Surprising news came out of the offices of the Utah Athletics department on Friday morning, as athletics director Chris Hill officially announced that long-time Utah soccer head coach Rich Manning is leaving his post, effective immediately.
“We would like to thank Coach Manning for his hard work and dedication during his time at Utah,” Hill said. “Rich is a true testament to what it means to be a Ute and will be dearly missed. All of us at the athletics department are surprised by his announcement but wish him the best of luck in his next endeavors.”
Manning, who has been in charge of the soccer program since 2002, decided to leave his post after a long process of discussion with his family, and he now feels the time is right to move on in his life to take part in one of his greatest passions: foosball.
“Foosball has always been a passion of mine,” Manning said after making his announcement. “I like soccer, but that was only because it pays the bills. It’s always been a dream of mine to be a professional foosballer, but it never came to be.”
Foosball, or table soccer, has been growing at a rapid rate over the past several years along with soccer in the United States and is now competing with ping-pong and air hockey to be the most popular table-top sport in the country.
With that in mind, the former head coach also announced that he will be joining local Salt Lake foosball club the Liberty Park Rangers as the team’s new head coach as it chases for a spot in the U.S. foosball tournament.
“When I first heard that this team was in need of a head coach, I immediately started to plan my resignation from Utah because I was that excited,” Manning said. “I know I’m beyond my years of playing professionally, but with the experiences I’ve gained from coaching the Utes over the years, I can definitely apply my tactics and knowledge of the game to this competitive team.”
This shocking announcement also leaves a dent in Utah’s plans of becoming one of the best teams in the Pac-12 and in the NCAA. Hill knows finding a replacement for Manning won’t be easy, but he will do the best he can to make sure the Utes get the right person for the job.
“Nobody can replace Manning and his accomplishments with his time at Utah,” Hill said. “But with the school’s investment in our programs, we are more than confident that we will find someone who will make this team into one of the best in the country. I’m looking forward to finding our next head coach.”
The announcement was also a shock to the whole team, who had no idea that Manning was planning to step away, but the players know it’s for the best, and they support him in every way.
“I’m very thankful for the athletes and coaching staff who helped me with my decision,” Manning said. “It wasn’t easy to walk away from everything I’ve worked for the past 14 years, but they understand my decision and support it. I couldn’t be happier for this team, and I know they’ll find the perfect head coach.”
With the surprising announcement out of the way, Manning now turns his attention toward helping his new team become one of the best in the state, and hopefully in the country, if things go his way.
@chad_marquez
