Facebook App
There aren't too many girls soccer coaches in the country that can say they’ve coached for 25 seasons.
There aren't too many girls soccer coaches in the country that can say they've won 399 games.
There aren't too many girls soccer coaches period that can say they’ve played a role in as many lives as Downers Grove South girls soccer coach Barry Jacobson.
But if Jacobson, the all-time winningest girls soccer coach in Illinois, were to retire today, would people remember him for those three items first or the fact he's never won a state title?
When you look at the Mustangs’ web site http://www.csd99.k12.il.us/south/girlssoccer/index.htm, you realize it’s more than just soccer for Jacobson – it’s his second family. I'll never forget standing out at Downers Grove South a few years ago, watching the Mustangs beat Kelly 8-0. But it was more than just a game that day - it was the experience of city kids interacting with suburban kids after the game was over and having pizza together.
Did you know only once has a Jacobson-led team finished a season without double-digit wins. That moment came in 1998 when the Mustangs finished 9-12-1 http://www.ihsa.org/activity/sog/records/sum-d.htm.
Guess what though? Three seniors from that squad went on to play college soccer that fall. In total, more than 40 girls have gone on to play at the next level since Jacobson took over the program.
But...
Downers Grove South has never won a state title, finishing second, third and fourth throughout Jacobson's career. I was looking at the Top 10 all-time winningest girls soccer coaches in Illinois on Tuesday, trying to figure out who is closing in on win No. 300. Naperville Central's Ed Watson, Lincoln-Way East's Brian Papa and Neuqua Valley's Joe Moreau are three that are knocking on the door.
But what I noticed is that most of those in the Top 10 have won a state crown at some point in their careers. It's the crown jewel - just ask Barrington boys soccer coach Scott Steib, who led the Broncos to their first state crown this month.
With that said, it's a funny society we live in. Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr won more than 75 percent of his football games and a national title that legendary coach Bo Schembechler never did, but his exit couldn't come soon enough for some. Alex Rodriguez has more money than he'll ever need and three MVPs, but he's still known for having never won a World Series title.
Professional sports are different from amateur sports, but not as much as they were when Jacobson started in 1984.
High school sports teach so many things from self confidence to teamwork - skills that will be used in the real world.
Yet at the end of the day, the goal of every coach and player today is to win. Jacobson has done a lot of that on and off the field with the thousands of student-athletes that have come through his program.
But...
- Joe Trost
Cell Phone Alerts