News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Hughes News & Views

February 18, 2011

HUGHES, NEWS & VIEWS: Aycock inducted into Indiana Soccer Hall of Fame

TERRE HAUTE — On Jan. 29, Mike Aycock got what he deserved —  induction into the Indiana Soccer Hall of Fame.

It occurred during a ceremony in his original hometown of Indianapolis.

The Indiana Soccer Hall of Fame honors the “outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals whose significant accomplishments and effect upon the sport in Indiana merit the highest recognition.”

Sounds like Mike Aycock.

“To me, it’s an enormous honor,” he told me this week. “I think it’s such a big honor because Indiana has come so far in soccer over the last 30 years.”

Aycock, 61, has coached the soccer team at the all-women St. Mary-of-the-Woods College since 2000, but his background in the sport goes far beyond that.

He originally moved to Terre Haute to attend Indiana State University way back in 1969, then he decided to stay here permanently in 1974.

While at ISU, Aycock played on its men’s soccer club for about five years.

His first job in Terre Haute was teaching humanities at ISU.

In 1978, Aycock made his presence felt in the community by helping found the Vigo County Youth Soccer Association (VCYSA) with Fred Rusch and David Martin. He also became the VCYSA’s first president.

“There were some people in the community who had children who wanted to play [soccer],” Aycock recalled.

In 1980, Aycock was named the first — and as it turned out, only — men’s soccer coach in Indiana State history.

Aycock’s teams finished with 6-8 and 8-8 records — “which for a start-up program in [NCAA] D-I was pretty good,” he mentioned — before the sport got axed by the university’s administration in 1982.

“We had something going and we had it cut out from underneath us,” he explained, still wondering what could have been.

Already a full-time English teacher at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Aycock didn’t need to land another soccer job at the time. He waited until 1988 to become the boys coach at Terre Haute South High School.

One year before that, Aycock became a coach with the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Olympic Development Program for Indiana boys, something he still does.

Meanwhile, he spent five years with the South boys. Then he turned his attention to guiding the school’s inaugural girls program in 1994. In 1998, his female Braves reached the semistate championship game at Evansville, where they lost to Evansville Memorial 3-0 to finish with a 15-7-1 mark.

During that time, I enjoyed dealing with Aycock after matches. He was always friendly and conducted himself with class, unlike another 1990s South coach who shall remain nameless.

Aycock left South after the ’98 season to build a soccer program at The Woods, which debuted under his leadership in 2000.

“Starting a program like that, it’s a task,” he admitted. “Starting at ISU [in 1980] was a little bit easier because of the recruiting.”

Aycock’s Pomeroys struggled to rack up victories in their early years. But in 2009 and 2010, they competed in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament at Burlington, Vt. They finished second in ’09 and ended up with a program-best 8-7-2 overall record in ’10.

So there’s no doubt the program is on the rise.

“It’s very rewarding to work with these athletes,” Aycock noted. “They’re here because they love to play. We get a lot of fantastic student-athletes with great grade-point averages. It’s very gratifying to train with athletes who are great learners.”

Widely recognized as a clinician, Aycock owns national certifications from the U.S. Soccer Federation and he was named the winner of Indiana’s “Jay Fredrich Good of Soccer Award” in 2003.

Woods athletic director Deanna Bradley is glad to have Aycock on staff, describing him as a phenomenal coach.

“He is a fundamental strategist whose understanding of the game is beyond compare,” she added. “His commitment and passion for soccer cover the spectrum from youth to professional levels and we are blessed that he has chosen to share those talents at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College for the past 10 years. I can’t think of a more deserving and honorable coach to be inducted into the Indiana Soccer Hall of Fame.”

Looking to the future, Aycock doesn’t sound like a man ready to retire from coaching soon.

“I don’t have a limit on [how many more years],” he emphasized. “I still feel blessed to be able to get out there and do it.”

Married to Rose Aycock, Mike has five stepchildren and eight grandchildren.

Congratulations, Mike.

David Hughes can be reached by phone after 4 p.m. at 1-800-783-8742, Option 4, or at (812) 231-4224; by e-mail at david.hughes@tribstar.com; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Hughes News & Views
  • Terre Haute runner sets up race to help Boston

    Having competed in the Boston Marathon once before in 2003, 35-year-old Majel Wells of Terre Haute thought she should give it another try in 2013.
    “My goal was just to finish and enjoy Boston,” she reflected this week. “I had an injury [runner’s knee] beforehand, so I wasn’t too worried about beating my time from 2003 [4 hours, 10.20 seconds].
    “But nobody cares about what your time is at Boston anyway.”
    From what I’ve heard over the years, she’s right. Unless you’re a super-serious runner, the Boston Marathon has been more about taking in the atmosphere and having fun than placing in the top 50, although Wells was pleased that she beat her previous time by finishing in 3:55.19 on April 15.
    Obviously, her race time wasn’t the most vivid memory that Wells took away from her 2013 Boston experience.

    April 26, 2013

  • SPT 022610 MIKE SAYLOR.jpg Former South players to play in Saylor benefit game

    I had my first phone conversation with Mike Saylor since mid-February on Thursday and he sounded good.
    The former Terre Haute South High School boys basketball coach, who’s been battling cancer this year, has been traveling back and forth to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for chemotherapy treatments.

    April 19, 2013 1 Photo

  • Recent South swimmers Roach, Bray heading to DI nationals

    I’m sure most of you with office jobs can relate.
    When work gets busy, sometimes it’s easy to skim over our emails. After all, how many times do we need to read the same nonsense from alleged Nigerians wanting to make us rich if we’ll send them several thousand dollars first?
    So after having three consecutive days off, that almost happened to me when I returned to work Tuesday. Then I realized that the message from Jeff Thompson, Terre Haute South High School’s boys and girls swimming coach, contained significant news.

    March 20, 2013

  • SPT-030697-HALT-SHOOTS.jpg NCAA Division III basketball tournament returns to Rose-Hulman

    The last time Rose-Hulman served as host for the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament, its game was played inside an old World War II airplane hangar.
    You “old-timers” should know the building I’m talking about and the matchup wasn’t really that long ago — March 6, 1997, to be exact.

    March 1, 2013 2 Photos

  • SPT 012508 SAYLOR FILE.jpg DAVID HUGHES: Childhood friends use faith, sports to get them through

    When I learned in February 2009 that a rare form of appendix cancer would devastate my life and cause me to miss work for several months, Mike Saylor was among the first to offer assistance.

    February 17, 2013 3 Photos

  • Book review: Thumbs up for ‘Trophies and Tears’

    Now might be too late for giving Christmas presents, but the book “Trophies and Tears: The Story of Evansville and the Aces” is a fascinating read for longtime Indiana basketball fans, particularly those older than 40.
    Written by award-winning Kyle Keiderling of Henderson, Nev., and released in hardcover format in mid-December, the 480-page “Trophies and Tears” documents the rich tradition of the University of Evansville men’s basketball program through recent interviews and research of old yearbooks and newspaper/scrapbook clippings.
    The book contains many cheery moments — behind-the-scenes details of all five NCAA College Division (now known as Division II) championships won in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s by the Purple Aces and their legendary coach Arad McCutchan — although some of those moments don’t seem so cheery from an Indiana State perspective when the Sycamores found themselves on the losing end of scores.

    December 26, 2012

  • Hughes, News & Views: Wishing for Colts-Broncos playoff matchup from Santa

    There’s plenty of tragedy in the world to bring us down if we let it, so let’s have a light-hearted column today — my annual Christmas gift requests for Santa Claus.
    I already know one of my gift wishes is becoming less likely to happen. That would be for the Indianapolis Colts to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoffs.

    December 20, 2012

  • Colts' loyalty tested by Manning, Broncos

    We’re approaching the halfway point of the NFL season and so far it’s been surprisingly enjoyable.
    I wasn’t sure how I would handle following two favorite teams — 1a.) the Indianapolis Colts and 1b.) Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos — but the new arrangement hasn’t caused me any loyalty conflicts yet.
     

    November 2, 2012

  • HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Sorting out the sports air waves

    My name isn’t attached to them, but I’m the one who usually puts together the “Sports on the air” television/radio listings that appear daily on this newspaper’s Scoreboard Page.

    October 1, 2012

  • SPT091312gutish.jpg Hughes, News & Views: North junior ready to go racing

    When we last visited 16-year-old Rachel Gutish, she was finishing sixth in the Women’s Enduro X race in the nationally televised Summer X Games at Los Angeles.

    September 20, 2012 1 Photo

  • HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Yelovich still striking the ball long on LDA Tour

    In June 2011, I wrote a feature story about former Indiana State basketball center Mick Yelovich making a name for himself as a golfer on the Long Drivers Association (LDA) Tour.
     

    July 20, 2012

  • HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts? Broncos? Maybe there’s more than enough room for both

    I’ve got a longtime buddy who I’m fairly sure rarely, if ever, reads this column.

    July 14, 2012

  • SPT120410THNBBB jones1.jpg HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Point of Jones’ return

    Since May 14, Indiana high school basketball fans have wondered why Jim Jones would want to come out of retirement at 74.
     

    June 12, 2012 3 Photos

  • HUGHES, NEWS & VIEWS: Questions abound for Indy 500, Manning, baseball sectional

    Phones are ringing less frequently in the Tribune-Star sports department this week.

    May 26, 2012

  • Hughes, News & Views: Hutson getting ready for final stretch toward Olympic Trials

    If Kylie Hutson were a cross-country runner, she’d be approaching the final stretch of her biggest race in about three weeks.

    May 10, 2012

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose basketball alumni offer advice to current team

    Bryan Egli and Joe Puthoff, both Rose-Hulman basketball starters I covered in the late 1990s, took their degrees from the prestigious engineering institute and found successful careers in the Indianapolis area.
    Egli, also a former West Vigo High School multi-sport standout, lives in Carmel and works for Thieneman Construction in Westfield. Puthoff lives in Indy and works for Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines.

    March 2, 2012

  • DAVID HUGHES: Super Bowl odds getting stranger and stranger

    Today’s annual “Super Bowl odds column” feels special to me because I’ve been a diehard NFL fan since 1967 and next Sunday will be the first time the big game takes place in our great state of Indiana.

    January 29, 2012

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Coach’s book a chance to remember North Vermillion state champs

    Almost 10 years ago, February 2002 to be exact, the New England Patriots upset the high-powered St. Louis Rams to win Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, the Winter Olympics entertained spectators in Salt Lake City and Terre Haute South High School’s girls basketball team started its tournament run toward a Class 4A state title.

    January 20, 2012

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Plenty of sports-related gifts for columnist's wish list

    Last week, I was all set to beg Santa Claus to give the Indianapolis Colts a certificate good for one NFL regular-season victory.
    Then the 2011 Colts decided to play like the 2009 Colts and clobber the Tennessee Titans on Sunday for their first win of the season. So that present won’t be necessary.

    December 23, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: WTHI defends decision not to show Colts

    When your favorite NFL team is threatening to finish 0-16, you have to figure a few fans will jump off the bandwagon.

    December 2, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Former South coach Rady makes it look easy

    Jack Butcher, Howard Sharpe and Bill Stearman.

    November 17, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Wheldon's genuine personality a devastating loss to racing

    Lori Wood, the Tribune-Star’s Indianapolis 500 correspondent since 2000, planned to visit a friend in California and take in the IndyCar Las Vegas 300 as a ticket-buying fan last weekend.

    October 21, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Past greats proud of ISU’s recent improvements

    Indiana State football alum Chris “Big C” Hicks will turn 58 Saturday and he knows exactly what he wants for his birthday.

    October 14, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose-Hulman hungry for first football victory of season

    The Engineers have not endured a losing season since 2004. But they’ve opened this season at 0-2, causing Sokol to admit they’re desperate for a win.
    “We’re all very hungry for a victory,” he said after practice Thursday. “We all want to taste victory really, really bad.”

    September 23, 2011

  • Valley semipro football team reaches championship of IFL

    The West Central Wildcats’ semipro football team from Terre Haute has been written about before in this column space over the last two years.

    September 17, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts cheerleaders glad to get back on field

    When I heard the NFL lockout finally ended this week, I looked for someone affiliated with the Indianapolis Colts to get a reaction.

    July 30, 2011

  • Amateur boxing card set for outdoors at Show-Me's

    We all know what Show-Me’s sports bar is famous for around Terre Haute, right?
    Chicken wings, of course.

    July 15, 2011

  • SPT070611porter rest.jpg HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Porter’s persistence keeps his boxing career going

    When I walked in Sweatbox Gym through the alley door Wednesday, I wondered if a time machine had taken me back to the 1950s, the glory days of boxing.

    July 9, 2011 4 Photos

  • HUGHES, NEWS AND VIEWS: Seaton aces chance for more Div. 1 volleyball

    Plagued by one injury after another after another, Kristen Seaton was ready to turn off the lights on her volleyball career.
    In her mind, the party was over.
     

    July 1, 2011

  • HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Semi-pro football team to kick off season today

    If you’re worried about the NFL season being canceled and you can’t wait months for the college and high school seasons to begin, you can get your football fix tonight at Memorial Stadium.

    June 11, 2011

Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored American Held in Grisly Czech Murders Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day' Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse Jersey Shore Open for Business Officials: Truck Hit Bridge Before Collapse First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access ShowBiz Minute: Pickler, Franklin, Potter Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned Today in History May 24
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News