Catching up with Coach Yeagley

He might be two years removed from retiring as the IU men's soccer coach, but that doesn't mean you won't find Jerry Yeagley on the sidelines of Bill Armstrong Stadium. Wednesday night, Yeagley was in the stands, shaking hands and laughing with old friends while watching the IU soccer team take on the Cincinnati Kings in an exhibition match.\n"One of the things I've been doing is following the team," the legendary coach said, as he peered out onto the field. "I'm a groupie; I follow after the IU soccer team. I wouldn't call myself a super fan but I'm into the team and still feel very much attached."\nAnd who can blame him? He built the soccer program at IU, compiling 544 wins in his 31-year tenure (good for best all-time) and led the squad to six national titles. When he took over the team after earning his master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1963, the team only had club status. With no money from the University, Yeagley lined the field, washed the uniforms and promoted the team on campus with his players and his wife, Marilyn. After his hard work, the team achieved varsity status in 1973.\nHell, he is the IU soccer program.\n"What I miss the most is the day-in and day-out interactions with the players," Yeagley said. "But every now and then I go and get my fix, by hanging out at practice and rubbing up next to them, you know. I try to keep my distance. I think it's been a healthy situation. But, there's still some boys out there who I recruited and brought here to IU and I feel attachment and a bit of responsibility to the program. Even after the guys I recruited are gone, I'll still feel that way. (IU coach) Mike (Freitag) is like a younger brother and of course my son (assistant coach Todd Yeagley) is out there -- it's family."\nYou can feel his love for the team in his voice. He's the proud grandfather of this team and he can't help but share it with you. But it's more than just the love for the soccer team; it's his love for the University as a whole. \n"I'm an IU guy and I want to see all the programs succeed," Yeagley said. "I'm proud of what Ray (Looze, IU swimming and diving coach) did this year. I think we have some outstanding coaches. (IU Director of Athletics) Rick Greenspan is a real professional with the leadership he's providing. I just feel really good about the future. His hires and just the way he leads, he's a real professional."\nYeagley is still extremely involved with the IU athletic department, working fundraising campaigns for scholarship endowments and better facilities. He was given the opportunity to have his own office, but he declined -- saying he wanted to give back to the University and do it on a voluntary basis. With Yeagley's increased free time, he's been working on his golf game, spending time with his grandchildren and taking trips with his wife. They spent all of February and March in Florida. But it always comes back to IU soccer for Yeagley.\n"We have excellent players. It's going to be a young team," Yeagley said of the current squad. "There's no reason to think that this team can't achieve the same high standards or play to the same high standards and have the same goals -- you know what the goals are for IU soccer -- they don't change. And they know that as well."\nAnd that's all thanks to one man -- Mr. Jerry Yeagley.