High School Coaches Scanlon and Beggin Win Top National Honors

Two long standing boys high school soccer coaches earned some well deserved awards this past week.

Chuck Scanlon - Photo By Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

Apple Valley’s Chuck Scanlon, who has been coaching boys soccer for 34 years, won the Division I High School Boys Coach of the Year Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Scanlon led his team to a perfect 24-0 record and the No. 5 spot in the final NSCAA boys fall rankings. This season he also set the Minnesota State record for career wins, surpassing the 500-win plateau in mid-September. He has a career record of 518-87-49.

It was announced last Thursday that Scanlon has also won the ESPN RISE High School Coach of the Year. His 24-0-0 record is the first time in Minnesota State history a boys soccer team has gone undefeated, with no losses or draws all season and through the playoffs. Scanlon became Minnesota’s all-time winningest coach, passing legend Guido Kauls, who retired with exactly 500 wins. The team finished No. 8 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 for the fall. In the state final, Apple Valley posted a 4-0 victory over Wayzata, giving Scanlon his eighth state title in eight state final appearances. He is the only coach in the program’s history.

Paul Beggin - Photo By Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

Paul Beggin also goes back a long way, being involved with the Minnesota Kicks from the original NASL. Beggin, who also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Sports Center and who has been helping to organize the new soccer team that will be owned by the NSC, has coached at Mahtomedi High School since starting the program in 1982. Beggin is this year’s NSCAA winner of the Division II High School Boys Soccer Coach of the Year. Beggin led his team to its first Minnesota Class A State title, posting a record of 17-3-3. He was the 2006 NSCAA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year, the last time his team reached the state finals.

Kassey Kallman

ESPN RISE also named defender Kassey Kallman from Woodbury (Minn.), to the Girls Fall All-American 1st Team. The senior is breaking ranks from her two sisters. Kassey, a senior, is verbally committed to Florida State. Kassey’s sister Krystle Kallman played for the University of Minnesota and is now an assistant coach with the team. Her sister Kylie, also a defender for the Gophers, attends the U of M and is a junior.

ESPN RISE also announced their top Fall Girls and Boys Soccer players by State.

Minnesota’s Girls list included 14 players:

D: Lauren Bauer, Eagan (Minn.), Sr., Minnesota
F: Corinne Buie, Edina (Minn.), Sr.
F: Lauren DiGregorio, Burnsville (Minn.), Sr., Colorado College
MF: Caitlin Graboski, Woodbury (Minn.), Sr., Iowa State
MF: Erin Green, White Bear Lake (Minn.), Sr., Iowa State
GK: Maddie Jobe, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (St. Louis Park, Minn.), Sr., Iowa State
D: Kassey Kallman, Woodbury (Minn.), Sr. Florida State
GK: Karalyn Leetz, Park (Cottage Grove, Minn.), Jr., Minnesota
MF: Brianne Price, Eastview (Apple Valley, Minn.), Jr., Minnesota
D: Becca Roberts, Centennial (Circle Pines, Minn.), Jr., Minnesota
F: Catie Sessions, Woodbury (Minn.), Sr., Wisconsin
F: Julie Sierks, Edina (Minn.), Sr., Northwestern
F: Taylor Uhl, Eden Prairie (Minn.), Jr.
F: Taylor Wodnick, Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), Jr., Minnesota

Minnesota’s Boys list included only 4 players:

F: Kyle Erickson, Tartan (Oakdale, Minn.), Sr., Lipscomb
GK: Zach Harwerth, Anoka (Minn.), Sr., Houston Baptist
D: Bijan Jabari, Apple Valley (Minn.), Sr.
MF: Paul Yonga, Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.), Sr.