Matt Reeb is a first-time head soccer coach, but he brings some impressive credentials to his new job.
Reeb, who was recently named head coach of the boys team at Althoff, was a three-sport athlete at Metro-East High School in Edwardsville and played basketball and soccer in college. He replaces Brad Dietrich, who resigned after one season. Dietrich, an assistant girls soccer coach at Belleville West last spring, will be the freshman boys coach at West this fall. He is currently a teachers’ aide at West and eventually hopes to get a teaching position there.
Reeb’s father, Tim, is the boys and girls soccer coach at Metro-East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville. After a one-year stint as baseball coach in 2010, he will take over the boys basketball program in 2010-11.
“Baseball was more of a fill-in because (previous coach) Scott Downing left, but now they have somebody to fill that position,” Matt Reeb said. “Basketball is more of his thing.
“He’s been a coach all his life - he started coaching at the high school my sophomore year and he also coached my AAU basketball team. I learned a lot from him as well as my uncle, Dennis Rueter, who is the boys basketball coach at Gibault.
“My brother-in-law is an associate head coach at Greenville College and his brother is a head coach for Mid-America Soccer, so I’ve had a lot of great mentors and a lot of people supporting me.”
A 2005 graduate of Metro-East Lutheran, Reeb played soccer, basketball and baseball for the Knights. From 2006 through 2009, he was an assistant soccer coach under his father at MEL, helping with the high school teams or in summer camps as his schedule permitted.
After playing basketball for two years at Fontbonne College, Reeb transferred to Greenville College, where he became one of the team’s top players. In 2009, he was an NSCAA All-American and a finalist for the Kyle Rote Jr. Award, which honors the national player of the year.
“I went to Greenville with the intent of playing basketball, but I ended up just playing soccer and had a pretty successful career,” said Reeb, a Belleville resident. “I had a blast with what I accomplished with the team and as an individual. I also enjoyed the fellowship with the guys.”
Reeb, 24, graduated from Greenville in May and found out about the soccer position at Althoff.
“I know Brad (Dietrich) through the (Family) Sportsplex and through BFC (Soccer Club) and I knew he had thoughts about possibly wanting to leave to go to Belleville West, so I knew the job might open up,” Reeb said. “I handed in my resume and talked to (athletic director) Al Foppe. When Brad did leave to go to West, I guess I was the leading candidate for the job.
“The experience I got coaching with my dad is going to help me a lot. When he first took over the soccer program, Metro wasn’t very good, but since he’s been there, they’ve had a regional championship and some pretty successful seasons.”
At Althoff, Reeb inherits a team that posted an 11-9 record last season, losing to Waterloo in the first round of the Class 2A Mascoutah Regional. He’s had a chance to evaluate the talent with Dietrich and with Althoff girls soccer coach Juergen Huettner, who coached the Crusaders boys through the 2008 season before becoming the women’s head coach at Forest Park Community College.
“Some of the best players from last year are returning, so I’ll have a lot to work with,” Reeb said. “I know some of them because I watched them play a few games last year. Brad and Juergen have talked to me about the players and where they fit in positionally.
“I expect big things out of James Lewallen, who was the main scorer last year and looks to be this year as well. Another captain I have is Vijay Brahmbhatt - I’ve see him play before and he’s a very talented player. I expect him to step up and lead us in the defensive end and in the middle as well.”
Reeb held an Althoff soccer camp the week of July 26 at the Sportsplex and practice officially begins on Wednesday. As of late July, the assistant coaches hadn’t been named, but those positions were expected to be filled by the start of practice.
Reeb was recently hired at the Sportsplex, where he works the front desk and helps BFC Soccer Club with training.
“I also do a little bit of construction on the side,” said Reeb, whose father owns a construction company.
At Althoff, Reeb will be a substitute teacher and eventually hopes to get a full-time position in physical education.
During the winter, he will be the junior varsity coach on the boys basketball team at Freeburg High.
