Pioneers Varsity Soccer: History

It is hard to imagine, but soccer has existed at Clare High School now for twelve years.  I have enjoyed being here as its head coach from its infancy to its current manifestation (minus 2005 and 2006).  There were a few seasons when I also coached the girls team in the spring, but time away from my family kept me in the fall predominantly. 

I have watched players grow from my youth clinic to varsity stardom.  Players have moved in from other cities/towns and added to our success.  Foreign exchange students have graced us with flair and creativity.  Athletes have come from other programs and been standouts.  I have seen just about every kind of high school student participate in this program.  The following is a summation of where our program began and where it is headed.

For two years, 2000 and 2001, the boys played under club status; there was a need to test the waters and determine if there was interest to maintain the program. It was decided there was, and in 2002 the program was granted Varsity level play.

In 2003 the Pioneers joined the Northern Michigan Soccer League. 2004 saw a run at the league leaders and a second place finish.

2007 had a resurgence of Pioneer performance as Clare won the Southern Division of the NMSL.

A JV team was added to the program in 2008, and 2009 saw the fruits of the growth of Clare soccer with another Southern Division Championship.

2010 was even better yet, another Southern Division Championship plus new records set. We played strong against some of the leading teams in DIII. Our reserve squad posted some wins, starting to gel and find their niche as well.

2011 saw us 3peat as Southern Division Champions, only to lose the conference title to one of the strongest teams in the state.  We went on a 15-match unbeaten streak and captured our first tournament championship at the Bay City John Glenn Bobcat Invitational Tournament.   It took penalty shots and some bad luck for a team ranked 10th in the the state to knock us out of the district semi-final.

2012 was a season of reflection.  What makes a program a "success"?  This season did not erase our legacy; instead it gave us an opportunity to highlight our rugged determination to come back stronger than we ever were.  Every team we faced in our league this year breathed a little easier because we are the monkey on their backs.  It is now the task of the returning eleven and the reserve players who will join their ranks to provide these teams with a reminder of what facing a Pioneer soccer side is all about.  Redemption is but six months away.