Just three games are left for the Greeley West girls soccer team, but nothing could ever prepare the team, their parents or the Greeley West administration for the shock that came when head coach Mike Lordemann announced he had decided to step down from his position, thus retiring from Greeley West soccer in a meeting earlier this week.

Lordemann has made a big impact on everyone that has been surrounded by his love, support, and appreciation. His love for the sport shows through his coaching and you can tell, because there is never a dull moment where he wasn’t jumping up on the side lines at his players scoring a winning goal, or yelling at the referees for not calling a horrible foul. It never mattered in the end what the score board looked like, because wins and loses never mattered as long as the game was played with 100% effort.

“As crazy as it sounds, it’s not the two state titles that were the most memorable moments of coaching. It was the moments getting to the state championship games, and the teams that I had the opportunity to coach that provided special moments through each season,” stated Lordemann.

Lordemann has been coaching at West for 29 years overall and and won two state titles in 2003 and 2004 as the girls head coach. He started at West in 1988 as a boys’ basketball and soccer assistant coach. In 2002 he became the soccer girls head coach.

As a head coach, Lordemann was able to have the opportunity to coach his daughters through their four years in high school.  Ashley, Brittany and Caaley, who will graduate this year, all played for the Spartans while their dad led the team.

Lordemann has also been particularly close to this year’s squad.  The seniors on the soccer team have had Lordemann as their coach since about fifth grade.  They have all grown up together and have created a bound with each other that Lordemann said will last for a lifetime.

“There was no good time (to retire), and I’m not convinced until this day that I made the correct choice. I am very fortunate as a coach to spend 29 years at Greeley West High School. Greeley West has great administration, parent, and player support, and I will forever be a Spartan,” stated Lordemann, who himself was a graduate of Greeley West.

Lordemann’s influence and legacy will be celebrated for decades, but he will be missed greatly at West by all who have found him inspirational. These last few days are going to be the hardest for everyone.  Still, Lordemann remained positive about his decision and hoped to have made a a bigger impact than just soccer.  “It’s simple; I hope I had the opportunity to influence kid’s lives,” Lordemann said.