"He groomed every single one of his players. "

"Sharif was a bully and of course you guys are going to him because your kid can’t get what she wants. He is a disgusting human being and treated people differently based on their upbringing. He was the most unfair coach. So he did in fact not take care of your kid. Sharif is a terrible person. The team environment that was “toxic” was created and appreciated by sharif. Things were absolutely out of control and it is very clear that the people defending him are doing him favors and don’t know the half of it/looking the other way so their kid gets what they want. He knows ball, but at what price are you willing to pay? "

"Why are there no negative choices? He was fired from Upstate for abusing his players. Over 4 years they were to afraid to come forward. He threatened their scholarships and their playing time. I got my daughter the hell out of there. Upstate administration covered it up. He is a bully, narcissistic, lying, manipulative rat bastard. "

"My experience playing under Coach Sharif Saber was one of the most damaging experiences of my life. I entered the program as a freshman excited to compete, grow, and be part of what should have been a supportive team environment, a home away from home. Instead, it became an environment marked by fear, favoritism, intimidation, and emotional exhaustion. By the middle of my sophomore year, approximately 75% of the freshman class I entered with had quit the program. That is not a statistic that should be ignored. This was not simply a matter of athletes being unable to handle the demands of college soccer. It reflected a culture that made many players feel unsafe, unsupported, and devalued. Coach Saber operated heavily through favoritism. If you were among the few players he chose to invest in, I can understand how your experience may have looked very different. But if you were not in that select group, you were often treated as though your effort, worth, and humanity held little value. Players were degraded, threatened with physical and verbal punishment, and routinely made to feel that fear was an acceptable coaching tool. Some people may argue that a coach’s primary job is to win games. But winning should never excuse the methods used to get there. Threats, intimidation, humiliation, and fear are not game-winning tactics, they are failures of leadership. The true measure of a coach is not just the scoreboard, but how they lead, develop, and influence the athletes placed under their care. It matters how a coach wins. In my college experience, the environment created under Coach Saber prioritized control over development, favoritism over fairness, and intimidation over mentorship. No athlete should have to fear the person responsible for guiding their growth. What made this experience even more troubling were the comments and attitudes that made it clear certain players were judged differently based on their background, upbringing, or identity. Those patterns were noticed, felt, and deeply damaging. A person in a position of authority over young women carries immense responsibility, and in my experience, Coach Saber was not fit for that responsibility. Soccer was something I loved deeply before college. My experience in this program did not strengthen that passion, it ruined it. No athlete should walk away from the sport they love feeling stripped of confidence, safety, or self-worth because of the culture created by a coach. If you are a prospective player, parent, or recruit researching this coach, I encourage you to look beyond records and wins. Ask former players difficult questions. Examine retention. Pay attention to culture. A winning record means very little if it comes at the expense of the wellbeing, dignity, and development of the athletes behind it."

"Sharif Saber ruined my college experience and I don’t take that lightly. It appears that after leaving mid year from his last school, he has also mysteriously “left” mid year from his next program. Sharif used intense bullying tactics and total disregard for players he did not find valuable. Not only were value opinions deemed early on for individuals worth in the program, from there on out, experiences were vastly different. A select group of starters probably truly DID have a great experience. However, behind closed doors in meeting and even in practices, the verbal torment was inexcusable for a young girl on her own for the first time. Many teammates from both schools recount the same. Sharif used manipulative tactics and bullying to pit players against one on other on AND off the field, and never held up to his word, nor cared. Sharif only cared/cares about Sharif, and getting another accolade to his name and he was extremely clear on this. Sharif is a master at singling out individuals, beyond normal chastise to encourage improvement, and regularly attacking and beating them down, until little to no self worth is left at all. Multiple teammates report extensive false promises, and a constant rollercoaster of emotions being let down continuously. Sharif understands the game, and I’m glad to see others admit that. Unfortunately, this is able to cover up a lot of what goes on behinds the scenes. Sharif used personal details against you, and would prey on your insecurity to push the envelope further, even encouraging players to enter the transfer portal. This is all my experience based opinion, however I have countless ex-teammates who can and do substantiate this."

"Although this coach is no longer with the program, I still feel it is important to share our experience for the sake of future players and families navigating the college recruiting process. The environment during my daughter’s time there was emotionally unhealthy and, at times, toxic. Players were often spoken to in demeaning ways, including being called ‘stupid,’ and many felt constantly torn down rather than supported or developed. There also seemed to be an atmosphere that created division among teammates instead of trust and unity. What was most concerning was that players who confided personal or family struggles sometimes felt those vulnerabilities were later used against them. For young women away from home, that can be incredibly damaging. College athletics should absolutely challenge athletes and hold them accountable, but there is a major difference between strong coaching and emotional mistreatment. I share this not out of bitterness, but because I think parents and young women deserve to ask deeper questions about culture, communication, and emotional well-being when choosing a program."

"Sure, I’ll play… After years of witnessing this man’s conduct towards myself as well as his athletes and colleagues alike, I am grateful to see so many voices come forward and share their similar experiences. Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Yes, he’s an intelligent coach who knows how to win. And yes, I’m certain there are individual athletes, parents and colleagues for whom he has genuine care and have been spared his poor treatment. Those experiences, however, don’t negate what others, including myself, have witnessed. The language used in this thread is strong, but the number of people describing similar treatment is difficult to ignore. Whether it’s five percent of us or 50 percent, the consistency in these accounts suggests these are not isolated incidents or temporary lapses in judgment, but part of a broader pattern of behavior, particularly concerning for someone in a trusted position of authority and influence over vulnerable young athletes. "

"As someone who has known this man for a long time. He is an absolute monster. I am disappointed to see some athletes and parents dismissing his abusive behavior towards the team. Sharif absoultley is the smarted coach I have ever had, he knows tactics like no other. Its unfortunate to see someone abuse their power. He knew what he was doing, he lies and lies and lies. You can not believe anything he says to you and he puts people in horrific situations just to see how they react. He is a dangerous person. There is no denying he was trying to teach us lessons. But callings us "fucking idiots" was not a way to do that. Dividing us politically was not a way to do that. Purposley giving his players anxiety is not a way to do that. Kicking people out of practice, and suspending people for no reason was not a way to do that. Digging for information about players lives to later use it against them was not a way to do that. He is a pathalogical liar and has hurt so many people. These young girls were afraid to say anything for years. So to the parent and the few athletes who continue to stick up for a man who did this to himself is beyond me and its sick behavior. Theres two sides to every story and hate to break to you but saying people were sad over playing time is a complete lie considering we had captains and and 9/11 starters afraid of him. "

"Manipulative coach used players trauma against them. Got suspended for saying a racial slur (cherry on top) full investigation went on because he was full on abusive. Team culture was awful he made the girls turn against each other and would say “we have no where else to go” and that he was a dictator. "

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"Manipulative Not trustworthy "

"Sharif Saber was the worst coach I have ever had. "