Michael McIntyre has returned to Salina and Kansas Wesleyan as the new women's soccer after serving as the assistant coach last fall.
Confusing as that might seem, McIntyre is back after a six-month hiatus in which he coached women's club soccer at Division I Valparaiso University (Ind.). He also coached boys' club soccer.
Dub him a new familiar head coach, no introductions necessary.
"A lot of (the athletes) do respect my tactical knowledge of the game," said McIntyre, who spent the previous two seasons as KWU's assistant and helped the Coyotes compile a 44-16-6 overall record. "They also respect my instruction on how to help them become better soccer players.
"It's been a huge leg up to not have to build that trust especially with coming in during the summer where you're not able to have them out there training every day."
While short in duration, McIntyre said his time in Indiana was beneficial.
"I learned a lot of patience," he said. "I worked with the collegiate club team and the best thing about that is the people who play do it because they love the game. There's not really too much of an incentive, so they're a group that's there to learn and really wants to grow.
"The talent level varies. You have to be able to reach a wide variety of different athletes. I was able to figure out how to convey the same message through multiple different channels."
It was a similar situation with the 12-to-16-year-old boys' travel teams.
"I coached both a top team and a bottom team in the age group, so obviously the varying levels there," he said. "You can't coach one kid the same way that you coach the other, but you have to give them all the same information."
For McIntyre, the primary adjustment as head coach is being responsible for everything.
"Running eligibility, reaching out to players and making sure that they're getting forms done on time and they know the schedule," he said. "Making the schedule, getting us all on our app, knowing when practices are, when team meetings are, organizing the practices and meetings, and then helping our assistants come in. It's more grab the bull by the horns and let's just go get it done."
KWU was 12-5-3 overall, 10-2-1 in the Kansas Conference a year ago. The Coyotes advanced to the semifinals of the KCAC tournament before losing to Friends 1-0.
Senior midfielder Rylie Moreno-Rojas headlines the cast of returning players after leading the team in goals and assists.
"We hope she can build off her success from last year," McIntyre said. "Good athlete, good technical player, has a lot of skills with the systems that we want to play."
Sophomores Brooklyn Velotta, a forward/midfielder, and defender Kendall Davis are back after seeing significant duty a year ago. Midfielder Carstyn Anderson and center back Lexi Jack return for their senior seasons.
"It's good to have a solid foundation back in the middle of the field," McIntyre said.
He likes what he has seen from some incoming freshmen including forwards Arianna Faulkner and Bianka Wemhoff.
"They scored quite a few goals for their club teams in high school, so we hope that can translate," he said. "We've also got a goalkeeper coming in from Germany, Bianka Waxman, and we're looking forward to seeing her compete with returner (junior) Lauren Schwien.
"I'm always looking forward to having some surprises. (Forward) Talia Walsh decided to use her fifth year, so she'll be returning doing her graduate program. Anytime you can get a bonus year out of someone it's good."
McIntyre is eager to see what newcomer Wendy Zamudio can do. She's a transfer midfielder from Butler Community College.
"When we scrimmaged Butler, she did quite well," he said. "She could be a bit of a force out there."
Mallorie Lund and Laura Kellner will serve as assistant coaches this season.
McIntyre's inaugural team will incorporate the past with the present.
"Overall, we're going to be relatively similar," he said. "Expect to see a very creative team and a very defensive team. We want to put a lot of pressure on teams. We'll be high pressing; that's a little bit of Joe (Schwartz, former coach) and that's going to continue. We're changing both of our formations so I think that will be the main differences."
McIntyre is familiar with the KCAC and has an idea of what to expect, with a caveat.
"There's always a surprise, I think that's something you have to prepare for," he said. "Somebody's going to come in and overperform, somebody's going to come in and underperform."
He tabs perennial power Oklahoma Wesleyan as the team to beat.
"As always, they're the big dog," he said. "Friends has made some good signings, and they've retained some talent as well. Ottawa was toward the bottom last year, but they've got a quality coach that has that program going in the right direction. Evangel had quite a young team but always has a competitive team. And Tabor, you can never count them out. They always find a way to be scrappy, be competitive."