If you're ever looking for someone to take a bunch of boys and girl who've never kicked a ball, save maybe a few times at recess, mold them into varsity soccer players who in just four short years knock off their rival, give Panther Men's Soccer Coach Adam Howarth a call.

The United Kingdom expatriate established St. Anthony High School's (Effingham, Ill.) varsity soccer program from scratch, taking the inexperienced yet enthusiastic players on a journey that would teach the girls that they could beat the boys and vice versa: that the boys could get beaten by the girls. Co-ed the team would be and losing to their rival, Charleston High School, they would. 

1995: St. Anthony's 0, Charleston 13. Season record?  0-11
1996 season record: 1-11
1997: 3-12 
1998: St. Anthony's 1, Charleston 0! Season record?  10-8-6… with a co-ed team.

Being a part of what may seem from the outside, in as a hodge-podge conglomeration of players hailing from a variety of backgrounds was no shock to Howarth. Earning a partial scholarship to play on the EIU men's team from 1989-1992 for Coach Cizo (pronounced cheese-o) Mosnia, Howarth's journey to the states, wide-eyed and images from printed brochures and catalogs all he had to gauge what life in Charleston would be like in mind, he joined his nationally mismatched teammates in early August 1989 ready to “make something of himself”.

Mosnia was ahead of his time with his international recruiting strategy, and had built a team of players hailing from Canada, Africa, England and the States. While they may not have achieved the highest accolades athletically, they forged a bond of which soccer was center. That bond created traditions that resonate today, 20 years after Howarth's freshman experience.

In the fall of each year, the men's soccer alumni return to Charleston, some a few pounds heavier than their years as a Panther, but all grinning ear-to-ear as they are able to relive some of what it meant to be a collegiate athlete. The camaraderie, the memories forged, and the never-give-up-ness they all demonstrated: that's what they come back to remember.

Howarth is there to facilitate that. Since 2000, he has been at the helm as head coach of the men's soccer program at EIU. He is a board of director's member of the Charleston Youth Soccer League (yes, it's co-ed) and a father of three (yes, he has two boys and a girl).

He does all he can to guide his players towards wins through a program of hard work yet enjoyable training. This year, he defines his team's strength as their “bounce back ability”. Despite a 1-5 loss to Missouri Valley Conference powerhouse and nationally ranked Creighton University early in the season, the men held them to a double overtime 0-0 tie in late October. 

On paper, the team shouldn't be as good as previous years, but it's that drive and focus that makes this group exceptional. Not top or bottom heavy by freshman or seniors, the team is a nice mix of talent, age, and experience. 

Fast forward 20 years: Will this team return to Charleston to feel that tie that binds them together today? If Howarth has a say, they will. He knows wholeheartedly how important it was to have that chance to be a Panther and to wear blue. And that doesn't leave when you graduate.