Papp will coach Mules soccer team

For the past couple of years, the high school sports season officially started just after midnight on the first Monday in August at Whiteley Park.

That's where Poplar Bluff soccer coach Mark Papp would gather his team for the first time for a few drills and some fun.

There will be no soccer just after midnight tonight when teams can hold their first official practice, but only because Papp probably needs the sleep.

For much of this summer it looked like Poplar Bluff would be getting a new soccer coach after Papp submitted his resignation in June.

"I wanted to explore the opportunity to be with my family a little bit more, so it has very little to do with soccer and everything to do with trying to set my priorities," Papp said.

Fate, however, had different ideas.

The search for a new coach for both the boys and girls teams was limited because there was only one teaching position not filled in the district, Poplar Bluff athletic director Bill Caputo said. Still, the school was able to find a suitable candidate and offer that person the job, only to have them pass.

Earlier this week, Papp said he will return as head coach for both the Mules and Lady Mules this school year.

"Mark Papp is an outstanding young man. He's a good role model for our kids," Caputo said. "Guys like that are very hard to replace."

Papp has coached the Mules to the district championship game in four of the last five seasons and has only two losing seasons in six years. This spring the Lady Mules won five of their last nine games including the program's second postseason game ever.

His teams have won 122 games over the past seven years but all those nights away from his family have been tough.

Papp and his wife Stacey have three kids -- Carson, 3, Camden, 2, and Cooper, 1.

"I miss out on six months of their lives every year with soccer," Papp said.

He's not alone at Poplar Bluff, which has a gym named after a guy who coached both basketball and football for 13 years.

Head track coach Lance Bell is also an assistant football coach while many of his fellow coaches on the sideline also help other sports during the winter and spring.

Beth Lewis, who took over the girls swimming program last winter, is the new cross country coach as well as an assistant track coach in the spring. She is taking over cross country from Kirk Chronister, who also coaches the girls basketball team and was an assistant track coach.

"All of our varsity sports are time consuming and it's asking a lot for (someone) to be head coach in two seasons," Caputo said. "I hate to see a coach not have some time for themselves."

Still, the idea of walking away from the program is difficult for Papp.

"When it came down to could I spend more time with my family, I had to try to do that," he said.

Caputo said he will continue to search for a new soccer coach for the 2008-09 school year.

"Hopefully we haven't lost a coach (and) he just needs some time," Caputo added.

In the meantime, Papp's first practice will be at 4 p.m. Monday at the Black River soccer fields.

And who knows, maybe Fate has a good reason for Papp's return.

Brian Rosener is the sports editor for the Daily American Republic.