JOHNSTOWN - After compiling a 132-46-11 record and winning 10 straight Big 10 Conference championships as head coach of the Amsterdam High School girls' soccer team, Rich Monroe is taking his game to the next level.
Monroe has been named the head women's soccer coach at Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
"We had our first team meeting [Monday] and had 19 girls show up," Monroe said. "A couple of girls couldn't make it, so we are looking at having 21 or 22 girls on the roster. We are still trying to work on some girls who are on campus that were good high school players but chose not to play last year."
Monroe takes over the coaching reigns from Vic Malagisi who coached the team during the 2008 season.
"Vic is pursuing some other avenues in his life right now and we mutually thought, at this time, he should move on and bring someone else in," FMCC director of Athletics Kevin Jones said. "We were fortunate that Rich was moving on from Amsterdam. It will be a smooth transition. We had a meeting Monday and it looks like things will be continuing to move in the right direction. With last year's improvements, getting some talent and some wins, we wanted to keep moving in the right direction."
Monroe said the talent assembled for the upcoming season would make his first year as coach easier.
"Vic did an outstanding job with getting some really great kids into the program this year and really handed down a great team that I am stepping in to coach," he said. "Hopefully we can have a successful year so that it will make my job easier in the recruiting aspect. That [recruiting] is one of the things I am looking forward to."
While at Amsterdam, Monroe compiled an 89-6-5 record en route to 10 Big 10 titles in 10 seasons.
"This year's team will have 12 or 13 seniors and 10 starters back from last year's team. So there is definitely some talent left there," he said.
At FM, the goal for the team and Monroe is to get into regional play.
"We set goals [Monday]," Munroe said. "The team was 5-9 last year and with the group coming in this year along with the returning players, there is no reason we can't be 7-7 and go to regionals."
Jones credited Malagisi for setting the stage for the future of FM women's soccer and said the program has taken the first steps toward remaining competitive in the future.
"When I first came to FM you could go out there and see only a handful of girls on the field and now, to go out there at the end of June and early July and see 19 girls talking about training and getting ready for the upcoming season is great," Jones said. "It looks like there is a lot of local talent and if Rich can keep them motivated we will keep moving in the right direction."
Monroe said if there are more players interested in playing in the upcoming season, they should contact him via e-mail at mroe7@nycap.rr.com or contact Jones at the college.
"Hopefully I will be able to stay here for a few years and do some recruiting to build a solid program at FMCC," he said.
