Humboldt experiences soccer revival

After 20 years of losing, Hawks seeded No. 1 in Section 4A

BY RAY RICHARDSON

Pioneer Press

Article Launched: 10/11/2007 12:01:00 AM CDT

http://www.twincities.com//ci_7141724.html

Before the first day of practice in August, Humboldt boys soccer coach Matt Osborne gave a four-page handout to each team member that spelled out his rules, goals and expectations.

Twenty years had passed since the team enjoyed a winning season, and Osborne was ready to try something different. The players had to read the handout, take it home to be signed by their parents and return it the next day.

As Osborne watched the players scan the pages, he didn't see any frowning faces or questionable body language. Each player returned the next day with his parents' signatures. That's when Osborne, in his second year at Humboldt, knew that things might be different this season.

"You can tell he gained respect from the kids right away," Humboldt athletics director David Mergens said of Osborne. "Matt runs a disciplined program. The kids want to play for him."

One point Osborne stressed in his handout was a commitment to winning. Two months later, Osborne can tell his players got the message.

Humboldt had a milestone season with a 12-1 record and the school's first St. Paul City Conference soccer title, and the Hawks earned the No. 1 seed in the Section 4A playoffs.

Humboldt and second-seeded St. Bernard's can take it easy today while the rest of the section's 14-team bracket play first-round games. The Hawks are the host team and will have home-field advantage throughout the section playoffs if they advance.

Humboldt's first game is 1 p.m. Saturday

against the winner of tonight's Arlington-Concordia Academy opener.

After a breakthrough season, it's difficult for Osborne to avoid looking at the big picture. Three wins in the section would put Humboldt in its first Class A state soccer tournament.

"I know there's that one-game-at-a-time thing, but I can envision us in the state tournament," Osborne said. "The way we're playing now, the way we're tuning up some things. Why not?"

Optimism for most Humboldt sports teams is rare. The boys soccer team had a 60-game losing streak between 1997 and 2001. The football team has an 0-6 record. The team is last in the SPCC and headed toward a 34th consecutive losing season. Humboldt hasn't had a winning football team since a 7-2 season in 1974.

Osborne's arrival is threatening to make soccer the primary fall sport at Humboldt. The Hawks finished the regular season ranked 10th in the final Minnesota Class A coaches poll, and Osborne was a repeat winner as SPCC coach of the year.

School spirit is surging for the boys soccer team, which will be honored twice Friday.

A school assembly has been turned into a pep rally for the team. After the rally, the team will receive its SPCC championship medals at halftime of Humboldt's homecoming football game against St. Bernard's.

"You can hear students talking more about soccer in the hallways these days," Mergens said.

A lucky break led Mergens to hire Osborne, 24, as coach before the 2006 season. Osborne, a former soccer star at St. Olaf College and Highland Park High School, was assigned in 2005 to do his student teaching in social studies and English at Humboldt.

Osborne's volunteer work with Humboldt's girls soccer team encouraged Mergens to consider Osborne for the boys vacancy when former coach Mike Menke retired after the 2005 season.

Osborne has 10 players back from his first team that finished 5-8-1 last season, including leading scorer Rodrigo Galvan (11 goals, three assists), a junior midfielder from Mexico City, and sophomore goalkeeper Nick Diaz (three shutouts).

To revive the program, Osborne knew he had to make changes. The initial steps included implementing new attitudes, a stronger work ethic and improved communication.

Humboldt's 18-man roster is dominated by players from Somalia, Thailand, Kenya, Mexico and Liberia. Many of the team members spoke limited English. Osborne recruited students from those countries to serve as interpreters during practices and games.

"It was a little awkward at first, but we're getting through it," Osborne said of the communication issues. "There's a universal language of working hard. The kids knew about that from the beginning of the season. So far, it's made the difference for us."

Ray Richardson can be reached at rrichardson@pioneerpress.com.

 

[Back]