Springthorpe's big impact not unnoticed

By Roxana Samano
The Collegian

Before Steve Springthorpe could become the women’s soccer coach at Fresno State, he had to get started at Methodist College, a small Division III school in North Carolina.

After graduating from Methodist College in 1987, Springthorpe decided to stay after being offered the job as assistant coach for the women’s soccer team. Springthorpe coached there for nine seasons, during which the soccer team reached the D-III semifinals three times.

After devoting nine years of his life to coaching soccer, Springthorpe got out of coaching and moved to Boston. Springthorpe soon began working for Puma as the soccer promotions manager, a job he held down for three years. After only a short stay in Boston, Springthorpe was offered yet another job, this time at a major university.

“After three years I had a job opportunity at the University of Florida,” Springthorpe said. Springthorpe took that opportunity and was an assistant coach there for five years. And in the spring of 2004, Springthorpe applied for the head-coaching position at Fresno State.

Springthorpe started at Fresno State in the fall of 2004, and has been striving to renew the program.

Soon after Springthorpe arrived at Fresno State, he looked at the program and the success that the team had in the past. He wanted to win conference championships again, like the 1999 Fresno State team did. Springthorpe mentioned that from 2000 on, the team went backwards in terms of winning seasons, so he wanted to “revitalize the program a little bit.”

Springthorpe would like to get his team to where it can win some sort of championship.

“Last year we accomplished half of that goal,” Springthorpe said. “We established ourselves as the best team in our conference in the last few years.”

Another important goal for the team was to earn national recognition as being a top-25 team.

Springthorpe and his staff have not yet talked about their goals for next season, partly because this season is still fresh in their minds, but have talked to the team about their goals. The item at the top of their list is to win the Western Athletic Conference championship. Once this step is completed their next goal will be going to the NCAA tournament.

Springthorpe encourages his team to improve everyday so they can win an NCAA championship and be the best at what they do.

One of the toughest challenges Springthorpe has had to deal with is replacing his seniors on the team.
“This year we are losing seven seniors, five of which are major players,” Springthorpe said.

Springthorpe works on improving the program by filling in the roles with new players that will continue the success the program has had, part of the formula that once again crowned the Bulldogs as WAC champions this season.

Springthorpe already has his team preparing for success above and beyond the WAC championship. After all, there is a national championship to be won.

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