called me and asked me to be his assistant," he said. "I don't know if that was due to the year we coached in the youth leagues or how competitive we were, because I came out of the youth division with a winning record with league and tournament championships."
Chamblin then explained how he got involved with coaching soccer to begin with, as he never played the game before.
"I got involved with the sport when my son was 5 years old and came to me and said 'Dad, I want to play soccer.' I started coaching in Hillsboro in the SAY league because Greenfield didn't have a SAY league back then.
"The league didn't have enough coaches, so I was asked to coach, and I had no idea about the sport whatsoever at that time."
When Chamblin began coaching, he was not only new to the sport, but he became a self-taught student of the game.
"It was a lot of reading, going to the library, watching videos … it became anything I could get my hands on that was soccer-oriented, I studied," he said. "There were online classes, and I pretty much educated myself about the game and went on from there.
"I started coaching the 5-year-old level, then moved up through the ranks with my son, and the last SAY ranks I coached were the U12 before I moved on to high school."
Being a self-taught coach of the game, Chamblin has parts of the sport he enjoys, as he feels soccer can give all kids a chance to excel.
"Obviously, I like the competitiveness of soccer," he said. "It's a fast game, and I feel it's a game where any kid can play no matter what the talent level is. Any kid should be able to play the sport, and I like how the sport can give a kid a chance."
As he stated earlier, the season is going to be tough, emotionally and physically, as there are many changes taking place simultaneously with the team.
"It's going to be really tough, again, with the loss of Shawn and the nine seniors … trying to take over as head coach and rebuild at the same time is going to be extremely tough," Chamblin said. "I've got some great kids, but I have some young kids.
"They are in soccer camps right now, so they are gaining some experience I hope they can bring back to practice. It's going to be an interesting and challenging season."
The challenges, he said, include replacing the eight spots while having just two seniors and two juniors, plus he is still in search of an assistant coach for the '12 season.
As for the community aspect of the sport, Chamblin said he feels the acceptance of the sport as a whole is still on its way, but the new varsity head coach said his team is a strong group of kids.
"I don't know if the community has fully accepted the sport yet, but winning the league the past three years has helped," he said. "I think it has opened a lot of eyes in the community, and I hope it continues to grow.
"The group of kids we have this year is a very strong group. They've stood by each other through all the tragedy we just went through. They were all there together, so emotionally they are a great group, and I couldn't ask for a better group of kids. I think given that, they are going to put it all out on the field this year."
Chamblin said it's an honor to be a head coach at his alma mater.
"Being a graduate of McClain, it's a great honor to come back and coach," he said. "Given the type of year we are going to have this year … I just ask everybody be patient and try not to judge me and the kids based on the outcome of this season.
"My philosophy on soccer is it's not all about winning, it's about learning to play the game. The game is about dedication."
Chamblin is married to his wife Carol, and he has two children, Nathaniel and Ben, as Ben will be a senior on the Tigers team this season.[[In-content Ad]]