“I think Montrose has an impressive soccer program, and I am looking forward to pushing it even further,” said Pavlich. “Thanks to Jim Lewis working with me the past couple of years and getting me involved with the high school team, it will help me in trying to make this strong program stronger. But we are going to miss him.”
Pavlich was introduced to soccer at age 5. He grew up in a family of coaches and always wanted to play and coach soccer.
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In 1995, his coaching career kicked off with the Greeley Bootleggers Club. He coached two years for the club with U-11 boys, also coaching intramural and city teams.
While student teaching in 1999, he was assistant and goal-keeper coach for the girls’ team at Greeley Central High School.
Then he served in the Army through 2006, where he coached and played for company, camp, unit and women’s teams. His teams played against those from other countries when he was stationed in Korea and Bosnia.
“I have been a head coach before, but this will be my first time coaching a high school varsity team. But I am looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I get to work mostly with the varsity boys full time now, and I am looking forward to coaching them at the varsity level.”
Two MHS senior summer captains, Luis Cervantes and Max Patterson, say the transition will not be hard, as Pavlich already is in the program.
“He is a really good coach with a lot of experience who knows exactly what he wants for this team. I feel confident that he will make this team have discipline and stay in shape and everything else to make this team the best we can be,” said Cervantes. “As an assistant coach, he helped us stay in shape by making us work out in all areas using different workouts. It helps us out that he does it too (workouts) instead of other coaches that just tell us what to do and watch us.”
Patterson says Pavlich is the right guy for the job, and he knows how to get the most out of the players. “... he has the best attitude, and I believe he can take us where we want to go. The biggest change that will help us is Pavlich getting us in shape. It is not always fun, but I know it helps out a lot in our games.”
Pavlich said he’ll take over this program with three goals. First, he wants to focus on developing the players as citizens, athletes and scholars. Second, he wants to create a powerful booster club and keep it informed with communication from parents. Finally, he does not want to lose a game. “I want the boys to play to their full potential. I do not mind getting beat, but I do not want to lose, and Montrose soccer never quits,” he said.
Pavlich says the team will go in the direction it has in past years, with a couple of changes.
“I want to maintain the standard of excellence. We are introducing the zero-hour program (before classes) for strength and conditioning, not only for the boys but girls as well,” he said. “It was an initiative we started last year, but this will be our first year doing it. We are going to stress greater emphasis on player leadership and responsibility because players win games and coaches create opportunities.”
Joining Pavlich on the staff will be Mike Nadiak as the junior varsity coach, J.J. Muñoz as the assistant varsity and goal-keeper coach, and Mike Althaus as the C Team coach. Nadiak was the C-Team coach last season, and Muñoz has been coaching men’s and youth soccer teams locally for the past 10 years.
Althaus, an MHS alumni and former college soccer player, will be new to the program.
Next week, Pavlich will coach kids ages 5 to 14 at the Indians Soccer Camp.
“I am excited to continue the tradition of working with the Montrose youth. One advantage I think soccer has over other sports in town is it has such a strong recreational and club program,” he said. “By the time the kids get into high school, they have been playing for years, which is great.”
Pavlich will start coaching his high school players at a camp from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 9-13 at Sunset Mesa. There, British semi-pro and pro players will work the Indians on speed, agility, finishing and conditioning through the Challenger Program. Pavlich says the camp will be a preparation for tryouts at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Aug. 16-21 at the MHS soccer field.
“These boys are sweet, and it is such a cool group with some pretty impressive expectations for the season,” he said. “We are going to work our hardest and do our best to try and be there.”
Joe wrote on Jul 30, 2010 8:12 AM: