Lincoln Academy graduate Tatum Hancock writes down the lineup for her Hall-Dale girls soccer team during a 2-0 playoff win over Winthrop on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in Hallowell. (Paula Roberts photo)
Former Lincoln Academy girls soccer star Tatum Hancock did not plan to be a high school soccer coach, but is grateful that it came about.
Hancock, a recent graduate of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine who played varsity at the college for four years, is the head coach of the Hall-Dale Bulldogs girls soccer team, which is undefeated (10-0-4) in her inaugural season at the helm.
Hancock, who graduated from LA in 2020, was a three-time First Team KVAC All-Conference player and named to the Southern Maine Regional All-Star Team after her senior year. She is a first grade teacher at Dresden Elementary School, which is in RSU 2 with Hall-Dale Middle and High School.
“After I finished playing my senior season at Saint Joseph’s, I was starting to miss the game towards the end of the year and I heard about this position opening up in the area I was interested in teaching in,” Hancock said. “I did not have any coaching experience prior to the Hall-Dale position. I had been involved with coaching youth soccer camps for many years, but nothing comparable to coaching a varsity sport.”
Hancock cited Lincoln Academy girls head coach Lauren Ober as one of her mentors that inspired her to try coaching.
“Lauren was someone I played for in middle school and eventually in high school,” said Hancock. “She pushed me as a player for so many years and truly just wanted to see me succeed on and off the field.”
Ober said she knew from when she began coaching Hancock that soccer would be a part of the player’s life forever.
“Not only was she a great athlete breaking records, she was always a student of the game. Tatum would always sit on the bus near the front and we would talk strategy or execution before and after every game,” Ober said. “Coaching comes natural to Tatum, and she has always led by example on and off the field. We keep in touch and it’s exciting to be able to share game strategies and brainstorm ideas with her. I have no doubt that Hall-Dale will go far with her leadership.”
Another of Hancock’s role models is her club soccer coach Tammy Krul, who coaches for the Dutch Soccer Academy based out of The Pitch in Warren.
“Tammy knew how to best motivate and support me, while also pushing me to build my skills and abilities as a player,” Hancock said. “My goal as a coach is to be a lot like these two phenomenal women.”
Hancock also had good things to say about the rest of the Hall-Dale coaching staff, which includes assistant coach Mark Tinkham, and JV coach Ken Nott.
Head coach Tatum Hancock (center) gives a pre-game talk to the undefeated Hall-Dale girls soccer team before a 2-0 playoff win against Winthrop on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in Hallowell. Hancock is a 2020 graduate of Lincoln Academy. (Paula Roberts photo)
“Both Mark and Ken were members of the Hall-Dale coaching staff last year, and I’m very grateful for all that have taught me about this program as well as coaching as a whole,” Hancock said.
The Bulldogs roster was also made up of “a very talented group of girls” who had played together a lot before Hancock became their coach, Hancock said. She credited Marie Benoit, a “phenomenal goal scorer” for leading the team to many of its victories, as well as the Bulldogs’ strong defensive line, which shut out talented teams.
Being a young, new coach can be an advantage and a disadvantage at times, Hancock said.
“One of the hardest aspects of coaching for me that I didn’t expect is the process of bringing together a group of girls with many different skill sets and personalities and creating a cohesive group that is able to play as one on the field,” said Hancock. “I think being closer in age to the girls has been really helpful. Having played so recently myself I am able to relate to the girls in many ways, as well as bring a different perspective than many other coaches. I also love to get in and play with the girls here and there, which I believe can bring new energy to practices.”
Hancock loves the strategy aspect of soccer, and has enjoyed making her own mark by establishing a specific style of play for Hall-Dale.
“I have always loved a possession-based system, regardless of the formation we are playing,” said Hancock. “I’ve spent and continue to spend a lot of time working with girls on the technical skills that allow them to be successful in this type of system.”
Hancock believes that the best part of coaching has been getting to know and working with the Hall-Dale athletes.
“This group is truly amazing and I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to coach them,” said Hancock. “I don’t have any idea how long I will end up coaching for but I know that it is something that I am really loving right now.”
