“It couldn’t get any more different.”
‘The hardest part of climbing to the top of the mountain, is staying there once you reach the summit’ is often a overused, lazy phrase reserved for coaches, talking heads & exhausted writers. However, it’s hard not to make such a relatable analogy when you look at Mike Petke’s jobs from 2013 through 2016. Going from coaching in the MLS Eastern Conference Finals one year, to observing ODP training sessions on a divot riddled football field off the New Jersey turnpike sounds like a scripted drama on TNT.
“I did have some offers to come back to coaching. But, at the end of the day, the offers that I had did not feel 100% right,” said new Real Monarchs head coach Mike Petke.
“I was able to join Jersey Youth Soccer, and to me, it was the logical move because of the youth development movement over the last five, six years. It was a good opportunity for me to step in that realm and gain that experience.”
Instead of designing tactics for the likes of Thierry Henry and Dax McCarty, Petke found himself helping kids and their parents navigate the occasional turbulent waters of youth soccer.
“My only mission when I was out there was to help these kids develop. And to see a lot of programs that weren’t like that, it was a challenge. But, there are a lot of good programs out there as well,” said Petke.
On top of streamlining the best opportunities for the Garden State’s youth players, Petke continually scratched his coaching itch by designing training sessions for JYS coaches.
“It gave me the opportunity to stay sharp. I was constantly going over session plans and creating session plans. Watching different coaches and seeing how they do things. That was the biggest thing for me. Immersing myself as much as possible in new ways to teach. I think I’m better off for it, to be honest with you,” said Petke.
Eventually, the desire to stroll the sidelines professionally became more difficult to ignore. However, if television has taught us anything in the last 30 years, it’s we have to learn from our past.
Petke has an undisclosed criteria list. His next coaching gig needed to be the right fit. It needed to make sense on multiple levels.
That’s when Craig Waibel called.
"Mike is a great guy and also a great coach. This hire, along with the quality of Mark Briggs and Matt Glaeser, will be a fantastic step for our organization and continue the integration and unification of our club from top to bottom," said Real Salt Lake General Manager Craig Waibel.
“I was extremely humbled and honored that Craig contacted me on behalf of a club like RSL. And for Mr. Hansen to sit down with me, one on one, and hear his excitement and his passion, the things that he wants to do, there wasn’t a box that I couldn’t check off,” said Petke.
“We are all really excited to get Mike to SLC and to start getting ready for the 2017 USL season,” said Real Salt Lake President of Soccer Operations Rob Zarkos. “His playing and coaching pedigree speak for themselves, but on top of that he is a genuine and passionate guy.”
And Petke’s already off and running. Before his contract was officially filed, he called his two new assistants on the phone and ‘hit it off’. The moment after he faxed his signed contract to Rio Tinto Stadium from a local Kinkos, his printer broke Thursday morning, he emailed every Monarch player on the roster.
All that’s left is making his way to Utah after the Holiday weekend.
“The first thing I’m excited about doing is meeting Jeff face-to-face and collaborating. Hearing what their plans are and, honestly, doing anything on the Monarchs end to develop players and aid the first team in any way for them to be successful,” Petke said.
Now, when you look back at Petke’s last four years like a movie montage, his two previous jobs seem to have groomed him to be the perfect Monarchs boss.
“Mike fits right in with our goal of building strong teams and developing top caliber talent throughout our organization,” said Zarkos.
“Mike is a great addition to a very strong staff throughout the organization and continues to exemplify the ambition of our ownership and vision,” said Waibel.
Petke is a uniquely qualified hire for an organization that happens to have exceedingly high first team expectations and a top notch academy. Someone who completely understands the two worlds he’ll be tasked to bring together.
“I thrive on challenges and pressure. I’m extremely excited to be a part of an organization like RSL.”
Sounds like a heck of a show. When does it start airing on TNT, again?
