Warren

DLS tabs new coach

By Jon Malavolti
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Reid Friedrichs is the new Warren De La Salle varsity soccer coach. The experienced coach is a former Michigan State University goalkeeper and recently coached at Livonia Churchill. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Reid Friedrichs is the new Warren De La Salle varsity soccer coach. The experienced coach is a former Michigan State University goalkeeper and recently coached at Livonia Churchill.

Soccer powerhouse Warren De La Salle has found its next varsity coach in Reid Friedrichs.

“I’m real excited,” Friedrichs said.

The coach comes with plenty of experience, most recently heading up the varsity boys at Livonia Churchill for the past 13 years, accumulating a 151-89-25 record in the process.

And he comes with plenty of knowledge of what he’s getting into taking over the Pilots’ program, which has won five state titles since 1990.

“I wouldn’t have left my previous job at Churchill if it weren’t for a special opportunity like this,” Friedrichs said. “The tradition of the program is just extremely special. It’s very unique.”

In high school, Friedrichs was an All-State soccer player at Ann Arbor Pioneer. He then went on to Michigan State University and was the starting goalkeeper for the Spartans, earning several accolades, including being selected the Big Ten Player of the Year and MSU Athlete of the Year in 1996.

After graduating from MSU in 1997, his playing and coaching career included stops with the Michigan Bucks, MSU and University of Michigan soccer camps, Alma College, Olympic Development Program and Vardar South Soccer Club.

Friedrichs is hoping his extensive soccer background will help him ease into the role of taking over the reins of one of the area’s top programs.

“My (coaching) approach has come from a lot of different places,” he said. “I’ve gathered knowledge and experience from as many different positions as you can. I’ve been around a lot of different coaches. It has really given me a good variety of opinions on how to coach soccer and coach kids.”

A science teacher, Friedrichs will continue working at Churchill, where he also coaches the girls soccer team in the spring.

As for starting out at De La Salle, the coach wants to get “everybody on the same page,” from the current players and parents to incoming ones and even reaching out to former ones. He said he wants to “keep the tradition” going because he knows “how special the De La Salle family is.”

“We want to keep the success that De La Salle has, that’s very important to me.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1040. Follow Jon on Twitter.