Xavier University Athletics
Getting to Know Associate Head Coach John Michael Hayden
07.28.15 | Men's Soccer
Hayden will embark on his first season with the Musketeers this fall
New associate head coach John Michael Hayden joined the Musketeers earlier in the spring and enters his first full season on the staff when XU kicks off its exhibition season on August 14 at SIU Edwardsville. Hayden took a minute to catch up with GoXavier.com prior to the start of the season:
1. What attracted you to the job at Xavier?
"What attracted me to the job here was the fact that I knew [head coach] Andy Fleming and really admired the work he had done in in such a short period of time. He has built a culture of excellence here at Xavier and, for me, that was something I wanted to be a part of."
2. How did you come to know Coach Fleming?
"I probably first met Coach Fleming when I was a player at Indiana University. During the summers I would work the youth camps at IU and Andy would as well. I coached the younger players, while Andy would work with the older prospect-aged campers."
3. You've been around for a couple months now. How would you say the staff is coming together and what has your role comprised?
"I would say that we have a terrific staff. I have really been enjoying myself each day -- both on the field and in the office. Andy and the rest of the staff bring a level of professionalism that I am used to, and also know the foundations of running a successful program. My role really hasn't changed much since my previous stint at Lipscomb University, however, I would say between Andy, Charles (Chuck) and Luke we here at Xavier do a very good job of sharing the responsibilities in order to help one another. I've also brought a few new ideas to the training ground, which hopefully will carry over to our success in the fall."
4. How did your time at Lipscomb and Louisville prepare you for this opportunity? What are a couple big things you learned coaching under Ken Lolla and Charles Morrow?
"The time I spent at both University of Louisville and Lipscomb University were invaluable to preparing me for this role. While at U of L, I was exposed to such a high level of coaching and professionalism that I determined it would be the way I wanted to run my own program someday. Ken Lolla is a tremendous coach/leader and even to this day I consider him a mentor in many regards. Charles Morrow at Lipscomb gave me my first real opportunity to apply some of the techniques I learned from being within so many programs that had achieved great success -- such as U of L, Indiana and the Houston Dynamo (MLS). I will be forever grateful for the opportunity he gave me."
5. What's your favorite thing about Cincinnati so far? Were you familiar with the area prior to arriving on campus?
"I have enjoyed Cincinnati and really like all the people surrounding the campus. I have already met multiple professors, other coaches and administrators who have been so helpful as I have transitioned in to this role."
6. You had a decorated playing career before getting into coaching. What are a couple of your favorite memories from your playing days?
"I did have a pretty good playing career, one that I know has helped me become the coach I am today. I was always the type of player that would do the extra work either before or after training in order to get better. I carry that same mentality with me as a coach. I know that if I am constantly improving, so will the teams I work with. The biggest highlight of my career was winning two NCAA National Championships with Indiana University. Now that I am coaching, winning NCAA titles is what continually motivates me."
7. Do you have a favorite/most famous person you met during your pro career, or is there any player you played against that really blew you away?
"The biggest name that anyone would know who I played against was probably David Beckham when he was with the LA Galaxy."
8. Does everybody refer to you as John Michael, or are there are a couple nicknames?
"Yes, but most other coaches or players either call me 'JM' or 'JMH' for short."
9. Any hidden talents or hobbies outside of soccer?
"I really enjoy building things. If I have time, I like to do home improvement projects. I just love the process of visualizing a goal, drawing up the plans, making sure I have the right tools, getting the required materials, then putting it all together. That's probably why I love coaching so much because that's kind of what you do when you're constructing a team."
1. What attracted you to the job at Xavier?
"What attracted me to the job here was the fact that I knew [head coach] Andy Fleming and really admired the work he had done in in such a short period of time. He has built a culture of excellence here at Xavier and, for me, that was something I wanted to be a part of."
2. How did you come to know Coach Fleming?
"I probably first met Coach Fleming when I was a player at Indiana University. During the summers I would work the youth camps at IU and Andy would as well. I coached the younger players, while Andy would work with the older prospect-aged campers."
3. You've been around for a couple months now. How would you say the staff is coming together and what has your role comprised?
"I would say that we have a terrific staff. I have really been enjoying myself each day -- both on the field and in the office. Andy and the rest of the staff bring a level of professionalism that I am used to, and also know the foundations of running a successful program. My role really hasn't changed much since my previous stint at Lipscomb University, however, I would say between Andy, Charles (Chuck) and Luke we here at Xavier do a very good job of sharing the responsibilities in order to help one another. I've also brought a few new ideas to the training ground, which hopefully will carry over to our success in the fall."
4. How did your time at Lipscomb and Louisville prepare you for this opportunity? What are a couple big things you learned coaching under Ken Lolla and Charles Morrow?
"The time I spent at both University of Louisville and Lipscomb University were invaluable to preparing me for this role. While at U of L, I was exposed to such a high level of coaching and professionalism that I determined it would be the way I wanted to run my own program someday. Ken Lolla is a tremendous coach/leader and even to this day I consider him a mentor in many regards. Charles Morrow at Lipscomb gave me my first real opportunity to apply some of the techniques I learned from being within so many programs that had achieved great success -- such as U of L, Indiana and the Houston Dynamo (MLS). I will be forever grateful for the opportunity he gave me."
5. What's your favorite thing about Cincinnati so far? Were you familiar with the area prior to arriving on campus?
"I have enjoyed Cincinnati and really like all the people surrounding the campus. I have already met multiple professors, other coaches and administrators who have been so helpful as I have transitioned in to this role."
6. You had a decorated playing career before getting into coaching. What are a couple of your favorite memories from your playing days?
"I did have a pretty good playing career, one that I know has helped me become the coach I am today. I was always the type of player that would do the extra work either before or after training in order to get better. I carry that same mentality with me as a coach. I know that if I am constantly improving, so will the teams I work with. The biggest highlight of my career was winning two NCAA National Championships with Indiana University. Now that I am coaching, winning NCAA titles is what continually motivates me."
7. Do you have a favorite/most famous person you met during your pro career, or is there any player you played against that really blew you away?
"The biggest name that anyone would know who I played against was probably David Beckham when he was with the LA Galaxy."
8. Does everybody refer to you as John Michael, or are there are a couple nicknames?
"Yes, but most other coaches or players either call me 'JM' or 'JMH' for short."
9. Any hidden talents or hobbies outside of soccer?
"I really enjoy building things. If I have time, I like to do home improvement projects. I just love the process of visualizing a goal, drawing up the plans, making sure I have the right tools, getting the required materials, then putting it all together. That's probably why I love coaching so much because that's kind of what you do when you're constructing a team."
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