AMES, Iowa--An avid soccer player since the first grade, Mary Alice Seaba of Muscatine found herself sidelined with an injury last spring. Instead of giving up soccer entirely, the 16-year-old decided to give coaching a try.

She soon found herself coaching the Magic, a fourth and fifth grade boys’ YMCA soccer team. What she learned as a soccer coach eventually led Seaba to enter her experience in the leadership category of 4-H exhibits at the county fair. 

Selected to advance to state, the next thing Seaba knew, she was on stage at the Iowa State Fair discussing sports from a coach’s perspective with Bill Fennelly, the Iowa State University (ISU) women’s basketball coach.

Fennelly had volunteered to participate in the ISU Extension 4-H Youth Development Celebrity Showcase event at the fair. The showcase allows high profile professionals to showcase 4-H youth and their project work on stage in the 4-H Exhibits Building.

Fennelly, who said he was delighted to be the one with the microphone asking the questions instead of answering them, soon discovered that Seaba was determined to teach the boys on her soccer team honesty, respect, responsibility and caring.

“We were a great team, and we only lost two games. However, I made sure the boys understood that it was not about winning or losing; it was how you played the game,” she said.

As a leader of the team, Seaba tried to reward the boys for the positive things they accomplished rather than condemn them for their mistakes. She did, however, encounter some challenges during the season.

A referee had to stop a game when a player on the Magic team started to fight with an opposing player. “As the coach, I made sure that the player did not go back into the game that day. After the game was over, I made sure he apologized to the other boy,” she said.

“This was a great leadership project because not only did I change the boys, but I also changed myself. I am now much more forgiving, organized and compassionate. I began the season not knowing what to expect. I ended the season with a sense of accomplishment. It was a great experience, and I would love to do it again.”

Seaba said because of her age, she was assisted by her parents, Bruce and Lisa Seaba, who also were present at practices and games.

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