Saint Louis FC will honor local soccer coach Vince Drake at halftime of the match on Saturday, July 25 vs. Oklahoma City Energy FC at World Wide Technology Soccer Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
Drake, who has been contributing to the rich history of St. Louis soccer for the past 47 years, is the winningest high school soccer coach in U.S. history. His combined record for boys’ and girls’ soccer currently stands at 1,079-504-161. His teams have won 12 Missouri state titles (11 boys, 1 girls) while making 19 combined appearances in the Missouri state championship game. He compiled his record first at Aquinas, then at the combined Aquinas-Mercy, and now at Trinity, which absorbed the former Aquinas-Mercy and Rosary high schools in 2003.
Along the way, Drake has coached players who went on enjoy major success as both players and coaches. The long list includes Perry Van Der Beck, the 1985 U.S. player of the year; Mike Sorber, the most valuable player for the United States in the 1994 World Cup; and Greg Koeller, who has won seven state championships in boys’ and girls’ soccer at St. Dominic High School. In all, Drake has produced 14 professional players and more than 250 collegiate scholarship players.
