Buffkin Excited To Take Over Stone Soccer

After three head coaches in three years, Stone Memorial Girls Soccer head Coach Madison Buffkin heads into the season determined to establish her brand of coaching on the program.

The Cumberland County native grew up playing soccer for rec leagues and played in high school at Cumberland County. When the position opened, Buffkin said the job interested her as an opportunity to pay it forward.

“I definitely think giving back to something that meant so much to me. Soccer during high school was probably one of my most memorable times,” Buffkin said. “Having that family and those girls and knowing that those are people that I can always go to no matter what in the future. I want these girls to have that program to go to themselves.”

While she lacks official coaching experience, Buffkin spent eight years as a soccer referee for Crossville Recreational Youth Soccer Association. She earned back-to-back referee of the season awards for her work with the U-8 division. She said that she expects being a college-aged woman with both playing and officiating experience will help her connect to her players better than a male coach.

“I think as a guy coach, now in today’s world, there’s a lot of tip-toeing and you don’t know all that you can and can’t do. So, I think being a girl coach helps with that,” Buffkin said. “And also just, not that guys don’t understand the girls, but I think the girls think they’re more understood from a girl coach. So, I think that will end up helping in the long run.”

With the incoming senior class having gone through three coaches already, Buffkin said it was her goal to bring some stability to Stone girl’s soccer. And in her off-season with the team, she said it is clear to see her team’s desire to win.

“They are ready for this change. Ready for someone to actually invest in their program, that wants to be there, they want to put in the work and they want to be the best that they can,” Buffkin said. “They’re very willing to show up and do what needs to be done. So, that’s very exciting as a coach to have a team that you can go in and know they are coachable and want to be there and want to participate.”

Buffkin said she pushed her players harder than they have ever been pushed during the off-season. With strength and conditioning being a focus, she said she expects to see a physically and mentally tough team on the field this fall.

With the season just weeks away, Buffkin is less concerned on the x’s and o’s and is looking at the broader scope.

“I definitely want people to see that we are family. We are out there together as one, we will play as one, we will win as one and we will lose as one,” Buffkin said. “I definitely want people to see that and know that do we love soccer? Yes. And, do we want to win soccer? Yes. But this is also a bigger picture, building the future for these girls.”