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Welcome to “In Pursuit Of A Championship: The History of High School Soccer in Southwest Missouri”. This is the internet home of the upcoming book by Nick Schmitt. The book is a work in progress. Check back often for sneak peeks.

Southwest Missouri Soccer History: A Brief Introduction

Soccer didn’t make a traditional bottom up progression in Southwest Missouri, it came from the top down. Soccer in the area got it’s start at the college level, where people like Dr. Frank Dinka were instrumental in the success of the sport. Dr. Dinka started a club team at Missouri State in 1967. He became known as the “Godfather of Soccer” in the region as he helped to develop the sport in many areas. High School intramural programs developed in Springfield in the early 1970s thanks to people like Jose Florez who helped young people develop a passion for the game. Students from different schools sometimes got together on weekends to play “Street Soccer”. According to Florez, “That’s how you developed pride.” Eventually, through the efforts of many people, soccer became a Varsity sport in the Springfield Public Schools and beyond.

The first school that is known to have played Varsity Soccer in Southwest Missouri was College Heights Christian School in Joplin. Their program began in 1980 as part of the Tri-State Christian Conference. In 1984, the Springfield Public Schools started playing soccer as part of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA). At that time, Central, Glendale, Hillcrest, Kickapoo, and Parkview were joined by Joplin McAuley as the only MSHSAA schools in the area.

In 1984, there was only one class for soccer and those schools were all put into one District. McAuley won the first District Championship in the area (The first of 7 straight District Championships). The Joplin area would continue to dominate the District playoffs for the first few years. In 1985, the MSHSAA split Boys Soccer into 2 Classes. McAuley captured the District Championship in Class 1A-3A. Neosho and Joplin were added to the mix in Class 4A and Joplin won the District Championship. In 1986, Neosho edged Joplin for the Title and McAuley continued their run in the small Class. In 1987, Joplin reclaimed the Title and McAuley added another to their collection.

Finally, in 1988, Loren Vigil’s Glendale Falcons became the first Springfield team to capture a District Championship. Not to be outdone, the Kickapoo Chiefs under Jose Florez would get their first Championship a year later. In 1991, Jeff Rogers led the Glendale Falcons to the Final Four, the first team from Southwest Missouri to reach the Final Four, where they finished 4th in the State. Two years later, Greenwood and Rolla both made trips to the Final Four. Every year since, with the exception of 2000 and 2001, Southwest Missouri has been represented at the Final Four.

In all, 23 different schools from Southwest Missouri have won District Championships and 11 have made it to the Final Four (Bolivar, Carthage, Catholic, Cassville, College Heights, Crocker, Glendale, Greenwood, Kickapoo, Rolla, West Plains). Seven of those schools (Bolivar, Catholic, Cassville, College Heights, Glendale, Greenwood, Kickapoo) have made multiple trips to the Final Four, with Greenwood making the trip 6 times. Four schools: Greenwood (1995, 1996, 1997), Glendale (2008), Bolivar (2009), and Catholic (2009, 2010, 2011) have reached the State Championship Game. In 2011, Springfield Catholic became the first boys team to bring a State Championship to Southwest Missouri.

The First Girls Program in the area started at Waynesville in 1994 under the direction of Nelson Morgan. The Springfield Public Schools started a city only program in 1995 and then played as MSHSAA members in 1996 along with several other schools that started at that time. The MSHSAA had only 1 Class for Girls soccer until 1999 when they went to 2 Classes. In 2009, they expanded again to 3 Classes like the boys (Boys expanded to 3 Classes in 2002).

Kickapoo became the first school in the area to win a District Championship in Girls Soccer, capturing the Title in 1996. Three years later, Catholic, under the direction of Ben Timson, became the first Girls Team to reach the Final Four where they finished in 4th Place. In 2002, Kickapoo, coached by Tom Davidson, became the first Large School to reach the Final Four. Two years later, Catholic became the only Girls Team from the area to reach the State Championship Game as they finished in 2nd Place. On the Girls side, only 14 schools have won District Championships (Bolivar, Camdenton, Catholic, Dixon, Glendale, Joplin, Kickapoo, Logan-Rogersville, Nixa, Ozark, Parkview, Rolla, St. James, Willard). Four schools have reached the Final Four (Catholic, Glendale, Kickapoo, Ozark). And only Glendale (2009 and 2001) and Catholic (1999, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011) have reached the Final Four multiple times. Catholic has reached the State Championship Game three times (2004, 2010, and 2011), capturing Southwest Missouri’s First State Championship in 2010 and winning it again in 2011.

Soccer has made great strides in Southwest Missouri. With the Springfield Catholic girls and boys State Championships and the other teams that have come close, the future looks bright for the region.

Nick Schmitt is an American History Teacher and Soccer Coach at West Plains High School in West Plains, Missouri. He has decided to combine these two interests by writing a book about “The History of High School Soccer in Southwest Missouri”. This website is part of that process. It’s a place to share bits and pieces of that history as the book comes together. Please come back often to see what’s new. Your comments are always welcome.

The individual school logos used on this website, have been used with the permission of the individual schools. Any trademark or copyright belongs to those individual schools.