May 6, 2021 at 8:38 a.m.
Soccer team moves on amid coaching change
Soccer team moves on amid coaching change
The Hodag players had to quickly acquaint themselves with the coaching style of Nathan Bates, who was named interim head coach after Richard Kotula stepped down late last week, citing health concerns.
The team was right back on the field, Sunday night and Monday, preparing for its regular season opener that resulted in a tie against Mosinee Tuesday. Rhinelander won a penalty kick shootout.
"We're going to do what we always do, bring them out here, work them hard and try to go, take care of business this season, the Rhinelander way," Bates said following Sunday night's practice at Mike Webster Stadium.
Kotula and Bates were the successors to longtime Hodag soccer coach Dan Millot, who retired following the boys' 2018 season. Bates has gone 15-11-6 in two seasons with the boys' team, while Kotula was 11-5 with the girls in one season, after losing the 2020 campaign to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bates was already part of the coaching staff for the girls' program this season, serving as an assistant before the change.
The biggest challenge, Bates said, will be trying to make the transition as seamless as possible while understanding his coaching style is different than Kotula's.
"It's extremely difficult. I have different coaching styles than Richard does - not to say it's better or worse or whatever - but I have different tactics than he has," he said. "It's what makes the game go well because coaches have different (styles). It's difficult right now. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel at the moment. The girls are going really well. We're going to change a couple things up here and there as needed, but we're going to keep doing what we're doing right now."
RHS activities director Brian Paulson concurred, though he said he expects to team to be in good hands this spring with Bates taking the helm.
"Everybody has different tactics. Richard and Nathan, they're just different coaches," he said. "They have different tactics. Every coach had different tactics. The biggest part is going to be gelling the two tactics together to have it come as one, and make sure the rest of the girls are on board."
According to both Bates and Paulson, the remainder of the coaching staff - Jason Lowry and Morgan Voigt - plans to stay on board as well and Bates had volunteer assistant Adam Wiese helping out during Sunday's practice.
Paulson said team was informed of Kotula's decision to step down prior to last Friday's practice. They had three practices with Bates prior to Tuesday's opener against Mosinee. Kotula had spent 16 years within the Rhinelander High School soccer program as either a head coach or an assistant before the departure, which he attributed to health issues.
Kotula, on Sunday, respectfully declined to comment further on the record to the River News, and referred to his letter of resignation.
"Being a head coach takes an incredible amount of energy and at this time of my life while dealing with multiple health issues and doctors' visits I believe it is time for new leadership to take over. This has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life," the letter stated, in part. "I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with some great players, parents, and coaches here at Rhinelander High School. Saying goodbye to my returning players is the hardest part of all of this, though I know they will move on and do fine without me, but I will miss the daily contact in the season with some of the finest student athletes and just great individuals."
Paulson said, "I broke down in front of the team a little bit," last Friday when he delivered the news of Kotula's resignation. Bates said, the team is trying to make the best of a difficult situation.
"The girls were upset. Richard's a good person, a good coach," he said. "They had a good relationship with him. They're upset. Friday was a little more difficult than (Sunday). They seem to be in better spirits than they were on Friday. Like I told them, no matter what happens here, the coaching staff have their best interest in minds, give 110%. We're going to have some fun and have a successful year."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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