Community impact has continued to be an essential part of Palmetto GBA's culture, and our employees are the leading asset in achieving these initiatives. We caught up with Product Owner, Gerald Eichelberger II, to hear about his story of coaching soccer and how he is helping build meaningful connections on and off the field.

Who do you coach?

I currently coach high school kids at Spring Valley High School during the spring as the Head Coach of the Junior Varsity Boys’ soccer team.  In the Fall, I’ll coach the U19 (2004/2005) Boys Classic team with South Carolina United Football Club (FC).

Why did you get into coaching soccer?

I started playing soccer when I was three years old. During my childhood, we moved around a lot due to my father being an officer in the Army. Soccer was the one thing in my life that I could hold onto while moving from one location to another. When I decided to attend college at South Carolina State University, there wasn’t an opportunity to play soccer, nor did I want to play at the college level. Even though that was the case, I continued to train and kept soccer as a major part of my life. During my junior and senior years of college (1999-2000), the University started a women's program, and I wanted to be a part of that. That’s how I began my career as a coach. I helped start the South Carolina State University Women's Soccer program as the program's first assistant coach. After two seasons, I moved on and began focusing on other aspects of my life.

I started coaching again when my son, Jalen, was three years old. He was enrolled in the Richland County Recreation Commission's Shinkickers program at North Springs Park. I have coached him for the past 15 years through the South Carolina United FC & YMCA's Recreation Soccer Program, Sumter Soccer Club, and most recently with South Carolina United FC's Competitive program. That is the history of my coaching career but let me address the why.

While growing up, soccer had a big influence on me. I was blessed to have a great childhood due to the support of my parents and other significant family members and friends. Every time I step on the pitch to coach, I feel connected to those individuals, and it is a reminder of my childhood. Even though I moved quite a bit and was constantly the new kid, soccer allowed me to make new friends and was a consistent outlet for me.

Of course, when I started coaching again, it was because I wanted to spend time with and support my son, but it became more than that. I realized that not every child has a positive male role model in their life or someone that is going to support them with no strings attached. I do my best to provide that to all my players, regardless of their age. I coach because I want children to know that no matter the result, if they work hard and put forth their best effort, then that is enough to be applauded and supported.

I learned in my first year of coaching high school that not every kid's story is a positive one. Some kids are working to make ends meet even while going to school and playing sports. Some kids don't have a great relationship with their parents. I learned that I can impact a young person's life by simply giving them a place to have fun, succeed with little pressure, make friends, and be themselves with no judgment. Even though kids don't always express their appreciation or know how to, I have seen just how much it means to them time and time again.

What is your favorite part about coaching?

My favorite part about coaching is seeing the joy on the players' faces when they are playing soccer, whether that is during practice or a match. I believe COVID-19 had one positive impact on our society, and that is that it made people more aware of mental health. I think sometimes we underestimate the pressure kids feel growing up in our society. We are a results-based society that pushes our kids to be perfect. Therefore, it is expected for them to get A's and B's and if they don't, they are considered less than. What about those kids that try their best but get C's? As a coach, I am allowed to support individuals that try their best and let them know that their effort matters.

I constantly remind my players that the result (win or lose) doesn't have any impact on their value as human beings, nor does it impact how I value and appreciate them as players. I love coaching because I get to be a mentor and help young people navigate the crazy road, we call life. I am not aware of what their home lives are like, but at least I have some solace that they have someone with that they can have fun, experience failure, and learn how to navigate those feelings, and succeed in creating memorable moments that they can hold onto for many years to come.

What about this experience has been meaningful to you?

My experience as a coach has created many memories, but I would have to say that my most memorable have been away from the pitch. I had the pleasure of coaching the same group of kids for a few years while we were playing with the Sumter Soccer Club. That team was called the Vipers. During that time, I helped to create a familial bond that I hope will last a lifetime. We practiced and played games together, but we also had dinners after every game, win or lose. The conversations and experiences shared before and after those games are still discussed with those family friends due to their impact on all that experienced them.

We went to see every Marvel movie that was released during that time as a team. We had sleepovers to celebrate my son Jalen's birthday around Christmas each year. During those sleepovers, we would have gingerbread house-building contests, video game dance-offs, play charades, and watch movies together. I worked hard to create an environment where the kids could just be themselves in a judgment-free zone, and I hope that helped with their personal growth and development over the years.

A lot of those kids have graduated or are graduating this year. I promised myself that it was my goal to be their coach no matter what. Some of those players have played against my team at the club or high school level, but I cheered them on no matter what. I would always praise their efforts and express just how proud I was of their growth and their dedication to the sport. My most fulfilling experience is having the opportunity to see individuals that I have known since they were young children grow up to be intelligent, caring, and well-rounded young people who I know will continue to make our society and country a great place to live.

What would you say to others who would like to volunteer for an activity like soccer?

If you are considering coaching, I would say to make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons. You might start coaching because there is no one else that is willing to step up for your child's team. Don't let the lack of understanding of the game be a deterrent. You can always learn the rules. Understand that it is just a game. There are going to be wins and losses, but there is something to be gained from both of those experiences. Make sure that you help children understand that it is okay to make mistakes, to be vulnerable and show disappointment, to win but be humble while doing it, and most importantly, to care about something or someone besides themselves. Coaching is a privilege and a blessing, and I hope by sharing my experience I can motivate others to do the same. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story and experiences. I also want to say thank you to BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and its subsidiaries for always being a big supporter of our community's local sports programs.