Story originally printed in the Tomah Journal or online at www.tomahjournal.com
Published - Sunday, March 23, 2008
Barta resigns as boys soccer coach
Tomah High School boys soccer coach Mike Barta led the Timberwolves to their first-ever WIAA sectional tournament berth last fall.
However, Barta believes it will be difficult for Tomah to get any farther without a stronger commitment to the soccer program. For that reason, Barta decided to resign after five seasons as head coach.
Barta submitted his letter of resignation to Tomah School District Activities Director Tom Curran March 5. He wrote that Tomah “does not seem to have the same forward thinking philosophy. I can no longer keep coaching when I possess such a passion for the sport of soccer and the young men I have coached over the years without the school’s support ... I would have loved to coach soccer for the next five plus years but I cannot without the Tomah School District showing that they care about the soccer program growing.”
Barta took over one season after Tomah won its first-ever Mississippi Valley Conference championship. After two losing seasons, Barta led Tomah to three straight winning campaigns and three straight finishes in the upper half of the MVC standings. His last team established a school record for most victories in one season (16).
His overall record was 50-47-7 and 27-22-5 in the MVC.
Barta said his favorite memory was the 2-1 shootout victory over Sparta in last year’s regional final. It gave Tomah is first regional championship in the 11-year history of the program.
“That was undoubtedly the biggest win Tomah has ever had,” Barta said.
He said facilities must be upgraded for Tomah’s success to continue.
“Tomah soccer is the only MVC school still playing on a football field,” Barta said. “The practice fields at the Tomah VA create a total sense of disconnect to the school.”
All stories copyright 2006 Tomah Journal and other attributed sources.