As all-star Coach Aidan Mccluskey takes Ridgewood soccer by storm, his drive, grit and passion for the game is astounding. He is said to be one of the most impactful coaches in Ridgewood. But, no one really knows what he does during the day, from coaching boys varsity to side maroons teams,  Aidan never has a dull moment. He transforms players from beginners to kids that actually understanding the fundamentals of soccer. He prepares his players for obstacles up ahead (like highschool). His work ethic and dedication is quite astonishing: Just take a look!

Aidan McCluskey, a long time Maroons and RHS soccer coach has made an influential effect on young players.  He has been playing since he was ten years old. After asking a girls U15 player, Lindsay Seibold was asked how Aidan affected her life and her playing, it was said that,  “Aidan has made me drastically different player, and he has taught me the correct way to play. Without Aidan I think I would be a much worse player. I would even go as far to say I would be cut from the highschool team.” The next question asked was how they affect Lindsay’s life. It was said that, “He’s  made me have so much more desire to play to game.” After hearing from of his players it can be said that Aidan greatly affects his players in the best way possible. He shows players that if they’re not here for the right reasons, why are they here at all? After asking Aidan some questions it’s been learned that one of the more influential coaches in his life taught him more about morals and the way to treat people in life. Aidan was not just teaching players how to play soccer, he taught them a way of life, and this was learned from Aidan’s former influential coach.

Aidan Mccluskey age fifty-eight previous soccer player and current coach. Though many people know him now for being the ridgewood soccer coach, the BF Bolt has taken it upon themselves to get to know him on at more personal level. We wanted to learn more about his soccer career. Aidan started his soccer career later than expected. At the age of ten he began playing soccer at St. Joseph’s Boys Club in Dublin Ireland. One of the most influential coaches he had was Jimmy W. Jimmy coached him for ten years. Aidan began to list of the many reasons why this specific coach was so impactful to him. “He made it fun, we worked hard, we were a very good team, and I admired everything he did.”

The admiration for a coach can have the power to change the game for a player. This is exactly what Jimmy did for Aidan. Though Aidan claims he doesn’t use Jimmy’s style of play in his game, he believes something that he took from his previous coach was the way he treats people. This is very interesting because this was Aidan most influential soccer coach, though the main thing that Aidan learned from him was not how to play soccer, but how to treat people.

As his career went on he begin to explain the most professional team he has ever played on. When he tried out of the Manchester United team he was told that he was not good enough. But after this, he continued on to play for the Manchester Reserves team. Not only did he play at a high level, but not to mention at such a young age. He began playing with the Manchester Reserves team at the age of eighteen. Our final question for Aidan was, if you had one piece of advice for aspiring soccer players or athletes in general what would it be? He responded with a simplistic yet meaningful answer, “Work hard.” Well said Aidan, well said.

We asked Meg K how Aidan usually starts soccer practice. She answered with “So, we usually start out with some one touch passing then we run and do one touch passing, and then we go into a drill we focuses on using our first touch, our back foot, rot passing it to people. After that we move into a three team tournament which is two teams on the inside one team on the outside acting as neutrals. All of these activities help us in the game. We also asked Meg when someone messes up does he point out and help you with your mistake? “If we make a mistake in a 3 team tournament he will tell the whole game to freeze and he explains and try to help. If we don’t show that we are taking his tips during the rest of practice we have to do five push ups. But it doesn’t feel like he is singling us out because he does it to everyone.”