In an era where working from home is a trend, what about working across a parking lot?
Danny Price coached the Brother Rice boys soccer team for five seasons, leading the Warriors to the Division 2 state championship in 2021.
Now he's adding another responsibility to his resume. It's literally coaching next door to Bloomfield Hills Marian, the Rice Brothers' sister school.
This method worked for longtime coach Barry Brodsky. He won nine state titles with the Mustangs in 12 trips to the finals, while also leading the Warriors to the state championship in 2009. So it makes sense to give Price another shot at winning the new No. 1 women's soccer team on Thursday night.
Near Bordogna scored a goal with just under 13 minutes left in a 1-0 win over Walled Lake Northern.
“I'm in the process of teaching myself (how to coach both programs),” Price said. “I came to Rice University and we had to change the program a little bit. We're a very hard-working, blue-collar program now. I came here and obviously, they're different. They are, ”
For a program that has relied on stability, this is the second time the baton has been passed since Brodsky retired after winning four straight state championships in 2021. Reid Friedrichs, Brodsky's top assistant, took over the program and guided the Mustangs back into the fold. The state finals aren't until 2022, but midway through his sophomore season, the former Big Ten Player of the Year in the 1990s was hired as an assistant at his alma mater, Michigan State.
Price, who has coached many current players at Liverpool Football Club International Academy Michigan at the traveling level, said he is here for the long term.
“It's tough to make ends meet, but at the end of the day, it's about connecting with the club and the traveling community,” Price added. “Honestly, I just want to contribute to the community, and I love this community, this area, this family. I have had great relationships with the girls who played at the club. I wanted to come out here and make sure that the success continued.'' I could continue to make a difference on the field with these guys. ”
As expected, the transition from Friedrichs to Price was painless.
They have different coaching philosophies and strategies. The girls have responded well to Price's leadership, but it will take some time for them to learn his style of play.
Take, for example, the preseason matchup against Flint Powers Catholic.
The Mustangs had possession 95% of the night, but were unable to score a single goal. The only chance the Chargers had on offense came from a corner kick. Marian lost 1-0.
It was a huge learning moment and helped prepare us for the season opener against Northern.
more:From backcourt to midfield, Canton girls soccer star Eva Murphy never takes a day off.
“It’s a different style of play,” admitted Katie Freese, one of only five seniors. “There's been a lot of emphasis on offense, which I think is great. Last year I felt like I was more conservative and restrained, and that didn't pay off very well in the end. I'm glad I put in the effort this year.”Various We use formations and work on the pace of attack. ”
Price prides himself on his offense being able to hold onto the ball and make the most of their movement up the field.
And that proved to be an advantage for the Knights, led by junior Jizzy Kraus, perhaps the highest-returning striker in the entire Lakes Valley Conference. The Mustangs' offense dominated the ball, which limited Krause's scoring opportunities for most of the night.
“This was our first real test,” Freeze added. “We had a slow start, but in the end we got the results we wanted. We know what we need to improve on as we continue throughout the season.”
One thing they don't have to work on is their mindset.
Marian earned a penalty with just over 13 minutes remaining. Even after Northern goalie Gabby Payne deftly repelled the attempt, the Mustangs didn't falter or give up on the play.
They quickly regrouped and threw a few more tries on target. Among them was Bordogna's moonshot from around 30 yards, sneaking home with just the right bounce 45 seconds after Paine had brilliantly saved a penalty.
“A lot of teams miss penalties and go down, but we scored and we stayed determined,” Price said. “The most important thing tonight was that we controlled the game in the first half in terms of ball handling and possession. In the second half you saw our grit.”
If the Mustangs continue to play nifty, expect them to add even more hardware to the trophy case outside the gymnasium.
Today, there are Fracassa and Ambrose fields behind Brother Rice, and Feldman fields behind Marian.
There isn't much real estate left on the narrow stretch of Larther Road, but perhaps if both football programs continue to win high points, the adjacent blacktop between both high schools could be called “Price's Parking Lot.” Maybe. It takes a lot of work to lead two elite programs, but he's trying to prove he can do it.
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metropolitan Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on Twitter @folsombrandonj.
