By John Rohlf
The Message assistant editor
Reitz Memorial High School’s Angie Lensing was recently honored as the National Soccer Coach of the Year, a season in which she led the Tigers to an undefeated season and state title on the soccer pitch.
Lensing was recently named the 2022-2023 National Soccer Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). During the 2022 season, Lensing led the Tigers to a 22-0-1 record and a state championship.
She has been named State Coach of the Year by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association (ISCA) and earned District Coach of the Year recognition on six occasions.
Lensing said the honor was “completely unexpected.”
“We had to fill out an application back in September or October that kind of asked not only our season record, things like that,” Lensing said. “But it also asked things like community service, school involvement and then our overall philosophy … So that was the application I sent off in October. And how it made it through to being one of the finalists, I’m not sure.”
Lensing stressed she is a big believer in community service and giving back to the community. As a coach, she said she focuses on coaching the player.
“I think if you treat each person with the respect and value that they deserve, they’re going to give you the best they can,” she said.
Lensing said after winning a state championship during the 2021 season, the potential of going undefeated during the 2022 season was “not even on our radar.” She said after they completed about 75 percent of their schedule without suffering a loss, they thought the undefeated season might happen. They finished the season with 22 wins and one tie.
She stressed how difficult it is for a team to not have a single hiccup over the course of the season.
“I think it’s a contribution not only to the team I had that year and how talented they were, but how determined they were to be their best every game,” Lensing said. “And that’s kind of what helped us come away with no losses.”
Lensing, who has been teaching at Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville for 28 years, has been at the helm of the Tigers’ girls soccer program since 1999. In her first 24 seasons, Lensing led Reitz Memorial to five state titles, 13 regional championships and 17 sectional championships.
She was an assistant coach for three years before taking over as the head coach. During her first season as an assistant coach in 1996, the Tigers won a state championship.
“That was an amazing experience for me to come in and witness,” Lensing said. “And it didn’t take me very long to figure out that tradition was a very key component in Memorial High School and the soccer program.”
Lensing came to Reitz Memorial after a successful playing career. She went to North High School in Evansville and played soccer at the University of Evansville. When she was in high school, she coached youth sports at McCutchanville Park. She continued coaching club soccer teams when she was a student at the University of Evansville.
“I’ve been exposed to a lot of different mentors over the years. From my high school coaches to my college,” Lensing said. “I think I had a good foundation built off of those people. But coming into it, I think my three years as an assistant who I worked under, we had different styles. And I think when I took over, I tried to take on his style. And then it took me some time to develop my own. I did learn a lot along the way. I think I’m a better coach now than I was in the beginning.”
Lensing is impressed with the success of the Tigers’ girls soccer program over the past quarter century, especially considering where Reitz Memorial falls in enrollment in the state. She cited their work ethic and “never quit attitude,” along with the service component and putting others before themselves.
While she admits she did not foresee staying at Reitz Memorial High School for the past 28 years when she took the teaching job out of college, she realized a year or two into her tenure that this was the school she wanted her children to attend.
“This is the environment that I feel I was meant to be,” Lensing said. “So if I were to say anything, it would probably be faith and family. The two components together, I felt fully supported by administration. I feel love and compassion from my fellow coworkers. And again, not only that but the love the kids give you back in return is just overwhelming.”