"Having worked alongside Sharif for six years I am glad to have the opportunity to share what I witnessed day in and day out in our department. Sharif is an exceptional coach and a consummate professional. He invests an extraordinary amount of time into his players' holistic development pushing them to excel tactically while steadfastly supporting their academic and personal growth. In an industry where pressures are high, he maintains a high ethical compass and fosters a team culture rooted in accountability and mutual respect. He was an incredible asset to our athletic department, always willing to help or lead, and any university would be fortunate to have his leadership. Wish he was an AD so I could work for him."

"Playing for Sharif was intense. He's extremely demanding and constantly challenges you. For players who wanted to be great, he was the absolute best ever, for those who couldn't handle relentless high standards on and off the field, he definitely grinded on them. But no matter how hard he pushed, he always supported you and helped you through it no matter what. What made Sharif different was his authenticity. As a minority player, I spent years dealing with microaggressions and stereotypes. Being labeled. When he shared his story about growing up Muslim and his family's struggles around 9/11, that raw vulnerability changed everything. It connected us on a deeper level about what it means to navigate a world that boxes you in. He also adds diversity to all his rosters just look. Now that I'm coaching, I realize how rare his impact is. Sharif has remained a constant resource to this day always a text or phone call away when I need guidance. He taught me how to turn our shared resilience into power, and he leads with absolute integrity."

"Coach Saber is the only reason my daughter went to Upstate. He recruited her out of HS, promised us he'd take care of her away from home and actually meant it. He built that entire program from nothing. NOTHING. When he left I told her to get out and transfer immediately. She stayed because of her friends and now she's stuck dealing with a coach that doesn't care about the players at all. They lie, cheat, and bully players. The administration fed everyone a line of garbage about where the program was heading. If you're looking at Upstate now don't bother. Lies. If Sharif is coaching somewhere else send your kid to play for him right now. As a mom he was the best coach my kid ever had. He's a winner and he actually looks out for the families."

"Coming into college I was honestly terrified I wouldn't be able to keep up with the physical and mental demands. But playing for Coach Saber completely changed my perspective. He didn't just help me adjust to the college game he gave me the space to actually find my confidence on the field. What means the most to me is that he treats us like people first and athletes second. Every practice and film session is designed to make you better and you can tell he genuinely cares about our future long after we graduate. He will push you to your limits, and you won't always like him, but he cares about you. Choosing this program was the best decision I’ve ever made and I wouldn’t trade my teammates or coaches for anything."

"Coach is genuinely goated. He gives his all for the squad and makes you actually want to grind for him. If you ever get the chance to play for him, do it. He'll push you to go crazy on the field and always has your back off it."

"Coach Saber is legit. Practices are super intense and high-paced, but he actually takes the time to help you fix your mistakes instead of just yelling from the sideline. Cares about you too. Super grateful for everything he did for my development."

"Coach Sharif Saber set a pretty high standard for me as an athlete. I transferred programs, and I’ve had a lot of people ask how the new program compares. I don’t really think it’s fair to say one is better than the other and I’m not trying to make this a review of my current program. But I will say that what I had with Coach Saber was hard to replace. He was big on details, consistency, and actually holding you accountable. If something wasn’t good enough, he didn’t pretend it was. At the time I definitely didn’t appreciate every correction, but looking back, I get it. He was making us better because he loved us. I also think he was really good at knowing his athletes. He knew what he could get out of me and didn’t lower the standard just because something was difficult. My current program has been a good experience in its own way, but the level of coaching and the expectations I was used to with Coach Saber are not really the same. That’s probably the biggest adjustment for me. I’m glad I got the chance to be coached by him. Definitely one of those things you appreciate more after you leave."

"I’ve had enough coaches at this point to know that “good coach” can mean a lot of different things. Some are good at tactics. Some are good at motivation. Some are good at recruiting. Some are good at making everyone terrified of them lol. Sharif was different because he somehow paid attention to all the stuff that most coaches don’t notice. He could spend an entire film session talking about one run that nobody else even remembered happening. Then after practice he’d ask you about an exam you had the next morning or whether your family was okay. It wasn’t this fake “I care about you as a person” thing either. You could tell pretty quickly whether a coach actually knows his players or just knows their GPS numbers and stats. He was demanding. Like, really demanding. There were definitely days when I thought he was insane and wondered why I was paying tuition to told to make a run over and over again. But the older I get, the more I understand what he was doing. He didn’t lower the standard because you were having a bad day. He just helped you figure out how to manage and thrive. The thing I remember most isn't a win or a speech. It's that he noticed people. If someone was struggling, he usually knew before they said anything. If someone was doing something well, he noticed that too. He also wasn't above admitting when he got something wrong, which sounds small until you've played for enough coaches to realize how rare that actually is. And he didn't seem particularly interested in being the most important person in the room. He wanted the players to be. That's probably the best way I can explain why playing for him mattered to me. I don't think I left his program just being a better soccer player. I left being much more aware of the kind of teammate, student, and person I wanted to be. Would absolutely play for him again. Even on the days I would've preferred to throw my cleats into traffic."

"Coach Sharif has had a huge impact on my career. Years ago, when I was a GA, we met at a game after he heard me talking with some other coaches on the sideline. He introduced himself, we started talking, and he's been in my corner ever since. I was just a young coach trying to figure things out and he took the time to help me without me ever asking. Since then he's connected me with people, helped me get multiple coaching jobs, answered random calls and texts when I needed advice, helped me negotiate contracts, and has always wanted to see me succeed. He's never expected anything in return. He just genuinely enjoys helping people succeed. I honestly don't think I'd be where I am today without his mentorship. Having someone believe in you that early in your career makes a bigger difference than people realize. I'll always be grateful for everything he's done for me and I hope every coach gets someone in their corner the way I did with him."

"There are people who teach you how to play a sport and then there are people who change the way you see yourself. Sharif is the second one. I still think about the day I was ready to give up after one of the hardest seasons of my life. You looked at me and said, "Don't let one moment decide who you become." I carried those words into every practice, every game, and honestly into life outside of soccer too. Thank you for believing in me before I fully believed in myself and for showing me what resilience really looks like. I'll always be grateful for the impact you've had on my life."

"Just gotta give a big shoutout to Coach Sharif. This summer was honestly a total game-changer for me. It was my first time working with him and he really helped me build so much confidence I didn’t even know I had. Since I got back to my DI program, my coaches keep telling me how good I’m looking in pre-season and honestly, I owe a lot of that to Sharif. He’s one of the best out there no doubt. I see why he won so much and I definitely wish he was my college coach, but I’m just real grateful for what he’s done for me."

"Love this guy. Coach Saber is one of the few coaches I've had who actually cared about us as people not just as athletes. He was always looking out for our grades and making sure we were handling business outside of our sport too. What really showed me the kind of person he is was during the hurricane in September 2024. We lost power the school didn't have food for us for two days and everybody was just trying to figure things out. Coach had the whole team come over to his house with whatever food we had left and grilled everything so nobody went hungry. He made sure we had food and water and as far as I know we were the only team being taken care of until the school finally got everything together. He also checked in with us on mental health days and actually meant it. It wasn't just something he had to do. He wanted to know how we were doing and would make sure we knew where all the school resources were for help. On top of all that he's an incredible coach. I improved more playing for him than I ever had before. He pushed us hard but always had our backs. I'd play for Coach Saber again in a heartbeat."

"Sharif is honestly just a great coach. You can tell he's really passionate about what he does and he genuinely cares about all of his players. He always takes the time to help everyone and is super committed to the team. He crazy intelligent and always looks for the smallest edge. He pays attention to the little things, which makes a big difference. He makes an effort to make everyone feel included and valued. He's also really easy to talk to and get along with, unless you aren't giving 100% or doing your best, which creates such a competitive environment. I'm really grateful I had the chance to be coached by him. If I had to mention something, I'd say he can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes because he pays so much attention to the little details. He also has pretty high expectations, but I think that's just because he really believes in his players and wants everyone to improve."

"Sharif is a fantastic coach and an even better person. I learned more from him than I ever expected. He just sees the game differently. We used to joke that with his big round head, he was the soccer version of MegaMind, but honestly it fit because he always seemed to know exactly what was happening on the field before anyone else did. What meant the most to me was the way he cared about us as people, not just as players. He always made sure we were taken care of, pushed us to be better, and held everyone to the same standard, including himself. If he made a mistake, he owned it. We even had him doing "fat man laps" a few times because he believed coaches should be accountable too. One moment I'll never forget was after a really tough loss. We were all crushed, and instead of blaming us or making excuses, he told us the loss was on him. I had never had a coach do that before or since. That showed me more about his character than anything else ever could. If you ever get the chance to play for Sharif, take it. Y'all won't find many coaches who will teach you as much about soccer or care as much about the people they're coaching. Looking back, I'm really thankful I got the opportunity to play for him."

"Man, y'all got my guy out here sounding like he some evil Bond villain or something. None and I mean none of that mess is true. I coached in the same school as him and I know the kind of man he is. He fought for those young ladies every single day and he fought just as hard for his staff. Shoot, he even went to bat for athletes in other programs when he thought they needed somebody in their corner. This is a man who changed practice schedules so the trainers could get home to their families, so players could work their jobs, and so they could make it to church. We used to clown him because he let one of his best players miss offseason practice to be in a university play. Not only did he let her do it, he had the whole team go support her. I've been coaching a long time, and I can count on one hand the folks I've been around with a coaching mind like Sharif's. That man is a coaching genius. He sees the game two or three steps ahead of everybody else, and that's something you can't teach. But that mess is getting lost because of this mess? Now folks talking about he racist. Come on now. The man is a minority coach who shared his own life experiences with his players. He was always trying to help young people grow, not tear anybody down. Then they want to call him abusive. I never saw that. No one did ever. What we saw was a coach that loved his players, cared about his staff, and held folks accountable. Nowadays people act like accountability is abuse. It ain't. What most people don't know is he was carrying a whole lot on his shoulders behind the scenes. His family was going through some things and he even had a cancer scare himself. That's a big reason why he decided it was time to leave. The folks that really know him already know what kind of man he is."

"He did have favorites. He did treat players differently. He did suspend players. He did kick players out of the program. He suspended players for bullying teammates. For partying instead of taking care of their responsibilities. For lying about skipping class. In one case, a captain verbally went after a coach during practice. Turns out actions have consequences. And yes, he had favorites. He literally told us that. His favorite players were the ones who worked hard, cared about their teammates, went to class, stayed eligible, and busted their asses to get better. If you were lazy, constantly created drama, lied, or refused to be part of the team, you weren't one of them. Crazy how that works. He looked out for the people who were doing the right things. Every junior and senior got scholarship increases. Players whose careers ended because of injury stayed on full scholarship and got the same increases as everyone else because he wanted them to finish school and stay part of the program. Coach cared about us, expected accountability, and rewarded people who earned it. Best coach ever!!!!!!"

"Baldy was my third of four college coaches, and I played for him for two years before transferring to finish my graduate degree. Without a doubt, he had the biggest impact on me as both a player and a person. He is a tactical genius. I've never been around a coach who saw the game the way he does. He has an incredible ability to break down opponents, make adjustments during games, and put his players in positions to succeed. Every training session had a purpose, and every detail mattered. He completely changed the way I saw soccer and taught me to think about the game on a much deeper level. Looking back, I honestly believe he could coach at the Power Four level without question. He demanded a lot from us, but he never expected anything he wasn't willing to give himself. He cared deeply about every player and was constantly going to bat for us, even when we didn't realize it. At the time, it's easy to get frustrated because he pushes you so hard and refuses to let you settle for less than your best. As I've gotten older, I've realized those were the moments that helped me grow the most. The lessons I learned from him went far beyond soccer. He challenged me to be more disciplined, more accountable, and more resilient in every part of my life. The older I get, the more I appreciate everything he was trying to teach us. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to play for him, and I can honestly say Sharif was the best coach I've ever had. "

"I have worked in college athletics for over 30 years and have been an administrator at USC Upstate throughout Coach Sharif Saber's tenure. I know what happened, I know how our department operates, and I know the coach. Coach Saber resigned for family reasons. That is the truth. During his time here, Coach Saber served on DEI initiatives, university hiring committees, and Big South Conference committees focused on student-athlete welfare. Those are not positions given to someone whose conduct raises legitimate concerns. If anything, Coach Saber frustrated people internally because he was relentless in asking for more for his student-athletes. He pushed for additional resources, more academic opportunities, stronger support systems, and a better overall experience. Sometimes that made conversations uncomfortable, but his focus was always on improving the program for his players. His players represented the department on leadership committees, worked with the Chancellor's office, participated in campus initiatives, and had a voice in decisions that affected student life. His players were also leadership examples across the Big South which is well documented. Those opportunities did not happen by accident. They happened because he believed his players should leave college better prepared for life than when they arrived. Coaches do not work in isolation. Athletic trainers are at training sessions. Strength and conditioning staff are with the teams. Administrators are around the program. Meetings are documented. We are all mandatory reporters. If anyone witnesses conduct that threatens the welfare of a student-athlete, there is both a legal and institutional obligation to report it. People should ask themselves a simple question. How could someone supposedly engage in this behavior over four years while working every day around administrators, athletic trainers, sports medicine staff, strength coaches, compliance personnel, and other university employees without a documented pattern emerging? That simply does not reflect the reality of how a Division I athletic department functions. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of a coach. Not every player enjoys every coaching style, and disagreements happen on every team in the country. But there is a significant difference between saying a coach was demanding and making serious accusations that are inconsistent with what those of us inside the department witnessed and the vast, vast majority of his players experienced. The Coach Saber I worked with advocated for his players, challenged our department to improve, and continued supporting former players long after they left campus. All while operating within all NCAA rules. That is the individual I know. "

"When all this mess started last year I told my daughter to stay out of it. All the girls were told they could talk if they wanted to, but my wife and I told her to stay out of the mess because too many on her team were toxic. When Sharif resigned to take care of his family, we actually met with Dr. Harris and Matt Martin we were told our daughter’s scholarship would be honored. The new guy comes in and immediately cuts a chunk of the team, which we thought was fine because even though most of the issues had graduated (I’ve heard one is coaching now, so good luck to those people), some still remained. We thought administration was cleaning out the group that cost us the best coach in the country. Then we went through spring where the new guy tells the girls how bad they are, how dumb they are, and how the seniors were no good and he would have gotten rid of them too. He cut my injured daughter late in the spring just to open a roster spot. It felt like he just wanted all of the old team out. After that, we entered the portal and the new guy was already trashing my kid to other coaches. We reached out to Sharif after he had been gone for seven months. I never would have expected what happened next. He didn’t bash anyone. He spoke highly of all his former players and of Upstate. Within a day we had a MLS physician’s office reaching out to get my daughter evaluated, along with over fifteen emails and texts from college coaches around the country. That man sacrificed for his players, and he is still looking out for and protecting them. He is a great man."

"I got cut, simple as that, and at the time I was so mad and took it personally like my whole soccer future just got shut down and it was hit fault. But what I didn’t expect was how kept following up to check on me. He sat me down, told me he knew I wouldn't, and still helped me figure out what to do next like I wasn’t just some throwaway player. He even told me not to rush into signing a lease because he knew I might transfer and didn’t want me stuck paying for something I couldn’t get out of, which honestly saved me from a bad situation. And I was in a really demanding major that could have lost credit hours if I stayed longer. He still made sure I had spring film because my fall wasn’t great and that helped me a lot moving forward. I’m not saying everyone had the same experience with him because Sharif would match your energy. The ones that asked for help got it and if you didn't you didn't. He was always there for us. I’m just saying what I lived through doesn’t match what’s being posted online and both versions can’t really be the full truth at the same time. His biggest mistake was giving too many "Jessicas" too many chances. "

"I need to get this off my chest. I was part of the group that lied about Coach Sharif, and I can’t take back what we did, but I finally opened up to my family about the full story and I feel like I at least need to speak out. Sharif told us all the time how much he loved us. He challenged us when we weren’t believing in ourselves, when we weren’t living up to our potential because he saw how amazing we were. He looked for ways to help our families with scholarships, set up tutors for those struggling academically, and protected players who made mistakes so we could learn from them as life lessons. He also allowed mental health days where we could take off from training with no questions asked, we just had to do a physical walk into the office so he knew we were safe. He never pressured us or pried into our lives, and he always said, “only tell me what you are comfortable with.” Every year he reminded us of our core values and player rules because it was our program, and he cared about our growth on and off the field. He even baked for us and brought candy on Halloween, always taking into account allergies or medical conditions to make sure everyone could enjoy it safely. There is one captain who bullied younger players into lying, told us that if we defended Sharif we would be outcasts, and rallied players who were suspended for partying, lying, or yelling at coaches to claim they were mistreated. Some even spread nonsense about Sharif being “too white” to be Muslim, which is disgusting and completely false. About him leaving his last school mysteriously, here is an actual article from that school thanking him and showing how much they valued him: https://umotrojans.com/story.aspx?filename=womens-soccer-saber-resigns-accepts-head-coach-position-at-usc-upstate&file_date=12-9-2021&path=womenswrestling. Ninety percent of the team called him or went to his house within days of his leaving. He loved us, supported us, and was always there. Sharif never bullied anyone, never used personal information against us, and never attacked us beyond coaching. He built us up, cared about us as people, and was always honest. Sharif loved us, supported us, and showed it in ways that mattered. "

"I just graduated and played for Coach Sharif for four years. He pushed us to be our best but always put the team first. He checked in on our mental health, our families, and anything we needed, not just soccer. Over the summer he would text us to see how we were doing, celebrated our GPAs in the group chat, helped set up internships, and always had us set the standard for the school. He wanted us out front and in the public eye because he wanted everyone to see how amazing we are, like he sees us. He gave us mental health days to recharge and showed us how to balance being a student athlete because he knew it could be stressful and he wanted us to enjoy the experience. He let us pick home game themes to support causes we cared about like Adopt a Pup, cancer awareness, and suicide prevention, and he always made sure our voices were heard. He never gossiped or spoke negatively about anyone and always kept the focus on the team. He challenged us when we weren’t believing in ourselves or living up to our potential but always built us up at the same time. He protected players when mistakes happened and turned them into learning moments. He made it clear that the program and the team came first, and worked to make sure everyone’s efforts were recognized, even advocating for awards to honor the whole team. He would get choked up at meetings and we’d tease him for being emotional, but it just showed how much he cared. We’d leave game film fired up and excited, and honestly we loved playing for him. The lies spread by a small group cost us not only another championship but hurt the whole program, and the new coaches don’t want anything to do with those players. Sharif loved us, supported us, checked in on us constantly, and always had our backs. "

"My experience with Sharif was different than some of what I am seeing here. He was always open and honest with players and set a culture that was built on standards for excellence. We always worked hard, but there was also real sense of family that created a lot of good times through that hard work. We probably did not have conference-winning talent on the team, but we were able to do so. I don't think many other coaches could have gotten the results Sharif did or built the kind of team mentality that he did. I was never on a team that worked so well together. While we had some differences among players, there was a unified goal that he instilled into us. I would not have wanted to play for another coach. Sharif was always there for me whether it was about soccer or school work or career advice. He is great coach and person!"

"Best coach I’ve ever had. Worked with me to make me a better player and person and cared about my future. He definitely got more out of the team than anyone thought he would. Just a great individual!"

"Excellent coach who takes a personal interest in his players. Sharif works to get the best out of them and build a successful team culture. Like any coach, some players don't get the playing time they want under him or might have punished for breaking team rules, but one of Shairf's big things is about accountability to the team. That's part of the great thing he builds within his groups as no one is above the team. That's why his teams always have great dynamics within the group and why he has consistently been able to get the best out of his players. He pushes his players to be better technically and tactically and to push themselves to achieve. Bottomline: Great coach, great person and he wins. That's a hard combination to find. "