Werner Fricker Builder Award: Arena Creating Winning Culture
Bruce Arena wins and creates a winning environment where ever he goes. The former U.S. Men’s National Team coach with a top record of accomplishments — as well as his obvious success in the Major League Soccer, Arena is the 2015 recipient of the Werner Fricker Builder Award. Arena was in Europe and unable to accept the award in person. US Club Soccer new CEO, Kevin Payne, accepted on Arena’s behalf.
From US Soccer:
Among those to provide their perspective on Arena were former MNT players Gregg Berhalter, Ben Olsen, Kasey Keller and Josh Wolff, former Virginia defender and longtime coach and assistant Curt Onalfo, and former U.S. MNT assistant coach Dave Sarachan.
On Arena’s Coaching Style and Strengths:
- Ben Olsen: “I think he was a different type of coach to different players, and I think that’s what made him the best coach that I’ve ever been around. He knew what each individual needed to be at its best. He certainly knew how to pull at my strings and get the most out of me. He understood the pulse of a team; he understood that it was easier to complicate the game than make it simple. His ability to relay what he wanted out of each individual and simplify that is one of his greatest strengths.”
- Kasey Keller: “Bruce was kind of what you call a player’s coach. He gave us a lot of freedom when we were in camp, but I think the players appreciated that. You would come in, have the opportunity after training to have a lot of personal time. You’d have dinners on your own, and at the same time, the guys really responded to that. I think that’s why Bruce was really able to achieve results and maybe surprise some people.”
- Josh Wolff: “He was able to able to find what worked for each player: How he delivered those messages, managing the players, but also educating and coaching. His ability to do that over the course of time has been tremendous.”
- Gregg Berhalter: “You always want to perform for Bruce. He demands excellence and he’s a guy that wants to win and he drives his players in a positive way to be successful and want success.”
On Building Teams and Success:
- Curt Onalfo: “I’ve known Bruce since I was 17 years old and I remember being a junior in college, and I wrote him a letter and I was telling him how impressed I was with how each year he built on his foundation. Bruce always gets better at what he does. He self-reflects and looks back at what he’s done and he tries to make it better because he’s a perfectionist, and he’s got a great work ethic and he’s very intelligent. When you have all of those qualities, you’re building something – building a foundation to get better and better. He builds things and you can see it.”
On Receiving the Werner Fricker Award:
- Dave Sarachan: “I couldn’t think of a more deserving recipient to the Werner Fricker Builder Award. I think ‘builder’ is a key word in this whole process because when you look back at the body of work that Bruce has had, going back to Virginia and then D.C. United and all the way through the National Team and here in L.A., he’s always been a builder. He’s always built teams and franchises, and to receive this honor, I think it’s a real credit to him for his entire body of work and where he’s built success everywhere he’s been.”
