By Kevin Ford
Student reporter
New head women’s soccer coach, Erik Solberg, is getting his team geared up for the upcoming spring season.
Solberg took over the new position after a call from athletic director Brad Franz.
Franz knew about Solberg from his time at East Central University.
Solberg was working as a voluntary assistant at Nichols St. before getting the call from Franz.
Solberg said he was excited to get the opportunity to return to the Great American Conference.
Solberg mentioned Franz is a great guy and strives for every athletic department on campus to be successful.
Solberg was born in Chicago, Illinois and earned his bachelor’s at the University of Mississippi. He proceeded to get his Master’s in education at East Central University.
He met the woman he would later marry in May 2016.
They were engaged in December 2017 and married in 2018.
His wife runs a public relations firm in Dallas.
They both live together in Alva.
One thing many people may not know about Solberg is he is a descendant of Norwegian blood.
“My great-grandparents settled in Wisconsin and were both fully Norwegian,” Solberg said. “My father is Norwegian, but he is unable to speak it, unlike my grandparents.”
Coaching is an extension of teaching. Solberg said he learned this from being a student of his father for many years.
“My dad was my biggest coach growing up,” Solberg said.
Erik studied media and sports broadcasting, but he would later overt to being a teacher and a coach.
“I grew up on a farm, I was taught to work and work hard at a young age,” Solberg said.
Solberg was a part of a program turnaround at Alcorn St. He helped take a 5-13 team and turn them into a 13-5 team after one season.
That set the program record for wins in a season at Alcorn St.
“I believe in building trust and having a one-on-one relationship with each of my players,” Solberg said.
He said he wants his players to become successful people and the greatest extension of themselves.
He has been with many programs during the rebuilding phase. He was a graduate assistant and recruiting coordinator at ECU.
They reached the conference tournament semifinals in one of his seasons at ECU.
“My door is always open for my players,” Solberg said.
It is not easy for players to deal with multiple coaching changes over the course of three years. Solberg understands this.
This does not take away from his goal, which involves competing for a conference championship.
He said he is looking forward to putting in the work to get to where the team needs to be. Excellence is his favorite coaching philosophy.
Train yourself to a certain standard where nobody can ever outwork you,” Solberg said. “We are excited and pumped for the new soccer season.”
The community supports the soccer program and players are optimistic for the upcoming grind.
Coach Solberg’s favorite quote is, “We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, then is not an act, but a consistency, preach effort, team first.”