Mike Lardner Senior / Midfield St. Joseph, MI From the Coach	Wow, it has been a long time since it all began. Seventeen years, this has been my life for 17 years! I can do nothing but wonder who I would be without this wonderful game we call soccer. It has taken me everywhere, all across the country, and all across the world — even to Iowa. Without it, who would I be? I can tell you right now, I would not know half of the people I do, I would not have the wonderful friends I have; all because of this simple game. Back in kindergarten, the journey began. I was just a little tyke. What did I know about soccer? Apparently, enough to score 27 goals in my debut season. AYSO and the Saturday morning games is what I lived for. The other kids were there because they wanted the juice boxes and cookies at the end of the game; I was there because I wanted to win! When I was 10, my dad asked me if I wanted to try out for a travel soccer team. I was very apprehensive, as I wanted to stay close to my comfort zone. I didn’t know those people, what if I didn’t make the team, would I be a failure? Nonetheless, I made the team and we played together for almost 10 years. We were good and we knew it. There was nothing quite like arriving at the game five minutes before, strapping on your shoes and beating the daylights out of the other team. Meanwhile, in high school, we were even better. I attribute this greatness to a legend in our town, our coach, Steve Lohrke. Thank you so much for believing in all four of us and always letting us come back to play. The three other guys on this team from St. Joseph contributed to that greatness, too. Junior year in high school, ranked No. 2, we finished 17-2, but we came up way short. Senior year, ranked No. 2 again, we made it two games from the state finals. So close, but in our minds, we were champions, robbed of glory. I remember sobbing my eyes out after that last game in high school; my future seemed so undetermined and soccerless. I would not know how to live without the game. Then, with Matt Lignell in sight, along came a man named Brad Hauter. Brad recruited all four of us as a “package deal,” and with that came hope of playing college soccer. The three-a-days during preseason were killer, but it was all for the love of the game. We all wanted to play, but we all were scared. We were frightened little freshmen with shaved heads and no history at Saint Mary’s. With Brad’s sudden departure, Mr. Eric Luzzi came on the scene. With thoughts of transferring in my head, I got a phone call from Luzzi a few weeks before training camp. Bluntly, he asked if I was coming back — with no hesitation, I said “yes.” It was what I was looking for, all that time I spent thinking about transferring and then all of the sudden I made my decision. This was probably the best choice of my life. With a trip to California and a chance to play with a great group of senior guys, my sophomore year was going to be great. We had a slight problem after starting out so well, we just couldn’t win. Nevertheless, those guys, Krolly, Joey, Peck, and Browner, I owe so much and so many laughs. My entire college experience up to this point was taught by these guys. To you four, I thank you for teaching me lessons in life, soccer, and fun. Last year, we finished with a pretty solid record, but we knew we could do better. Lackey returned from his California hiatus and we welcomed him open arms. It was a great year and a lot of fun. Living out in the Old, the snow fights in the wintertime were incredible and the trailer park atmosphere was great. It was my turn to teach the younger guys the ways of a Saint Mary’s soccer player. This year has been a blast, but not how I pictured leaving this university. We overcame the setbacks and finally began to play the soccer we all knew we could play. We finally got the new field Brad promised us when we first came here and the box goals Luzzi promised us last year. Enough with the biography, I can not say enough about the people and the game that made me the person I am today. If I never would have taken that chance with the other three “Michigan boys,” I don’t know where I would be today. I thank Brad Hauter for giving me the chance and believing in my potential, for bringing me all the way up to this faraway land. To Luzzi, you Adidas fanatic, I thank you so much for the time and laughs we HAVE DAILY in your office and on the field. I heard Nike was going to buy them! Thank you for being a good sport even when you knew it was either Benny or me behind the whole prank. To Benny, thank you for being a wonderful friend and coach. The locker room and showers were always fun. Bobby and Jake, thank you. Freshmen, some of you never got to experience the showers, I pity you. For the team bonding and the dancing on tables, I would like to thank the Wolf. To Kozenkugels, Bobo, Reddish, and that other kid Ennesey, thank you for being little kids and representing Illinois proudly. To John, you crazy guy, I don’t know what you are talking about most of the time, but it is almost always guaranteed to be funny. Thank you for the memories. Lackey, thank you for coming back — I can’t imagine playing without you. To Brayton and Jason, thank you for being there every step of the way in the last eight years, it has been one hell of a ride. To the boys that went to England, I thank you for putting up with the Brits with me. M.J., I want to see that video tape sometime! Kunick, I don’t know if I should thank you for the liberty bell or not. To Josh, the Vikings, Wild, Twins and Timberwolves suck and so does the Metrodome. Jimmy, What a Country!? Corey, Mark, Ricky, and Rue, I thank you for being there for me and caring enough to come all this way to see me play. To Anna, I am so proud of you, thank you for being so wonderful through it all and always putting a smile on my face. Sarah and Kate, you guys have been there the whole time and around every sport I ever played. Can you guys imagine not being a soccer family? To my parents, what can I say? You two have done so much for me and sacrificed your entire lives for the betterment of your kids. You guys have spent so much time and money driving me to games and practices. I have thanked you in the past, but I don’t know how else to say it. Dad, thank you for taking the time to coach me and push me to be better than the other guys. Your constant research and love for the game amazes me. Mom, you are incredible. Your support and enthusiasm has helped propel me to be the person that I am today. Mom and Dad, you are the best parents that I could ever ask for and have shown that through your commitment to see nearly every game this year — and the 16 years before. A 500-mile drive each way is not easy, but knowing that you did that for me makes me so proud to have parents like you. Thank you so much, I love you Mom and Dad! I am truly sorry for not mentioning everyone, but know that you all hold a special place in my life. I thank you all so much for the memories and my life that you all have helped shape. The bottom line is that, without this game that we call soccer, I would be not be the person that I am today; for this, I thank the game.