From the Goodrich soccer fields to the battle fields of Iraq’Ryan Pfeiffer’the head coach for the Martian JV boys? soccer team had a slight change of plans
‘I had every intention of coaching for the boys again this year but as the season started I was notified that I had been accepted to Army Flight School and I still needed to go to Military Intelligence School, said Pfeiffer.
Pfeiffer a 2001 GHS graduate, attended Western Michigan University to get his bachelor of science degree in criminal justice. He started his military basic training in September 2007 in Fort Knox, Ky. In November he finished Officer Candidate School, and now has the rank of 2nd Lieutenant for the Michigan Army National Guard.
Pfeiffer, 26, is glad to be fighting for our country’s freedom but was also looking forward to his coaching job. Pfeiffer has worked with both the girls? varsity and boys? varsity soccer teams in the past, getting close to the varsity boys? head coach, Evan Huizenga. ‘At the end of the girls? season, Evan approached me to help coach the boys? team. I started working with the boys in the fall of 2008 and helped with the 2008 State Championship team,? said Pfeiffer. Huizenga and Pfeiffer kept in contact and Huizenga again asked Pfeiffer to help him out for the season. Only this time Huizenga asked for him to be the head coach for the boys? JV team. ‘I accepted the job and again ran my bootcamp-like preseason training with the boys, coached them all last fall, and then rolled into the girls? season and coached their JV team as well,’said Pfeiffer.
On Oct 5, Pfeiffer will report to Ft. Huachuca, Ariz., before attending Army flight school, which lasts 18 months in Ft. Rucker, Ala.