High school soccer: Woodstock hires Matt Warmbier to coach boys, girls programs

When former Woodstock soccer coach Mike Golda resigned with about a week remaining in the girls soccer season, assistant coach Matt Warmbier was thrust into the position.

“It was kind of unfortunate,” Warmbier said. “But at the same time, for me personally, it was a great opportunity to step up and continue what he started.”

Now Warmbier will take over the boys and girls soccer teams at Woodstock for good. Warmbier was named head varsity soccer coach last week.

Golda had coached the boys team since the 2010 season and the girls team since the 2012 season. Warmbier was there every step of the way as varsity assistant and JV coach.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Warmbier said. “I’ve been able to be a part of the program for years. It’s nice to be able to tinker with some different things, change a few things, not everything.”

The 38-year-old is a Woodstock graduate himself and has coached on the club level for some 10 years, he said. He is the director of coaching at the Woodstock United Soccer Association and the club team associated with it, Crossfire SC. He also works as an independent contractor.

Warmbier lives with his wife and three kids in Woodstock. His son Caleb is going to be a junior on the Blue Streaks soccer team this fall. His oldest, Jared, was a senior on last year’s team.

Last year’s boys team finished 17-7-1 and lost in the regional championship game. The Streaks’ 17 wins were the most in program history. Warmbier said only five varsity players return from last year’s squad. The girls team finished 13-8 this spring, losing in the regional semifinals.

Under Warmbier, the focus will be developing kids both on and off the field.

“The biggest thing is player development across the board,” Warmbier said. “That sounds like a broken record, but I really think that’s the most important. If kids are developing as players and also as people, then success comes with that.”

Warmbier has coached many of the Woodstock players in club soccer, in addition to his work as the JV coach at Woodstock. So he knows many of the athletes well.

“I want everyone to be happy to be a part of the program and to be excited about it," Warmbier said. "That will go a huge way toward getting some of the younger kids to see and learn from some of the older kids.”