PORTLAND, Ore. – Coaches’ time before a soccer practice is usually pretty structured. Finalize plans for the session. Get out to the field, finish setting up the drills. Generally do whatever it takes so many sure the next 60, 75, 90 minutes are used as efficiently as possible.
Today, though Portland Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons has made time for something else. From one moment of finalizing the sides in a short-sided drill with assistant Rich Gunney to talking about something that has little to do with this coming session, the Parsons is making an exception from his normal routine to discuss something more important.