Story and photos by Chet Piotrowski Jr.
Mattoon’s new boys varsity coach looked the part.
Effingham native Alex Carie was unmistakably seen pacing the sidelines throughout the match adorned in the school colors on his ball cap and on a shirt with a pen through the collar.
The Green Wave looked listless against Effingham in the first half, allowing the Hearts two first half goals. Mattoon hadn’t conceded two goals to Effingham in a match in four years.
Carie tried to motivate his team.
Carie takes over for the retired Ryan Ghere who spent more than two decades coaching the boys and girls soccer teams.
“I am a competitor. I enjoy the challenge of following Ryan,” he said. “I know the expectations for this program are high, and I look forward to taking that head on. I know it will be different for some of the returning players but I have a good coaching staff around me in Craig Henness and Ryan Croy that understand the expectations of the Mattoon soccer program.”
It was a vocal first half for the new charge, talking up his players on and off the field as well as communicating with his assistant coaches. He wasn’t pleased with what he was seeing.
“My message this season is going to be similar to those of years past,” he said. “I am going to expect our players to work hard, continue to pay attention to the fundamental details of the game, and to be very coachable. I will also expect all of our athletes to demonstrate and show good sportsmanship no matter the circumstances. I am coaching soccer, but these are also life lessons for their futures beyond the soccer field.”
The second half started as much as the first half ended. The boys couldn’t manage a shot on goal despite being given two direct kicks at midfield off Effingham yellow cards and a Jace Gardner drive down the bench sideline that came within 15 yards of Effingham goaltender Xander Marler.
Outside of trying to keep the referees attentive to the increasing feistiness of play, Carie became quiet. He looked pensive.
The ball cap was flipped with the bill going to the back. More pacing ensued with his chin resting in his hand – examining the match attentively like a general perched on his steed overseeing the battlefield. The ball cap was flipped again, staying that way the rest of the match.
As the final horn sounded and the Green Wave fell to 2-5, some of the players returned to the bench visibly upset, tossing their gear in disgust and questioning how they could have lost to Effingham – a team they haven’t lost to in almost a decade and having a 43-1 goal advantage since the COVID19 shortened season.
If the team thought they were going to get off with just a pat on the back and soft soothing words from the new coach during their post-game analysis, they were sorely mistaken.
Carie erupted not menacingly but with an assertive voice, asking them to correct their mistakes within the week – like throw-ins going back and not forward, something he asked them why they did when it was never taught that way – or the coaching staff was going to do it for them. He walked away.
An assistant coach took over with a milder tone. Four paces later, Carie stopped, turned around and went back to the huddle. He issued them another challenge and walked away to assess the junior varsity players as they warmed up.
“I get buy-in as a new coach by holding all players accountable to a high level,” he said. “My coaching style is a holistic style of coaching. I try to act as a positive role model and exhibit productive behaviors that shows my athletes that I can be trusted. My philosophy is that when players feel understood and are encouraged to try new things, that creates a confidence that they can bring with them on the field and in life. I am here to coach soccer, but am hopeful that the things they learn from me are things that they can carry with them throughout their young adult lives.”
Carie isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. That would be a disservice to Ghere. What he wants is a continuation of the excellence his predecessor demanded. He witnessed this first-hand playing as a midfielder for Effingham High School in 2011 and 2012. He’s a member of the team that holds the school record for wins.
Carie continued playing soccer in college at Greenville University, moving to forward and helping the team to the conference tournament two out of the four years he was there. He’s been an official for the past four years.
“My goals are that we can continue to grow as a team throughout the year,” he said. “We are in some tough tournaments, and I plan to hold this team to a high standard and help them understand that we can compete at a high level. We hope to compete yearly for a regional championship, that is what we talk about as a team all summer. That is the end goal, making sure that we are playing our best soccer at the end of the season.”
Carie is well-aware of the hallowed ground he walks on.
“I am very excited to be apart of such a historied program,” he said. “I am fortunate to be in a community that values soccer. I am truly excited to put my stamp on a program that has had a great past.”
Coles County Sports 