Anson Dorrance says farewell, shares a final glimpse into the mind of a coaching legend

It’s unclear when exactly Anson Dorrance decided to call it quits. He declined to answer that question directly as it was posed to him multiple times in the coach’s press conference Monday.

But the moment may have crystallized as he sat on the sidelines on Aug. 4 during a preseason exhibition against USL Super League team DC Power.

It was already a dominant showing when Tar Heel Linda Ullmark stripped the ball from the opposing goalie in the 56th minute and nutmegged her to put UNC up 5-0. The Tar Heels went on to win, unofficially, 5-1.

Compared to the way the 2023 season ended — after relinquishing a three-goal lead to Brigham Young with 30 minutes remaining in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals — this seemed a better way to go out. Much more reflective of Dorrance’s “beat-em-to-death” coaching culture.

During the event in the Bowles Room in the Dean E. Smith Center, Dorrance described himself as a hyper-competitive individual through numerous lengthy personal anecdotes. In his first coaching gig, for example, he recruited athletes from local basketball courts to bolster his recreational youth soccer team.

Dorrance went on to build an incomparable collegiate sports dynasty with UNC women’s soccer. His achievements there are well documented — and rightfully so. But what often lurks in the shadows of his 22 national championships is his effusive and eccentric character.

Well, not on Monday.

“I wanted my last game to be beating this professional team [DC Power] to death,” Dorrance said. “And this goes back to that guy that enjoyed beating everyone to death in Rainbow Soccer, so my personality hasn’t changed that much.”

That same competitive mindset extended to Dorrance’s participation in intramural sports as a UNC student. Dorrance described the unique strategies he employed, such as rigorous training and recruiting. He claimed his effort led to a 17-year winning streak for the Teague Residence Hall’s teams. He encouraged his old friend, Freddie Kiger, to stand up in the audience and show off his gray T-shirt. It read, “Teague Dynasty.” Dorrance dedicated more than two minutes of his nearly half-hour speech to the subject.

It’s how the entire afternoon played out. The event felt more like a grandfather reminiscing about the good ol’ days on the front porch than a news conference.

Some of the topics Dorrance touched on were, in no particular order: the story of how he first got hired at UNC; the disarray of his office (“if that desk caught fire, the University would burn to the ground — there’s paper everywhere”); how he almost made the move to coach at Stanford (“If I accepted the job at Stanford, within no time, I would have a 2 handicap in golf because I wouldn’t have to do anything except show up for the games and we would beat everyone to death”); skiing in Switzerland and on and on.

There were quips and jabs. He joked UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham insisted on a higher salary for Dorrance during contract negotiations. He pointed out UNC baseball coach Scott Forbes — seated in the back of the room among an array of colleagues — and reminded him “baseball is the final thing we’ve got to hit” in regards to Directors’ Cup standings. Dorrance, ever the family man, also shouted out his grandchildren.

“I am so impressed with the fact that they haven’t been able to overpower the Valium,” he joked. “They’ve been still the entire press conference.”

A confused, almost hesitant, laughter erupted from the crowd. It wasn’t the first, or the last, of the afternoon.

There were more standard retirement moments, too.

Dorrance recounted his experience with former players, sharing how they consistently pushed him to adapt and evolve. He noted how these interactions helped shape his coaching philosophy. They underscored his belief in constant improvement — Dorrance despised taking vacations longer than a week until this summer — and self-reflection.

What Dorrance didn’t address, at least directly, are some of the criticisms of his storied career. In 1998, former players Melissa Jennings and Debbie Keller filed a sexual harassment lawsuit alleging a pattern of inappropriate behavior. The lawsuit was settled in 2008.

More challenges have bubbled up in Dorrance’s recent seasons. An investigation by The Assembly highlighted ongoing issues within the program, including but not limited to coaching staff instability and a mass exodus of players this past offseason.

Despite this murkiness, Dorrance’s legacy and global impact on the sport remains unmatched.

Current seniors on the team, Tessa Dellarose and Bella Sember, praised Dorrance on Monday.

“He’s built this program at UNC from the ground up, but I think he’s also built women’s soccer from the ground up as well,” Dellarose said. “So we have a lot to be grateful for him and all that he’s done for the sport.”

As Dorrance steps down, interim head coach Damon Nahas will take the reins for the upcoming season. Nahas, who has been with the team for nearly a decade, expressed his commitment to honoring Dorrance’s legacy while bringing his own vision to the program.

It’s a hard act to follow, no doubt. And in his final public performance at the helm of his own women’s soccer dynasty, Dorrance proudly put his showmanship on display one last time.

“What do you do when your whole life exceeds your dreams?” Dorrance said, pausing for dramatic effect. “That’s the way I feel, and I guess now I’m going to find out.”

This story was originally published August 13, 2024 at 6:00 AM.