Rob Cole, who led Champlain Valley Union High School's boys soccer team to three Division I titles and 93 wins in seven seasons, announced last week that he was stepping down for family reasons.
Cole informed CVU players of his decision during a team meeting Friday. The Coles are expecting their second child next month.
“Fall is a time when I have more time for other things,” Cole said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “It’s bittersweet. It feels like a new phase for me and for CVU.
“It was a difficult decision because I love coaching and I really love contributing to the program.”
Related:Longtime CVU women's basketball coach Ute Ottley accepts job in Norwich.
Under Coach Cole, the RedHawks won back-to-back DI crowns in 2018 and 2019, becoming the first team in the program's storied history to complete back-to-back undefeated seasons (32-0-3). .
This fall, after losing the season opener, CVU snapped a 16-game winning streak with a thrilling penalty shootout victory over South Burlington and won its 20th championship, the most in Vermont history.
When asked what he will miss about coaching at CVU, Cole said, “There's a lot.” “The passion the kids brought to the table, how excited they were to train. I think high school sports bring a level of intensity and passion…and the emotional investment of the players was really exciting and fun. It was.”
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Cole, a 2009 graduate of South Burlington High School, played at Middlebury College and coached the University of Vermont's men's club team before serving as bench boss for the SBHS women's soccer program for two years. In 2017, Cole was hired as CVU's head coach.
Cole finished his seven years at CVU with a 93-16-5 record. He had a season in which all seven of his teams had double-digit wins. CVU also advanced to the semifinal round or higher in all but one of Cole's seven campaigns.
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Rob Cole's coaching experience with CVU boys soccer
Win-loss record: 93-16-5
The Division I titles are: 3
2023: 16-1*
2022: 12-4
2021: 10-4-2
2020: 10-3
2019: 16-0-1*
2018: 16-0-2*
2017: 13-4
*—Win Division I honors
