Babula Ushers in New Era For Colonials Girls’ Soccer

Throughout the team's 27 years, the Morristown High School girls' soccer team was led by one coach. Well, theoretically–John Furphey and his wife, Jen, were co-coaches.

But this fall, a new face will lead the girls' soccer program. Hired in June, Clifton native John Babula is the team's second-ever coach.

Despite his young age, Babula, 32, is a soccer lifer. Babula's been the team's junior varsity coach the past five seasons and trains several youth teams in the area. He played college soccer at Monmouth University and prepped at Clifton High School.

The Colonials begin the regular season at home against Mountain Lakes on Sept.10. Morristown went 9-8-2 last season. The preseason gets going Sunday and Babula expects a great turnout for tryouts.

"We currently have 70 girls that will be trying out," said Babula, who teaches fifth-grade at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. "The teams [varsity, junior varsity and freshman] themselves have not yet been chosen but 70 girls is a dramatic increase.

"I think the most that we ever had trying out since I've been there was maybe 50, 55 girls. This is a dramatic increase, which is great," he said.

Coaching varsity will provide Babula a chance to assimilate what he's learned from other coaches and throw out what didn't work in the past, he said. Babula was coached by his father, Stan, while growing up and the late Fernando Rossi at Clifton. Babula won a state title and three Passaic County championships under Rossi's tutelage.

"I've always hoped to one day be the varsity coach," said Babula. "I've looked back on my career at some of the coaches I've had and I tried to take from them what I liked about them and what I didn't like about them.

"First thing [my dad] taught me before anything else was to love the game," he said. "That was always number one. I've tried to make sure I instill that love of the game to the girls."

Babula trains several local Morris United squads: the Rebels, Firecrackers, Kicks and Revolution. A major point of emphasis in tryouts, he said, will be how well the girls handle the soccer ball.

"I want the girls be able to get in shape and not waste any valuable time without the ball because skill is number one," said Babula. "I know soccer has changed a lot and nowadays, speed and strength are valued and appreciated greatly but I'm an old school guy."

Babula said he was a fan of soccer from the 1970s and 80s. "That's when skill was number one," he said. "Yes, my girls will be fit and yes, my girls will be strong but number one will always be skill and we want to make sure the ball is incorporated."

In soccer, movement of the ball is vital to a team's success in scoring goals and Babula said he is keen on passing placement for optimal scoring chances.

"When the girls do get the ball, I'm looking for girls who are smart," said Babula. "Because sometimes you can make a pass and not lose the ball, we keep possession, and that's OK, but at the same time, you could've made a different decision that could've led to a goal.

One advantage at Babula's disposal could be familiarity with some of the girls on the team.  He's coached some of them before. "At some point in time, I've run into most of the girls," said Babula. "It was rare for some girl to not play jayvee and I pretty much know all the girls. The parents know who I am and know my background a bit better.

"Also, I teach the youths the same style I'm teaching the girls at the high school level; so the girls know my style of play," he said. "I've brought some girls from the high school team to camp so that the younger girls in Morristown can get to know them and in return, the kids can come to the games and have some pride for the team."

Babula said his goals for the season are to contend for the Iron Hills Conference Title, the Morris County championship and the Holy Grail, the state championship. But before the wins and losses are counted, Babula is looking for one key trait on the pending varsity roster.

"Heart is number one; I want a girl who's going to die on that field to win for her teammates," said Babula.