From being cut for his height at 16 and overcoming imposter syndrome as an assistant coach of the US Women’s National Team that won consecutive World Cups, to now head coach of the Oregon Ducks, Graeme Abel knows what perseverance, work ethic and success on the field look like.
Over his three seasons as head coach of the women’s soccer team at the University of Oregon, Abel has transformed the program. Under Abel, the Ducks have achieved back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 40 years and are contenders in the powerhouse Pac-12 conference.
Abel grew up playing goalkeeper in his hometown of Liverpool and those roots translate to his coaching style. He can be seen wearing gloves that have his name stitched into them while warming up his goalies before games. The third-year head coach also played for Everton’s youth academy from age 14 to 16 before being cut for his height.
“It’s funny they used my height as a reason,” Abel said. “When I look back with my coaching hat on, I probably wasn’t athletic enough.”
Leaving high school at 16, Abel played between the posts professionally for Stockport County, was released at 18 and moved to the United States to attend college at Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky. He could not have guessed that he would eventually be part of one of the most dominant national soccer teams in history representing his new home.
“America just seemed cool,” Abel said. “I just wanted something different. I had this opportunity and figured that if I didn’t like it in six months, I’d just go back home. Here I am 23 years later.”
Leaving Liverpool and attending college in Columbia, Kentucky was quite the culture shock for Abel. He went from Liverpool, a bustling city of almost 250,000 citizens, to a population of just over 4,000. However, he loved waking up to the view of rolling hills in his new rural home.
After his second year of college, Abel transferred to Brescia University in Owensboro, Kentucky. He started coaching an under-14 girls team and really enjoyed it. He stuck around the program coaching goalkeepers and teams until he graduated from Brescia. He then became a graduate assistant at his alma mater, and it kind of just snowballed from there, Abel said.
Abel found his love for coaching while traveling during the summer to help coach at a camp, SoccerPlus, that was run by former US Women’s National Team head coach Tony DiCicco. Abel met other coaches who opened doors for him to become an assistant coach on the USWNT.
Abel spent five years as the associate head coach of Oklahoma. After a national tournament qualifying season in 2014, he joined America’s team as an assistant coach.
For the first year and a half in his new position, Abel felt out of place. He learned that working with professionals, like former national team keeper Hope Solo, was all about finding out what the player needs. Once he adjusted, he became more secure in himself and his ideas.
“I started to learn different things and not be afraid to ask questions,” Abel said. “Think outside the box on different pieces. I got to work with an unbelievable staff, and I got to learn from them all the time. It was a great professional environment, so unique.”
Working with the likes of Jill Ellis, manager of the USWNT that won back to back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, and Kansas City Fire head coach Matt Potter gave Abel experience and knowledge to take away for the rest of his career.
“There are so many different coaches in different sports that you can take little pieces from,” Abel said. “The way they manage people, treat people and set up their staff. Even within the department I’m talking to other coaches all the time. Coaching is just stealing ideas.”
Abel was offered the head coach position at Oregon in 2019.
After speaking with deputy athletic director Lisa Peterson about the job, Abel watched as many Ducks games as he could that night. He saw a need to upgrade the team physically in terms of the overall capacity to work within a game.
“We wanted to put an infrastructure around the team,” Abel said. “One that took care of the soccer piece, the academic piece, the mental side and the sports science piece. We wanted there to be no excuses. We wanted an avenue for everything and our kids to have resources for everything.”
Last season, the Ducks finished fifth in the Pac-12, dropping only four games the entire year and narrowly missing out on the NCAA tournament after a draw with Oregon State in the last game of their season.
Abel looks to improve the team’s playing this season by seizing opportunities and taking chances that are presented to them.
“It’s not an overhaul,” Abel said about the changes from last season. “We have to be a better team on the attacking side of the ball. We created chances. We just didn’t put the ball in the back of the net enough. We’ve got to remain defensively hard to break down.”
Work ethic is at the base of Abel’s program.
“It’s something the team can’t leave behind,” Abel said. “As long as the work ethic is elite, we’ll always be fine.”
Sustained success is the long-term goal for Abel. He wants the Ducks in the top 25 and advancing through the tournament every year.
“When you take a job somewhere, you look at what everyone else is doing,” Abel said. “If everyone is struggling, you think maybe this can’t be done. Look at what everyone has done here: women’s basketball, track, football. They’re all pushing to the next level. So, it can be done.”
A lot of people look towards the coaching staff when a program finds new success. Abel wants to make sure the praise goes to where it is due.
“I want to credit our student athletes,” Abel said. “It’s the kids who win games. They’re the ones who have to be invested in making a change. When a new coach comes in there is an upheaval. I think our players have done such a good job at raising their levels.”
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