2022 BamaCentral Crimson Tide Coach of the Year

Wes Hart got something that a lot of coaches don’t get in the new era of sports: time.

Most coaches only get 3-5 years, if that, to produce significant results on the field before the administration season begins to look elsewhere. Hart, however, was hired in 2015 after a two-year stint at Florida State, and while it took longer than he or anyone would have liked, it all came together in 2022, making him the BamaCentral Crimson Tide Coach of the Year.

A lot of the team's success was covered in the previous installment as soccer earned team of the year honors, but like any great team, it takes a great coach to piece it all together. Hart did exactly that, blending the large number of veterans with a youthful punch to produce a well-balanced squad who pressed and hunted every opponent it faced.

Hart's track record shows his teams have a lot of success offensively, and that trend continued in 2022, ranking third in the nation with 2.81 goals per game and first with 76 total goals (regarding the latter, UCLA was second with 68). For all the offensive firepower, however, Alabama was still one of the better defensive teams in the country, producing a goals-against average of .735.

The play on the field was incredible, literally the best season in program history, and when Hart was asked about what he does as a coach his answer was relatively the same: stay out of the way.

Don't be mistaken; Hart made sure his team was prepared week in and week out, and he made the necessary adjustments to make sure his team was successful. But with how successful his team was playing, whether it was the months-long winning streak or securing a College Cup appearance, all Hart wanted to do was maintain the consistency of his players without over-coaching. He understood the old saying of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and executed that philosophy to perfection. As great as Gianna Paul was as a freshman, she only made so many starts because Hart saw the value in her as a top reserve who could change the flow. The team never changed its style; matter of fact, the team would be even more committed to it depending on the opponent, like it did against Duke in the quarterfinals. But at no point did he feel the team needed a stylistic overhaul. Instead, Hart opted to perfect what was already in place for the last eight years.

A lot of things make Hart a great coach, but perhaps the most valuable factor any coach could have is the support of his players. Whether it was Paul, McKinley Crone or Riley Mattingly Parker, all of the Alabama soccer players sing the praises of Hart. If the entire team says "coach Hart is a coach you want to play for" then it shows how much impact he has as a leader, both on and off the field. The term "player's coach" can often become cliche, but that's what he is.

It took eight long years, but Alabama has established itself as a premiere program. The players made it happen and they deserve all the credit, but before there was Paul, Crone or even Parker, there was Wes Hart, who finally saw the fruits of his labor.