Coaching on Home Turf
By John Raffel

Watkins completed his first season last fall as head women's soccer coach at Northwestern State University, a Division I program in Natchitoches, La. He was named the Southland Conference's coach of the year. Watkins is now focusing his energies on his full-time, year-round duties as Ferris women's soccer coach. The Bulldogs will play a full Great Lakes Conference women's soccer schedule this fall.

Successful coaches are often measured by how they handle situations off the field as well as on the field. In both cases, Ferris State's new women's soccer coach measures very highly. Pete Watkins, a 1991 Big Rapids High School graduate who coached the girls' high school soccer team two years ago, last spring won the assignment of building a successful women's soccer program at Ferris State University. But first, he accepted the challenge of helping the Big Rapids High School girls' soccer team overcome the tragic loss of their coach. With his help, they enjoyed their most successful performance ever in the state district tournament.

A Change in Plans
In early May, Cardinal girls' soccer coach Bret DeCoster, 23, died in an early Sunday morning apartment fire. DeCoster was a special education teacher at Big Rapids High School, the junior class advisor and in his first year as coach of the girls' varsity soccer team. As players and students started to deal with the tragedy, Watkins was on his way to Big Rapids for his new job with Ferris State. "Some parents and the Big Rapids' athletic director asked me to fill in as high school coach," said Watkins. "We had to make sure it was within NCAA rules." Because Watkins was coaching at an NCAA Division II school, he was permitted to coach the high school team.

"I tried to keep soccer as a distraction for them and let them get something positive out of this."
- Pete Watkins.

A Sensitive Approach
Before meeting with the team as a group, Watkins spoke with each girl's parents and asked, "Is there something I should know to help me help her?" Varsity players who knew Watkins from his previous stint at Big Rapids were heartened by his return to their team under trying circustances. "We were sad and feeling bad our coach's accident," said junior co-captain Louisa Neill. "We had a meeting with a counselor. (Watkins) didn't put pressure on us to do things his way. "In our first game, it was hard for Pete because he didn't know where certain people played," continued Neill. "We definitely peaked at the end of the season. It was great to get him back." Senior co-captain Kathy Drake said Watkins' return made it easier for the team. "I told him we wanted him to come back but not under these circumstances," said Drake.

"He knew what we were feeling," Kathy Drake, BRHS girls' soccer team.

"In our first practice, a few girls were still upset. He went right into soccer and said that whenever he would be in a sad mood, soccer was his release. Coach (DeCoster) would have wanted us to keep playing." "He said he wasn't going to change much, and he didn't," said junior midfielder Kelsey Stilwell. "He knew what we were feeling. He stressed the simplicity of the game plus the fundamentals and hard work."

A Tough Season
"We had known Pete quite well," said BRHS athletic director Frank Montgomery. "I thought it was a great thing he did for us. It was the most positive thing that came out of the tragedy. He knew some of the seniors from when he coached before. He brings great expertise to the program and a special coaching ability for the game." Watkins understood the girls had lost more than their coach - they had lost a friend.

"I tried to keep soccer as a distraction for them, and let them get something positive out of this," said Watkins. "I concentrated on soccer. As a group, they handled the tragedy well." The Cardinals lost their first game under Watkins, 3-1, to Cadillac. But in the first round of the districts, the Cardinals topped Cadillac 3-2 in overtime, overcoming a 2-0 deficit. Big Rapids beat Saginaw 4-0 in the next round before losing 2-0 to Petoskey in the finals. Players and administrators were impressed with Watkins' handling of the position, considering the circumstances. The high school team was 4-4 during his tenure and finished 8-8 overall. "He understood his responsibilities," said Big Rapids High School principal John Hill. "He has a great knowledge of the game, and he coupled that with his warm and gentle people skills."

The Right Coach
At the BRHS end-of-year banquet, Watkins showed the emotions he had so carefully kept in check throughout the season. "You are a remarkable group of young women," he told his team. "I am so proud of you. I know that next year you're going to the championship." Whether or not they reach that goal, the girls who were fragmented by a terrible event are again a winning team, brought back together by a winning coach.