Marty Limbird, a long-time youth soccer coach in the Silverton area who also enjoyed fabulous success at Chemeketa Community College, has taken over the Silverton High boys soccer program.
Limbird, a long-time Silverton resident whose wife Liz teaches at Robert Frost, takes over for Derek McElfresh, who led the Foxes to the Class 5A quarterfinals last year.
“Marty brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the high school,” Silverton Athletic Director James Rise told Our Town. “We look forward to seeing our boys soccer program continue to grow under his direction. Coming off one of the best seasons in recent history, we hope we can build on that momentum.”
Limbird, who still teaches health and physical education at Chemeketa, was the first men’s soccer coach when the Storm started its program in 2008.
Limbird led the Storm to the 2011 Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges title and made three other final four appearances in a five-year run that included a record of 85 wins, 24 losses and 22 draws.
The Storm finished 10th in the national junior college rankings in 2009 and ninth in 2001. Limbird was a four-time coach of the year in NWAACC’s South Region and twice he was coach of the year for NWAACC (now known as the Northwest Athletic Conference).
Since 1993, Limbird also has worked as a coach, club director and camp director in youth soccer programs that included his three children.
Limbird, who stepped away from the Chemeketa position because he wanted to spend more time with his young family, told Our Town “the timing was right” for a return to higher-level coaching.
“My oldest is a seventh-grader and will be in high school soon enough so the thought crossed my mind about eventually considering the high school position,” he said. “But I wasn’t sure when, or if, the opportunity would present itself.”
Limbird will be coaching many of the players he tutored on youth teams.
“Having the opportunity to head the high school boys program will allow me to see that youth team I have been with up through high school,” he said. “This fills the cup just to be part of that.
“I’m excited to instill a sense of belief for athletes in the program that the potential is right here to go beyond what they
think is possible, that just around the corner is something they never thought
is attainable.”
Limbird said he hopes to coach “in a way that builds a true positive team culture, to engage with the community in a positive way and to see the program continue to build into a perennial power.”
Limbird received a bachelor’s in sports medicine and athletic training in 2000 from Linfield College and earned a master’s in teaching health and PE in 2002 from the University of Portland.
Limbird’s squad will begin conditioning drills Aug. 12, with the first official practice date Aug. 19. The first OSAA-sanctioned contest date is Aug. 29. The same dates also apply to the cross country, volleyball and football programs, although Aug. 29 is a jamboree date for football. Football games can be played starting Thursday, Sept. 4. Silverton and Kennedy both will open Friday, Sept. 6.
The Foxes open with a Special District 3 game at Central, while Kennedy, the defending Class 2A champions, opens at Class 3A Rainier.
Alumni addition: Former Silverton High distance runner Maddie Fuhrman did not compete during this past outdoor season at Oregon State University because of an injury.
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