After coaching the Goshen College women’s soccer team for nine years, Thavisith ‘Coach T’ Mounsithiraj announced last month his resignation.
Mounsithiraj, who is also the guidance counselor at Northridge High School and has three children, felt that juggling all of these tasks was too great.“It takes a great deal of time to do a good job at all three,” said Mounsithiraj, “It’s important to give the athletes a good, full time, like they deserve.”
Building lasting relationships and keeping up with studies were both important to Mounsithiraj.
“It’s not always about winning and losing; it’s about relationships, discipleship,” he said.
One of his career highlights happened two years ago when his soccer program had the third highest grade point average in the country.
“I’m proud of the amount of outstanding student athletes here,” he said, “It’s good to value not just things on the field.”
Over the course of his nine years, the lady Maple Leafs have put together a 42-101-10 record on the pitch.
“If anyone knows anything about GC women’s soccer,” said senior Chelsea Graber, “it’s that we have been struggling over the years to have a winning record, but T never let us get down on ourselves.”
But this never stopped Mounsithiraj from pushing his players to go the extra mile.
“T pushed us sometimes more than we thought we could be pushed, especially when it came to conditioning,” said Graber, “But in the end it was definitely worth it.”
After playing together at Goshen College, coaching at the same institution, and running soccer camps together, Mounsithiraj will miss working with his brother, Tavi Mounsithiraj, greatly. Tavi Mounsithiraj, is the head coach of Goshen’s men’s soccer team.
“You have to count your blessings. Take inventory of your life and count your blessings,” said Mounsithiraj.
Mounsithiraj will continue with the recruiting process and spring training sessions until a replacement is found. Goshen College Athletic Director Tim Demant stated that a nationwide search for the next head coach of the Goshen College’s women’s soccer program will begin immediately.
