‘They are all special.’ Kentucky high school soccer’s all-time leader wins 500th game.
With a 4-0 win over Berea in Thursday’s All “A” Classic 11th Region boys’ soccer semifinals at Capitol View Park, Sayre Coach Todd Bretz attained the 500th victory of his long and illustrious career.
Bretz already sits atop the state’s all-time boys’ soccer wins list with a record of 500-176-41, including four state championships with Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Wins today are just as precious as in years past, Bretz said.
“They are all special.” Bretz said. “It’s the players going out there being successful. And whether it’s the first game or the last game, to see them excited at the end of the game — that’s always the fun part.”
Bretz, whose quiet, humble manner has endeared him to so many players, parents and peers over the years, was quick to credit those around him for helping him achieve this milestone.
“I’ve been very blessed,” Bretz said. “A lot of great players, a lot of great teams and a lot of great help and that’s been the key.”
From former longtime Dunbar assistant coach John O’Hara to the ones by his side today, including Jeff Stone and Nathan Jones — there are so many that it’s hard to list them all, although Bretz tried in a postgame interview Thursday.
Most of the wins came at Dunbar where he coached for 30 years before moving on to Sayre, a small private school listed at just 263 students compared to Dunbar’s 1,979, according to the latest published figures (2019-20) by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.
Bretz has been pleased with the transition to the much smaller school since his arrival in 2020. Sayre had not had a winning season since 2015. In Bretz’s first season, the Spartans were 2-5-2 in a COVID-19 marred campaign.
“People have stepped in and contributed in any way they can,” Bretz said. “The players have been fantastic. You ask them to do something and they try to do it.”
The Spartans already have five wins in 2021 and will battle for the All “A” Classic’s 11th Region title on Saturday against host school Frankfort.
“It’s been a great experience. It really has been fun,” Bretz said of Sayre. “I don’t know where we’ll go from here, but we’ll keep trying. We’ll keep trying to build it the best we can.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 8:05 AM.
