Guide a youth national team and sacrifice the start of the collegiate season or turn down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

That was the question Virginia coach Steve Swanson faced when he made the choice to take the U.S. U20 WNT head coaching job, missing the start of the 2012 season because of the U20 World Cup held in Japan from mid-August through September.

“I think that it was a tough decision to make when I decided to coach the 20s because of how strongly I feel about Virginia, and how strongly I feel about the team,” Swanson told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “It’s tough to leave your team, it’s tough to try to keep two teams going. But I think that one of the reasons we did it is I feel great about our team here and I feel great about the coaches.” 

That confidence in his assistant coaches – Kerry Dziczkaniec, Ron Raab and Jen Bhalla – paid off. With Swanson coaching the U20 WNT to a World Cup triumph in Japan, that trio combined to guide the Cavaliers through the first nine games of the season, posting an 8-1-0 record in the head coach’s absence.

“I feel they’ve done an excellent job of starting the year and getting us in a position where we’ve got everything to play for here, and full credit to the team, full credit to Ron, Kerry and Jen,” Swanson said. “[I’m] happy to be back, excited about the next month, two months.”

Over that course of the month he spent in Japan, Swanson tried to do his best to keep up with what his Cavaliers were doing. But of course, his primary focus was on the task at hand, trying to find ways to get past opponents like North Korea, Nigeria and Germany.

But thanks to modern technology, he wasn’t totally out of the loop.

“I watched a lot of film through a film exchange, so I was able to do some video [work],” he said. “I was able to Skype a lot with Ron and Kerry. To be fair, you’re so immersed in things over there that it’s hard. And I tried to give Ron and Kerry the reins, and that’s what they had.

“You trust the people that are with you. I tried to stay connected, I would email the team before every game, watch the film, Ron and I spoke pretty closely over the time we were over there. It was really their gig, and they did a good job.”

Swanson, who said it was an “honor” to guide the U20s in their World Cup quest, now faces a different nut to crack – leading a talented Virginia side towards the top of the ACC. His return to Charlottesville has essentially coincided with the start of the conference schedule, meaning his team will have their hands full.

But while the opposition is certain to be demanding, the Cavaliers have players good enough to contend for an ACC crown. Leading the team in the goal-scoring department has been the highly rated freshman Makenzy Doniak, who has 8 goals and 5 assists so far this season. Caroline Miller and Danielle Colaprico compliment Doniak in the final third, while sophomore sensation Morgan Brian is still finding her feet again after joining Swanson on the U20 team in Japan.

After last week’s action, where the Cavaliers dropped a tough 3-1 result on the road against a solid Maryland team, and won against Duke 1-0, the coach wants to see positive progress as the season continues.

“We’ve got a lot to improve on,” Swanson said. “The real difference from great teams and good teams at this point in the season is how well they continue to improve – can they get better. And I think we can get better, our players are working hard at it, and they care an awful lot about it and they’re motivated. I’m excited, excited to be back, excited to work with these players.”

It doesn’t get any easier from here, as Wake Forest visit Charlottesville this coming Friday, before Virginia heads on the road to Florida for games against Miami(w) and Florida State the second weekend of October.