SUMRALL – Sumrall soccer coach Todd Siders officially stepped down as head coach from the boys' program after his last game on Friday.
SUMRALL – Sumrall soccer coach Todd Siders officially stepped down as head coach from the boys' program after the team's last game against Northeast Jones.
Siders has coached both the boys' and girls' teams since each programs' inaugural season in 2015.
According to Siders, the decision to step down was so that each program can receive better attention from one coach and that juggling between both programs was not only difficult but what he believes was unfair to the players.
"The program grew bigger than what I'm able to keep up to par what I want to be at," Sider said. "It really hit home last year in a playoff when our girls lost 2-1 and our boys lost in the eighth round of a shootout. The only thing going through my mind is if I would have focused on one or the other, would it have made the difference.
"It's something I have been thinking about for two years now after seeing how this program is growing and the numbers of kids involved in it now. If it were boys soccer in the winter and girls soccer in the spring, then I'm more than happy to do it. It's just hard doing two practices a day, communicating with all of the players and the parents.
In five seasons, Siders has posted a 51-42-4 record with four undefeated district titles and one runner-up title, which was in the program's first season.
"The program started five years ago," Siders said. "Now we have got 90 plus kids between our junior high, junior varsity and high school teams. It's time for them to have a new voice and get some more help here as far as coaching goes. It's unfair for the kids, for one assistant coach and me, to try and run the whole thing.
"The boys' and the girls' game is a lot different. I find it hinders the kids and that they can have their own voice and we don't have enough assistant coaches right now to where it makes sense for one person to do that."
Siders will remain the head coach of the girls' program. Siders was originally hired to be the head coach of girls' program, but after the initial hire for the boys' program fell through, he offered to coach both. For Siders, it is one of several reasons why he chose to remain head coach for the girls' program.
"I offered that I would run both programs for the time being and it just kind of stayed that way," Siders said. "That was our original intent coming to Sumrall. I have got my niece that is playing for the girls now and I have another niece coming through. It's always been a dream of my mine to coach them. Those are the main reasons I enjoy coaching the girls but I like coaching the boys, too. It wasn't an easy decision. I just think it's what best for both parties."
Siders' proudest achievement has been able to see his athletes flourish after high school and be able to instill character into his players as well as watching the program grow.
"When I took the job, I heard from several people saying 'You are not going to win game' for several years and 'There is no way you are going to be competitive,’’’ Siders said. "We made the playoffs all five years and I am very proud of the work and commitment to get the program to where it is now.
"For me, you get into coaching because you want to help young kids become successful adults. It's been fun having kids going on and having kids play at the next level and to be successful in college. That first class [I coached] is starting to graduate college and get jobs. I'm very proud of the type of character in our kids that we produce."
