Breaking News
Local Sports

Familiar face

Abbey returns to Maple Grove sideline after 4-year hiatus

By Matt Spielman 5 min read

The first day of practice for Maple Grove's boys soccer team felt like a late October day.

Temperatures in the upper 50s and a mist greeted the Red Dragons along with a new coach -- well an old coach back for a second run.

Cara Abbey returned to the pitch Monday on Dutch Hollow Road and the weather felt like the kind teams will be playing in come Section VI postseason time.

That's when Maple Grove shined during Abbey's first go-round as head coach from 2017-21. The Red Dragons won back-to-back-to-back Section VI Class C championships from 2019-21.

"Once you get back into it, it's like no time has passed," Abbey said following Day 1 of practice. "At the same time, it also feels like it's been a couple of years."

Abbey stepped down following the 2021 season for family reasons.

"I wasn't sure if I would ever get back into it when I stepped down just because my life was changing," she said. "But over the last couple of years, I've always stayed part of it, even if it was just as a fan in the stands. Last fall, I just kept feeling that old pull to come back. I talked to my husband about it and we both decided that it was something that was doable for my family."

Abbey, who teaches middle school English and high school electives at Maple Grove, has remained connected to members of the program through the classroom.

"It's huge having relationships with the boys as a teacher. I taught most of them in middle school and a bunch of them I've had in my high school classes. Having relationships inside of the classrooms, they just carry over to the field as well," she said. "It's a great group of young men. They want to work hard. They care about being a part of something bigger than themselves. I wanted to come back and I wanted to coach THESE guys. It's an honor to work with them. They made it really easy for me to want to come back."

Maple Grove is the smallest school in Section VI to field a boys soccer program on its own and one of just two Class D programs. The Red Dragons already know they will play North Collins for the sectional championship at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Allegany-Limestone. The pride of continuing a program at such a small school is what drew Abbey back to the sidelines.

"That was a huge motivating factor for me. For so many years, Maple Grove soccer was one of the biggest parts of my life. I was often asked, 'Do you think this is the year we should merge?' I just kept staying no. The moment we merge, we have lost this program," she said. "I feel like one of the most motivating factors to come back is to prevent that from happening. I wanted a chance to rebuild it. Being inside the building, having relationships with the boys, I can recruit some people. I want Maple Grove soccer to thrive as long as it can. ... It hurt to think about it going away."

Of course, continuing the program is about more than just 12-15 boys on the varsity team.

"My goal is to create the best soccer program I can and that includes modified as well. We have a great team of coaches that work well together and that have a high soccer IQ. I told the boys and parents last week, we have goals for this year, but we have goals for two, five and 10 years down the road as well. It's about strengthening the program, doing the best we can, competing at the highest level possible and building it up so that we can maintain a high level of success years down the road."

One of the assistant coaches helping Abbey at the varsity level this season is a former player, 2019 graduate Zeke Olson.

"I think that the whole goal of coaching is to show them the value of investing in something like this. Zeke played for me for two years when I was the head coach and two years as a volunteer coach. To see an athlete come out of the program, do what he's done, move back to the area and reinvest in their community and program, that's the whole goal," Abbey said. "It's an honor to have him back. He was one of the best leaders and players I coached."

On the field, the Red Dragons expect to compete, despite their low numbers.

"We have such awesome kids on this team. Ty Oste, of course, brings a lifetime of experience and knowledge with him. It's beautiful to watch him play the game," Abbey said. "We have a lot of returning players who are good, young men who care about the program as well.

"I love this part of the season where you are just seeing these guys come back in August, start thinking about the pieces of the puzzle and rearranging the pieces to see what the picture is going to look like," Abbey added. "I'm excited to see where this season goes."

Starting at /week.