Written by John Mark Adkison
Jeremy Bishop, alumnus of Harding’s December 1997 class, was hired Wednesday, April 13, as the new head coach for the men’s soccer team. After 10 years of coaching both men’s and women’s soccer teams, head coach Greg Harris will now be coaching only the women’s soccer team.
“I have known Jeremy since 1994. I’d already played four years of college soccer at Queen’s College in Charlotte, N.C., and I joined the Harding club team when I arrived here,”Harris said.”Jeremy was playing on that team at the time and I have played with and coached against him since. I recommended a handful of coaches that I thought fit what we were looking for at Harding. Jeremy fit everything in [Harding’s] criteria.”
Bishop said he usually played both center midfield and center forward when he played soccer for Harding. After graduating, he became assistant coach for the University of Central Arkansas. In 2002, he began the men’s soccer program at Lyon College inBatesville, working there until 2008 as the men’s head coach and women’s assistant coach.
Bishop said he was excited to be joining Harding’s coaching staff and was looking forward to getting to know his players over the rest of the spring and at summer camps. He said his coaching style focuses on simply making sure the whole team understands what each player’s purpose is.
“I make sure the guys know what we are trying to do as a team, that they know what our philosophy is,” Bishop said. “It is important to know what the defenders are doing and why they do it, just as it is important for the team to know what the midfielders are doing and why they need to do it. If everyone knows what he needs to do and what his teammates need to do, then they can work together much better and strive for cohesiveness.”
Harding Athletic Director Greg Harnden said Harding could now afford to hire another soccer coach, especially now that the soccer program has grown so much.
“It is not unusual in many sports for both men’s and women’s teams to have onehead coach, such as the track and tennis team,” Harnden said.”But the sport has evolved from what it was 12 or 14 years ago. It is much more competitive and much more serious.”
Harris said he is looking forward to working with Bishop and not having to juggle both teams at once.
“My strategy [for coaching] won’t change much, but I will be able to pay a lot closer atten- tion to detail,”Harris said.”I’m looking forward to being able to do my job more thoroughly with one team. I look forward to watching Jeremy help our men’s program grow. More time with my wife and kids is a huge benefit of this move.”
Harnden said he knew Harris and Bishop would work well as a team, comparing them to basketball coaches Jeff Morgan and Tim Kirby.
“Coach Kirby and Coach Morgan share a gym,they sup- port each other, they get along and they have confidence in each other,”Harnden said.”And that relationship carries over into [their] teams, which is a real positive influence. I think [Bishop] will continue to do what Coach Harris has done and add his own strengths.”
