What does it take to turn around a program, to make winning not only possible, but expected? Sure, it’s said coaches are only as good as their players, but the secret to winning is sometimes something so simple yet so hard to create. Something just as hard to create as it is to turn around a program like NMSU soccer itself. It’s something head coach Rob Baarts has worked hard to create over his eight years in Las Cruces.
“Belief,” Baarts said. “I don’t think our players knew what it was like to compete at at national level, maybe to compete at a regional level, but not at a national level. When we came in, we were coming in with a national mentality. We want to beat the USCs, the Florida States, and [the] UCLAs. And in order to do that, you have to build belief.”
Baarts’ words sound similar to those that came from the mouth of another manager who took over a football team that had become a losing one. Liverpool fans remember fondly the message delivered by Jurgen Klopp that day he took over as ‘the normal one’ and more specifically, his message to the supporters and players.
“We need to turn doubters into believers,” Klopp said.
A crucial aspect of development is raising the standard, and if there is one thing the Manchester United supporting coach knows, it’s how to win. As a player at the University of Portland, Baarts played four years for the Pilots from 1987-90, where he led the team to an undefeated season in 1988 as well as the program’s first NCAA final four appearance that same year.
His success did not stop as a player. In his 12 years coaching the men’s and women’s teams at the University of Portland, he was able to coach national team players at Megan Rapinoe in the United States and Christine Sinclair in Canada.
“That team, that group from the early 90’s to the mid 2010s, it was super special.” Baarts said.
After moving to San Jose State University, Baarts led the Spartans to their first regular season Mountain West conference title in 2017. An accomplishment he would replicate six years later with the Aggies in Conference USA.
“I think our group here right now is probably one of the best groups we’ve had at New Mexico State,” he said, “[It] ranks right in there with our best team at San Jose State for sure.”
But that change to supporters and fans takes time and patience, however the gradual improvement was clear. When he was hired in 2018, he began with two wins, then four wins in 2019, five in 2020, nine in 2021, and 13 in 2022.
“And it took us a few years to get them to understand what it takes to do that,” Baarts said. “And once we started getting that, then we went and played those teams. Then once we got better understanding what that is to compete at that highest level, we now became a better team.”
Players also felt the change in standards the longer Baarts was in charge.
“I think seeing the standard rise from when I first got here freshman year, it’s been unbelievable,” forward Loma McNeese said. “Seeing it firsthand within the coaching staff as well, like, holding the girls accountable for what the standard is now has been just a really cool process to be a part of.”
The transformation became complete five years later. The team was able to storm their way through the WAC conference tournament until finally reaching the top of the mountain and hoisting their first trophy after beating Utah Valley 1-0 in Seattle off a 44-minute Tati Jerman goal.
Even though getting to the top is difficult, staying there is much more difficult according to Baarts.
“Now it’s little adjustments to stay there, and those fine-tuning adjustments are much more difficult to come by,” he said. “We have a lot of players in this group that know how to get that win in and so they help teach that next player.”
A good culture is one the most important elements. Players disciplining themselves to maintain the winning ways so, “it doesn’t even have to come from the coaches,” the coach said. This is where good leadership from the upper class-men and team captains comes in as well that helps pass off the culture to freshman, he mentioned.
The culture change is felt by the new class of freshman.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, like obviously the bar’s high and we’re trying to get there again and it’s been fun playing against these big teams,” freshman defender Ariana Ellison said. “It’s more fun to play when it’s a more competitive atmosphere.”
It’s shown over the past two seasons the hard work has paid off, with Baarts becoming the all-time winningest head coach in program history. His 13 wins in 2022 raised his total to 33, and he has only been building on that successes since.
After a 2023 campaign that added another regular season title and a coach of the year win to his resumé, the team’s seven wins in the 2024 season have extended the record to 50 and counting.
In the never-ending recruiting cycle that comes with the job of college coaching, he makes it a point to not sell the school, but instead, sell his coaching style to future Aggies.
“Sometimes you go play for a school, well you’re not playing for a school, you’re playing for me, and if you enjoy what I do,” he said. “We have a beautiful pitch, we have great facility for conditioning, we have great academics. We have everything that you need to succeed. Understand that you’re coming to play for me, and I just happen to be at New Mexico State.”
