Three high school soccer coaches, with more than 60 years of experience in Howard County, have retired since the end of the 2005 fall season.
Bill Stara at River Hill, Dave Nesbitt at Wilde Lake and Rick Bantz at Hammond have all decided to step down as boys? soccer coaches.
“I think all coaches get to a point when they realize it is time to move on and let somebody else take over,” Stara said.
Stara has coached soccer in Howard County since 1982, and had been a head coach since 1983. He won seven state titles with River Hill, including one last fall, and seven with Centennial.
Stara plans to become the full-time director of the Loudoun (County) Soccer Club in Virginia. Matt Shagogue will be the new River Hill head coach.
“It is time to get some new blood in there,” Nesbitt said. Nesbitt had been the head coach at Wilde Lake for 17 years, and will be replaced by Matthew Pickett.
Nesbitt serves as a technical director for a soccer association in Columbia and may volunteer at Towson University this fall. “I am going to miss seeing the young guys? maturation process,” Nesbitt said.
Bantz, a teacher who has coached soccer and lacrosse in Howard County since 1981, is being replaced by Jeff Reinohl. Hammond made a Class 2A state championship appearance under Bantz last fall. “It was not fun for me anymore,” said Bantz, a former Oakland Mills varsity assistant.
What was the problem for Bantz? “It is not the kids,” he said. “It is the school system. We need more professional treatment.”
“The powers that be mean well. They think that they are doing the right thing, but they never ask us how we can do anything differently,” Bantz said. Bantz, for instance, would like to see an improved support system for teachers.
Mike Williams, the coordinator of athletics for Howard County, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Centennial?s successful girls? soccer coach Mike Senisi also stepped down recently after winning two straight county championships.
THE NEW GUARD
» The new coaches at Hammond, River Hill and Wilde Lake were all promoted from within Howard County. Jeff Reinohl comes from the Howard J.V. program, Matt Shagogue came from Reservoir?s J.V. boys? soccer team, and Matthew Pickett moves up to Wilde Lake?s varsity program after two years as the junior varsity head coach.
» Bill Stara was the only coach River Hill High School has known. Stara retires after reeling off four straight state titles. Stara?s son, Matt, is a senior at River Hill.
