Meeting Players Where They’re At: A Coach’s Perspective on FC Wisconsin

When researching youth soccer clubs, understanding a program's coaching philosophy is just as important as looking at its trophy case. In this coach testimonial, we hear from John Fauser, Director of the Regional Competitive Program (RCP) at FC Wisconsin. Having grown up in the local Milwaukee soccer scene, John brings a unique, long-term perspective on the club's evolution and its exceptionally high standards.

John details how FC Wisconsin breaks away from the traditional "one coach, one team" model. Instead, the club utilizes a highly collaborative coaching environment where multiple coaches provide feedback, ensuring a well-rounded developmental experience for every athlete. Beyond the on-field tactics, John praises the club’s top-tier administrative communication, which creates a seamless, family-like culture for everyone involved.

Ultimately, he explains that FC Wisconsin's greatest strength is its ability to truly "meet players where they are," ensuring every child is placed in the optimal environment for both their competitive growth and their love of the game.

FC Wisconsin Coach Testimonial: John Fauser

Read our full Q&A below to hear John’s firsthand experience and find out why he highly recommends the club to both players and fellow coaches.

How long have you been a part of FC Wisconsin?

I had grown up in Milwaukee. So I was very familiar with FC Milwaukee. I had tried out for them when I was a youth player a few times. I knew guys quite well who played for FC Milwaukee. I obviously was super familiar with their expectations and standards. I also knew about the whole buyout situation and when they switched over to FC Wisconsin. So, you know, those are all things that I was aware of just from being in the area.

I was coaching in the area at the time I was referred to FC Wisconsin by another coach who had already been working for them. He got me in contact with Ben Shepherd. Then we just went throughout that process of joining, and that was in 2022. I think it was the winter of 2022 when I joined them. So about four years ago. My first experience of coaching with them was...the standard was even higher than I thought, which was really cool. It pushed me to be a better coach, right from the get-go. I learned a heck of a lot in my first year. And then as those years started to go by, just the potential that the club had, from the way it's structured, the fact that it's more of a collaboration than it is a single coach to a single team or anything. Just really kept drawing me into the process of how we do things. So it was super attractive to be a part of a club the way that FC operates.

What has been your favorite experience at FC Wisconsin?

Well, number one, we do it for the players. They keep you going in a way that is unlike anything else. Everybody's there for the same purpose, and everybody wants to get better. So helping the players out in that way just keeps you going. It drives you to be better every single day.

Another thing I would say is just the people you work with there. The other coaches who have so many experiences outside of the club, maybe before they join the club or even during, because there are opportunities that present themselves when you're working for FC. Even those experiences are things that have been cool. Just sending certain teams out to certain tournaments, and even one of our teams heading to a national championship since I've been with the club. Just like cool things like that obviously continue to push you, to be better. I would say for me personally, though, every year for the President's Cup up in Green Bay is something that I look forward to, even though they're not necessarily my teams. But I'm helping out the teams up there, and just being on the sideline for a high-intensity tournament is always a pleasure. That's definitely something that I look forward to every year.

How has the club impacted you as a coach?

I would say the biggest thing that's had an impact on me at FC is just the amount of relationships you're making. That's the number one thing with the players. And then obviously the other coaches you're working with...the relationships you're building and the multiple points of contact, feedback, and collaborating that you're doing at the club, is just something we do at a very high level. So the more you do it, the better you get at it. That's made a huge impact on my ability to communicate. I would say that another aspect is just the clarity you need and the conciseness, if that's a word, and just being able to communicate things at a higher level. It's definitely helped me or had an impact on me because I'm a teacher as well. So those types of skills obviously translate to my current day job as well.

What stands out about the club's facilities, scheduling, or communication?

I think the number one thing that stands out with FC is definitely the messaging, from top down in the administrative team that we have. There's constant communication between levels and directors, and the administration just does such a good job with organizing things. The club itself is so involved in things even outside of soccer. So the fact that there's a family aspect to it, where there are a lot of members of the club who are maybe close with the club or, a little bit on the outskirts of the club, that are doing really good things, top down to make sure things are organized, to make sure things are going smoothly. It's just a credit to it being such a high-operating club. It's a testament to those people as well, and who they are and what they do. I think the biggest thing is just having the right people and the messaging that they're able to do, and the fact that it's heard and it's followed and there's buy-in is something that you can't really replicate too many times.

Would you recommend FC Wisconsin to a friend or colleague?

I would absolutely recommend FC Wisconsin to a friend or colleague. The thing we do the best is just meeting players where they're at, and making sure that they are in the [program that's] the best fit for their development. And whether you're a player at the club or a coach at the club, it works both ways. We have coaches who enjoy where they're placed and who they're working with, what games they're coaching, and what tournaments they're attending. But then, at the same time, the player development aspect of it. I think we are absolutely one of the better clubs at just making sure that players' needs are being met, organizing them, and evaluating them. And again, number one, making sure they're enjoying it. So I absolutely would recommend FC Wisconsin.

Learn More