THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9406220178
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, COMPASS SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: 940623 LENGTH: Medium
Harold Sigler has had enough.
{REST} After 37 years of coaching, Maury's girls soccer coach is ready for a break.
``I've been coaching for 37 years. I'm 62 years old. There aren't many coaches hanging in there at my age. I'm ready for a break,'' said Sigler, who retired at the end of this season. ``I've been here 21 years so I think it's probably time for some new blood.''
Until 1982 Sigler spent his entire coaching career adjusting offenses on the football field and helping his pitchers throw strikes.
He began his career in 1957 at Robert E. Lee in Staunton. From there he moved over to Augusta Military Academy before moving to Norfolk in 1966.
He coached football for two years at Northside Middle School and was the offensive coordinator at Granby, where he was teaching Physical Education and Health.
In 1973 he made the move to Maury to take over the JV football program and coach baseball.
Touchdowns and strikes were what Sigler understood. Soccer was well beyond his realm of experience.
Title 9 forced Maury to add more sports for girls, so the Commodores dropped JV football and put Sigler on the soccer field.
``I didn't know much about soccer,'' Sigler said. ``I've been with it since day one and I've had a lot of fine help. You hear it said all the time, but successful people surround themselves with good people. I have had excellent people surrounding me all these years.
``I've been blessed with good athletes and when you have good athletes it makes it easy on the coaches.''
Sigler would gladly relinquish his coach of the year award to his assistant of four years Vyburt Silcott.
``I just walked around and looked important,'' Sigler said. ``I do all of the paper work, but the on-field coaching Vyburt handled.''
Regardless of who gets the credit, Maury's soccer program has produced some very impressive results in its 13-year existance.
The Commodores have scored 1,152 goals and have allowed just 152 as they rolled to a 154-32-9 record. They were the state runners-up in 1985 and '87 and were the Eastern Region champs in '85, '87 and '89. They have never lost an Eastern District game.
Maury placed six players on the All-Eastern District first team and six more on the second team this year as well as the player of the year, Laura Smith, and newcomer of the year, Colleen Maloney.
Impressive as all of that is, Sigler is most proud of the fact that eight of his players have received soccer scholarships and this season 16 of his 24 players had a 3.0 or better grade point average.
``It is really tough to earn a scholarship for soccer,'' Sigler said. ``Almost all of our players go on to college and we are very proud of that.
``I've been very proud of this soccer program.''
by CNB