From Athens to Alpena, Storch Makes Impact

September 7, 2018

By Chris Dobrowolski
Special for Second Half

ALPENA — Riding off into the sunset was never part of Tim Storch’s retirement plan.

That’s why, seven years into retirement from teaching, Storch continues to do the same thing at Alpena that he did for 30 illustrious years at Troy Athens — coach high school soccer.

“I think anyone who coaches knows that coaching is an addiction,” said Storch. “You love it, and it’s hard to walk away from.”

Storch’s love for coaching has fueled one of the greatest careers in the history of Michigan boys and girls high school soccer. Storch entered this year with more than 1,000 wins, including a state-best 514 in girls soccer since 1982. He has the third-most wins all-time among boys soccer coaches. At the forefront of all those victories are nine MHSAA Finals championships, with five boys titles (1981, 1983, 1984, 1989 and 1997) and four girls crowns (1989, 1991, 1993 and 2000) to his credit.

Each of those titles came at Athens, where Storch was hired fresh out of college in 1981 and guided the Red Hawks from the inception of both programs.

“I was fortunate to win a lot at Athens,” said Storch. “The players I had really helped me do that. I still hold a soft spot in my heart for Troy Athens.”

Storch also has an affinity for the Alpena area, a place where his parents regularly vacationed while raising their family and Storch knew was his destination once he ended his teaching career in 2011. Still with the urge to coach soccer, Storch was hoping for an opportunity in some capacity when he moved to his house on Grand Lake, minutes north of Alpena. The timing proved to be perfect as the Wildcats were looking for boys and girls varsity head coaches. Storch stepped right in without missing a beat. He later added the role of athletic director four years ago.

In many ways though, coaching in Alpena has been a big contrast from Troy — perhaps the biggest being location. There are no other Division 1 schools within an hour of Alpena in the northeast part of the Lower Peninsula. In Troy there was always top competition throughout the metro Detroit area.

There also is a big difference in the number of athletes who enter high school with a lifetime of soccer experience.

“Unfortunately in Alpena, we’re an island over here in a big area,” said Storch. “So, it’s tough to find competition. When you’re downstate you’ve got Troy and Rochester and Birmingham and Bloomfield and Royal Oak and Shelby Township all within five to 10 miles of each other. Here we’ve got to go quite a ways to find an opponent that is somewhat near our size.”

Storch still has managed to make an impact in Alpena. His players find the credentials he’s brought to their community motivating, and they’re thankful for how he’s been able to cultivate their skills.

“It’s super fun playing for him because he makes practices fun, but he always makes practices hard and challenging so we can get better,” said senior Mollie Girard, who has played on the girls varsity for the past three years. “He expects a lot of us. He’s a good leader as a coach. He also looks at some of us to be leaders for our other teammates. He knows a lot about the game.”

Aidan Day, a senior on this year’s boys squad, said he has the utmost respect for his head coach for helping Day reach a high level of play on the pitch. Day set Alpena’s record with six goals in a game last season.

“He’s meant everything to my soccer career,” said Day. “I wouldn’t be the player I am today if it wasn’t for him.”

Day was an underclassman on possibly Storch’s best team since he arrived in Alpena. That 2016 squad won 15 games and competed well against the top teams in the Big North Conference. Traverse City West, the team that ended up ousting the Wildcats in the District, reached the Regional Finals.

Storch sees potential in this year’s boys squad too, which reeled off five straight wins after two early losses to kick off the year.

“We’ve been very diversified in our attack,” said Storch. “We probably have four or five guys who I think can step up and score goals. I think we have multiple weapons, which makes us tough to defend and not so one-dimensional.”

Day, along with Grant Botha, Deven Saranen and Noah Carstens are the offensive threats that make the Wildcats go.

 “I think it has the potential to be (one of my best teams in Alpena),” said Storch. “But as I said to the paper here locally, ultimately we’ll be judged by what we do with the league and the postseason play.”

Day talks excitedly about achieving postseason success. It’s not come easily for the Wildcats. Alpena’s boys team has not won a District title since 1997.

“That’s my dream,” said Day. “I’ve always wanted to (win a District title). Hopefully this is the year. I’ve got one more year left. It’s doable for sure this year. That would be phenomenal.”

Storch said creating a winning team remains important to him, but he has found over the years that the relationships he’s established have become the most satisfying aspect of coaching.

“This summer I had the goalie from my first team. He’s in his 50s, and he’s a minister in Atlanta, Georgia,” said Storch. “He and his wife and son came up and stayed with me. When you’ve got connections that go back 37 years and the kids who played for you then are not kids anymore (it’s special). Unfortunately, I just had to speak at one of my former players’ funerals. I’ve had seven former players pass. and that’s difficult. It’s nice to know you had an important influence on their lives where they still want you to be part of it, even the families when one of their loved ones pass. They keep you included.”

Storch said there is no timetable for how long he would like to coach. He enjoys impacting the student-athletes in Alpena, and he still loves teaching the game – that’s for sure.

“Eventually maybe the battery loses some of its charge, but I think every coach knows when it’s time to get out,” he said. “Certainly, I have the passion to keep doing it. When it is time, I think I’ll know that.”

PHOTOS: (Top) Tim Storch coaches one of his Alpena soccer teams. (Middle) Far right, Storch celebrates Troy Athens’ 2000 girls Division 1 championship. (Top photo courtesy of the Alpena News.)

Cadillac Star Stays on Pitch as Rising Referee

By Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com

September 14, 2020

There are very few female referees available to officiate high school soccer in northern Michigan.

But for Bill Anderson, a registered assignor who schedules officials out of the Cadillac area, there has been Little.

Alexus Little that is. And he’s darn glad he’s had her for 15 to 20 games each boys fall and girls spring seasons the past four years.  

“I think her greatest asset is a natural ability to stay calm and see the entire field,” Anderson said.  “She has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to take a moment and see how things play out before blowing the whistle or raising the flag.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Lexi from the beginning and watch her develop, and gain confidence in her ability.”

Little, a former four-year player at Cadillac High School who graduated in 2017, loves officiating the game she has played since she was an 8-year- old.  She started officiating with the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association. Anderson assigned her those matches as well.

“It is the most fun job I’ve ever had, and it is super convenient for varying schedules,” she said. “You get to learn more about the game of soccer, watch plenty of games, stay active, and meet a ton of referees that share the love of the game and may have even officiated your own games.”

Little, a big challenge for high school defenses as a striker, sees herself in almost every girls soccer player she refs.

“When I played I was a center striker so my playing style was pretty scrappy and aggressive, yet still heavily based on footwork and constant runs with my teammates,” she said. “I see players like me all the time during the girls season.”

Anderson recalls her playing days similarly.

“She was a no-nonsense, hold-her-ground type of player who wasn't afraid to play with her back to goal and challenge defenders to come get her,” Anderson recalled.  “More than once I blew the whistle and received a little dirty look from her, because she felt she could have kept going despite being fouled.”

As a senior, Little earned Division 2 all-state honorable mention. She now attends the University of Michigan. COVID-19 is allowing her to stay home, go to school and earn money refereeing fall soccer. She also refereed in the Ann Arbor area during her freshman year of college.

“I love to stay involved with soccer,” she said. “I’ve been doing it since middle school, and it's a fun and active way to earn some money. 

“Being a referee also allows me to pick up games that fit my schedule.”

Little is among a just a handful of female soccer referees in the northern Lower Peninsula, that group also including Grand Traverse Area Soccer Association members Josephine Arrowood and Amanda Field. 

“It can be a bit intimidating at times,” she said.  “Most referees are men, so I feel like I lack authority in the eyes of the players/coaches/parents as a young woman, and even more so during boys games where most of the players are much taller than me. 

“But, there have been several instances where I have received compliments from coaches or spectators passing by after a game related to being a young female officiating because they claim to not see that very often and would like to see more of it.”

Anderson agrees.

“When doing a boys game, I think there is still a general tendency to see if the female is up to the challenge,” he said. “However, she doesn't let that bother her and it doesn't take long for others to realize she is more than capable.”

Little gets a lot of satisfaction out of the game of soccer and recommends others get involved in officiating.

“The types of games where I am very glad I’m a referee are the ones where I get to watch crazy talent and skill from players I never would have seen play otherwise,” she noted.  

Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Alexus Miller inspects the nets with officiating partner Jeremy Barrett before a game this season. (Middle) Miller checks her watch during a break in the action. (Photos courtesy of Tom Spencer.)