This story actually came from a parent's complaint about another paper. Brian Eaker let it slip that he coached Alleman and his daughter Taylor played for Moline, and I jumped on it. Great story.
MOLINE -- When Randy Bollman accepted the job as the girls soccer coach of Rock Island Alleman, his first call was to his longtime friend Brian Eaker.
Bollman and Eaker had coached together for years, and Bollman wanted Eaker on his staff. Since Eaker's job at AT&T wouldn't allow him to be a full-time assistant, Bollman offered him a spot coaching the Pioneers' goalkeepers.
The one issue was how Eaker's daughter, Taylor, would react. Taylor is a senior captain for Moline's soccer team, and Brian had no desire to miss her final year of high school soccer and even less to coach against her in a Western Big Six game.
However, Taylor decided the opportunity was too good for her father to pass up, especially since she will be playing in college at Mount Mercy next year.
With his daughter on board, Eaker accepted the job and will now watch his daughter face off against his team when Moline visits Alleman at 6 p.m. tonight.
"It's a little different in our household," Taylor said. "It's different seeing him get ready to go to his game wearing Alleman stuff and then changing his attire for my games, but I'm used to it by now."
The change hasn't been drastic for the Eakers because Brian decided when he took the job that Taylor would be his first priority.
While the Maroons have struggled with consistency and sit at 4-3-1, one hardly could blame Taylor. She has continued to show the form and versatilty that have made her one of Moline's most important players.
"She's a four-year starter and a senior captain," Moline coach Rick Sanchez said. "She brings a lot of experience and dictates the tempo for us. We played her at sweeper at the beginning of the year, and now we've got her running up top at midfield, so her versatility has been a big plus."
That combination landed her a spot at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for next year.
"It's not far from home and I can play soccer there," Taylor said. "Plus, I want to do nursing, and they have an excellent nursing program. It all fit in."
Taylor said this game will be a little different than past games against Alleman not only because of her father coaching, but because she also knows Bollman well.
Brian Eaker won't be on the sidelines for this game. When he took the Alleman job, he told Bollman he would have to watch this game from the parents' section, which Bollman understood.
Eaker said he will watch as both a parent and a coach, but his loyalties will not be divided.
"I'll always root for Taylor no matter what," Brian said. "In the offset of that, I'll be keeping a close eye on (keeper) Samantha Glackin and making sure she's doing the (right) things."
Bollman expected nothing less. The reason he wanted Brian was that he knew Brian is a quality goalkeeping coach who loves helping kids, something his young team sorely needed.
"Brian has a true passion for the game," Bollman said. "Everything he tries to do, that love comes through to the girls. That's no different than my philosophy, and that's exactly why I wanted him here."
Both Eakers are looking forward to next season, when Taylor will play in the fall at Mount Mercy.
Along with the fact that they won't have to face each other, college soccer plays in the fall, which will allow Brian to focus on Taylor during her season and spend the spring helping Bollman rebuild the Alleman program.
"That will be really exciting," Brian said. "I'll be able to attend more games with the Alleman team and see what we haven't been able to work on.
"With Taylor going to playing in the fall, I'll get a taste of the college matches, and I can bring that back to the girls. That's the most rewarding thing (of coaching)."
Bollman and Eaker had coached together for years, and Bollman wanted Eaker on his staff. Since Eaker's job at AT&T wouldn't allow him to be a full-time assistant, Bollman offered him a spot coaching the Pioneers' goalkeepers.
The one issue was how Eaker's daughter, Taylor, would react. Taylor is a senior captain for Moline's soccer team, and Brian had no desire to miss her final year of high school soccer and even less to coach against her in a Western Big Six game.
However, Taylor decided the opportunity was too good for her father to pass up, especially since she will be playing in college at Mount Mercy next year.
With his daughter on board, Eaker accepted the job and will now watch his daughter face off against his team when Moline visits Alleman at 6 p.m. tonight.
"It's a little different in our household," Taylor said. "It's different seeing him get ready to go to his game wearing Alleman stuff and then changing his attire for my games, but I'm used to it by now."
The change hasn't been drastic for the Eakers because Brian decided when he took the job that Taylor would be his first priority.
While the Maroons have struggled with consistency and sit at 4-3-1, one hardly could blame Taylor. She has continued to show the form and versatilty that have made her one of Moline's most important players.
"She's a four-year starter and a senior captain," Moline coach Rick Sanchez said. "She brings a lot of experience and dictates the tempo for us. We played her at sweeper at the beginning of the year, and now we've got her running up top at midfield, so her versatility has been a big plus."
That combination landed her a spot at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for next year.
"It's not far from home and I can play soccer there," Taylor said. "Plus, I want to do nursing, and they have an excellent nursing program. It all fit in."
Taylor said this game will be a little different than past games against Alleman not only because of her father coaching, but because she also knows Bollman well.
Brian Eaker won't be on the sidelines for this game. When he took the Alleman job, he told Bollman he would have to watch this game from the parents' section, which Bollman understood.
Eaker said he will watch as both a parent and a coach, but his loyalties will not be divided.
"I'll always root for Taylor no matter what," Brian said. "In the offset of that, I'll be keeping a close eye on (keeper) Samantha Glackin and making sure she's doing the (right) things."
Bollman expected nothing less. The reason he wanted Brian was that he knew Brian is a quality goalkeeping coach who loves helping kids, something his young team sorely needed.
"Brian has a true passion for the game," Bollman said. "Everything he tries to do, that love comes through to the girls. That's no different than my philosophy, and that's exactly why I wanted him here."
Both Eakers are looking forward to next season, when Taylor will play in the fall at Mount Mercy.
Along with the fact that they won't have to face each other, college soccer plays in the fall, which will allow Brian to focus on Taylor during her season and spend the spring helping Bollman rebuild the Alleman program.
"That will be really exciting," Brian said. "I'll be able to attend more games with the Alleman team and see what we haven't been able to work on.
"With Taylor going to playing in the fall, I'll get a taste of the college matches, and I can bring that back to the girls. That's the most rewarding thing (of coaching)."
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