Thirteen consecutive winning seasons. Six undefeated seasons in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Five-time SLIAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year. And he’s just two wins away from No. 200.
Webster University women’s soccer coach Luigi Scire established, built and is still adding to the Webster women’s soccer program.
Although he knows how fortunate he is to be able to reach a number like 200 wins, Scire has barely been keeping track.
“We’ve never set that goal, nor have I ever really thought about it, to be honest,” Scire said.
In its inaugural year in 1999, the Gorloks had a record of 15-4-1. Now in his 14th season of coaching women’s soccer, Scire can become the fourth coach in any Webster sport to accumulate 200 wins.
Scire hasn’t had to do any of it alone. Associate head coach Mike Hutchison has been at Scire’s side since the program’s first team meeting. Being there since the beginning brings a greater glory.
“You do have a sense of ownership when you’ve built something from the ground up,” Hutchison said. “It shows that we have been fortunate enough to have coached a lot of great players in a great atmosphere at Webster.”
The people who helped shape the program are the ones Scire credits the most. Christy Bayne, Jessica Kozeny and all the past assistant coaches who helped to earn those now 198 wins are the ones Scire wants to recognize.
“It’s not one individual, but an accumulation from everyone who has been involved with it,” Scire said. “So everyone should take this and feel good about what we have accomplished.”
In addition to the coaches, of course, there are the players who have worn a Gorlok jersey for Scire — possibly none greater than 2011 graduate Christy Capkovic. She said her decision to come to Webster was due to the relationship Scire had built with her in her final years at Mehlville High School in St. Louis.
From there, Capkovic went on to set career records in nearly every offensive category.
“(Scire) was dedicated and passionate, and that’s what made him a great coach,” Capkovic said. “I couldn’t be happier for him; he deserves it.”
Consistently successful seasons strung together help create a reputation in the local and national soccer community. The key to building any winning team can be attributed to great talent on the field. Scire’s stance on recruiting is one he is most proud of.
“That is something that we have always worked very hard (for) … to recruit the right players and the right student athletes for Webster,” Scire said.
A high team GPA is something that, year after year, the women’s soccer team has been able to accomplish. Last year’s team GPA was 3.5.
Even with academics and on-field performances aligned, the team still has unfinished business. The Gorloks have earned a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament eight times in the program’s history, with four trips past the first round. Now a trip to the third round becomes the largest task at hand.
“Once you get a spot in the tournament you know anything can happen,” Scire said. “All you want is an opportunity to play in that big tournament.”
After 14 years of coaching and hard work, the 200th win is just within Scire’s grasp.
“(Scire) is a player’s coach,” Hutchison said. “He is an offensive-minded coach and is incredibly supportive of players. He knows how to get the best out of them.”
Scire has an opportunity to clinch No. 200 this weekend. Women’s soccer hosts Elmhurst College at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8 and Monmouth College at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9.
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