it’s called
FOOTBALL
BRITISH HISTORY TEACHER PURSUES COACHING OVER PLAYING SOCCER By Zach Mirviss and Alex Randle
I
n 1983, Keith Mainland, a competitive soccer player at Georgia State University, walked off of the soccer field with his head held high. While he didn’t win, he felt like a champion. Over two years, he scored 28 goals and made 17 assists. He was well known for his ferocious behavior. Even though his team lost the national championship game, he was thrown into the spotlight. “It was an ego boost when kids asked for my autograph,” Mainland said. “I was signing soccer balls and shirts, it was a big deal.” Over a decade after graduating from GSU, Mainland coached for Monarch in the school’s inaugural year, 1998. This presented a unique problem. “The school opened with just freshmen and sophomores,” Mainland said. “I had to play a varsity schedule with no upperclassmen.” Despite the fact Mainland’s team was missing two grade levels worth of players, he pushed ahead. In the Alexander Dawson tournament, Monarch was up 1-0 against powerhouse Niwot High School at halftime. “Their coach was going nuts,” Mainland said. “We were a team of freshmen and sophomores holding our own against a 4A state
Keith Mainland points directions at players during a weightlifting session with the girls soccer program. He played soccer in college before coaching at Monarch.
championship team.” Although the score eventually flipped, and the team lost 3-1, the experience stuck with Mainland. Twenty-four years later, varsity head coach Katy Wood encountered Mainland’s unique coaching style. “He’s very tactical while also having a great sense of humor,” Katy Wood said. During the soccer season of 2022, Emma Eichinger ‘25 enjoyed playing for Mainland. “He isn’t afraid to be honest with us,” Eichinger said. “He doesn’t sugarcoat words, which is really helpful in the long run. That’s one of the best things about his coaching.”
PUCKING UP the slack HOCKEY TEAM THRIVES DURING 2023 SEASON
By Abbey Elalouf and Benjamin Lehman
I
Jackson Brotski ‘24 fights for the puck in a game against Valor Christian. He and the team had a successful season this year.
t’s game day. Rap or hip-hop blasts in the locker room as the Monarch hockey team kicks a soccer ball back and forth to get loose. While most of the team is getting hyped for the upcoming game, Connor Johnson-Feeley ‘25 sits silently, following his pre-game routine. “I stay quiet,” Johnson-Feeley said. “I distance myself from everyone. I think I play better when I’m more focused.” This concentration from everyone on the team is one of the major factors that has guided them to success. The team is the No. 5 seed in the 5A State playoffs and has its eyes on a championship win. Johnson-Feeley was most composed for the game against Ralston Valley High School. A ruthless match-up started out rough for the combined Monarch hockey team, which consists of players from multiple BVSD schools. Entering the third period, they were down 5-2. “Our captain was trying to get us going and hyped up,” said Johnson-Feeley. This encouragement was precisely the fuel the team needed to tie up the game 5-5. He said this comeback tie against Ralston Valley was the confidence booster the team had been waiting for.
Later in the season, the team won against a strong team, Regis Jesuit High School. This win bumped them up in the league rankings. “We were playing super badly in the first period,” Johnson-Feeley said. “Like super bad.” However, the team stepped up their game as the third period started. “Our captain was yelling at us, telling us our effort needed to be higher,” JohnsonFeeley said. “And so in the second period, we played really well.” The team went on to dominate the game and win 3-1. Coach Jimmy Dexter loves the team and said the win against Regis Jesuit helped fuel the team’s drive toward greatness each game. “Regis is another powerhouse like Valor, and to beat them was huge,” Dexter said. Valor High School is the No.1 seed in the state playoffs. The team won their first game in the State playoffs against Lewis Palmer High School, 12-0. They played a rematch against Regis Jesuit in the state quarterfinals on Feb. 28, yet the final score cannot be reported due to press deadlines. “We continue to get better and better,” Dexter said. “I’m looking forward to seeing our future success.”
MARCH 2023
11