Veteran coach Eck set to retire at season end

October 14, 2009
By Sean Olsta
Sports Reporter

Joe Eck

UIS athletics will be without one of their leaders soon.  The Prairie Stars’ men’s soccer coach Joe Eck will be retiring from his position as head coach at the end of the current season. 

Eck roamed the sidelines at UIS and Sangamon State University as an assistant or head coach for the last 30 years.  Before he coaches his last game, UIS fans should learn the accomplishments of a man who loves the game of soccer and understand what his departure will mean for the future of the UIS men’s squad.

Joe Eck grew up right here in Springfield.  He can remember soccer being a relatively unknown sport in the area as a young child.  There was one event that Eck can remember as the exact moment when he became passionate about the game of soccer.

In his early teens Eck can recall a friend asking him to fill an empty slot for a local soccer team.   With no experience playing the game, he reluctantly accepted the offer and laces for his first game. 

Eck remembers that as the beginning of his passion for the game, “We lost 10-0 but I found out I loved the game, absolutely loved it.”

From that point on Eck has been involved in organized soccer in one way or another for his entire life.  He played throughout high school and college.  He graced the pitch for Warren Wilson College in North Carolina where he received honors as a NAIA First Team All-American in 1977. 

After a short stint playing soccer professionally with the New York Apollos in 1977, Eck returned to Springfield and grabbed the job as the head coach of the men’s team at Lincoln Land Community College in 1978.  

One year later Eck landed the job as the assistant coach at Sangamon State. This was the beginning of a long career on the UIS campus.  While an assistant coach Eck received his master degree in energy studies. 

This graduate degree helped him become a full time employee of the university in 1981 where he worked as a space administrator at the physical plant.  Eck finally got his shot at being the headman in 2002 after a long stint as the team’s assistant coach.

As an assistant coach his men’s teams won NAIA National Titles in 1986, 1988, 1993.  His most memorable accomplishment from his years at SSU and UIS was when the men’s team competed in the World College Championship in 1987 that matched the NCAA champion, the NAIA champion, the Mexican champion, and the Irish champion against each other.

In that tournament SSU beat the UCLA 2-1 in penalty kicks.  The team lost in the final to the University of Ireland but the thrill of beating UCLA sticks with Eck to this day.

Eck made his decisions to walk away from coaching the sport he is so passionate about for a number of reasons. Since UIS has moved up NCAA status the university wants make the head coaching position a full time job.  Eck has two children that are very involved in soccer. The two are in their college and compete on their college teams.  He says he doesn’t want his job to get in the way of being apart of his children’s soccer lives. 

“I think it is very important to be a part of those college experiences as a parent.  My family has always worked around my soccer schedule and I think it’s time I work around theirs,” he said.

With the pressure of making his coaching job full time and his family concerns Eck knew it was time to end his run as head coach.  Eck said he can’t express how much he has enjoyed his experiences as a coach at UIS.  

“It’s so rewarding to see a young man mature and grow up, and see him years later with an established career and raising a family,” Eck said.  Eck also expressed his gratitude towards the university administration for allowing him to coach here for the last 30 years.

With Eck leaving his position vacant, the university has been trying to find a new coach to fill the void.  UIS athletics says that the search for a new coach is the same process that the university takes when looking for an academic professional. Administrators said finding a full time replacement for Eck will make it easier for the university to recruit players and improve the team. 

Many at the athletic department will miss Eck’s presence.  UIS athletic director Rodger Jehlicka wishes Eck the best in the future.  He said, “We thank Coach Eck for his 30 years of service to the SSU and UIS men’s soccer program, he will be missed.”

Coach Eck has only four more matches as the Prairie Stars head coach, all home games.  The squad will be hosting Wisconsin-Parkside on Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Lewis University on Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m., Millikin University at 7 p.m., and Quincy University on Oct.25 at 2:30 p.m.