Defender Pa-Modou Kah started 24 games for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2015—but this year hasn’t yielded quite so many appearances. As the younger Tim Parker has risen to prominence at center back, Kah’s role has diminished, and he’s played only three games for the ’Caps so far this year.

Still, Kah fans should fear not. A new story by Naoko Asano for Sportsnet highlights how he’s still providing crucial support for the team as they struggle through a frustrating start to 2016, with a 3-5-2 record so far. His main role, currently? Providing an unrelentingly positive source of inspiration to younger players who might be less equipped to deal with the season’s setbacks.

“I’ve been where they want to go,” Kah told Asano. “It’s easier that you pass that knowledge to the young people that want to go there too and realize their dreams.”

In fact, he’s formed a special bond with fellow Gambian Kekuta Manneh. They recently spent a long weekend catching crabs on the beach of coastal Washington, and Manneh says he considers Kah’s mentorship a “blessing.”

It’s not surprising, then, that in the same article, he reveals he’s considering a coaching career once his playing days are over. “It’s a game I’ve loved since I was a kid,” he told Asano. “So for me, this is something I love to do, so I have to keep it up.”

Read the whole article on Sportsnet—and watch for Kah’s influence on the field, whether indirect or not, Saturday night when the Whitecaps take on Cascadia Cup rivals the Portland Timbers at home (5 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE).