Boys soccer: Brice takes over at Jacobs

Former Jacobs soccer standout Colin Brice never imagined he would be able to coach the team he grew up playing for, let alone see that possibility come his way.

Fortunately for Brice, the opportunity to lead the Golden Eagles' boys soccer program came knocking for the 2007 Jacobs grad, and it was an easy decision for Brice after Anthony Cappello stepped down as head coach after 9 years to seek the next chapter in his coaching career.

"I'm excited to get back to Jacobs," said Brice, who coached the Prairie Ridge boys soccer team the past two seasons and currently leads the Hampshire girls varsity soccer team. "My experience at PR was excellent. The staff, school, players and the parents - everything was good. It's really tough to leave a program when there's no bad things to say but for me to get over to Jacobs is kind of my dream job so I couldn't pass up that opportunity."

Brice returns to Jacobs after a well-traveled soccer voyage. He was a team captain, an all-Fox Valley Conference selection and a Daily Herald All-Area defender in 2006 for then Golden Eagle head coach Jim Dzialo. He went on to star at the University of Dubuque, where he was a 4-year starter, a 3-year captain and was named to the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference all-conference team.

Brice returned to the area after serving at an assistant coach at Dubuque for two seasons and went 18-3 overall and 6-2 in conference in his second year at PR this past fall. But already a physical education teacher at Algonquin Middle School, the idea of coaching in District 300 all inclusive let alone the travel factor played a role. He will continue on as head coach of the Hampshire girls soccer team, but has new challenges this fall.

"There's a lot of differences obviously, it's been over 10 years since I've been (at Jacobs) but there's a lot of the same things I want to bring back to Jacobs soccer," said Brice. "Like incorporating the Eagles soccer camp which I grew up attending, getting the youth kids involved."

Another thing Brice raved about was the culture at Jacobs, as well as the tradition of soccer the team has had of late. Brice inherits a program that went to two straight supersectionals and posted a 33-9-6 record. But wins and losses aren't of concern at this point. Communication and implementing his philosophy are huge keys this summer.

"(I'm) focused on an environment where the kids can produce and be competitive and where I can help grow players technically and tactically and make them better soccer players," Brice said. "The one thing that is kind of nice is that I have the summer with them so we have that ability to get to know the guys and that my coaching philosophy can mesh in with them before the first season."