Chris Limle has been everywhere and everyone in the game of soccer. Today he is the new head men’s soccer coach at Thiel College in Greenville, PA.
Photo Credit: Thiel College
It has been quite a journey, going from a club standout to a key contributor on his college squad before going on to the coaching ranks. His stops have included time working for an MLS club on the youth side, serving as an assistant coach for Division II and III programs, working on an NPSL staff, and finally getting a team and program to call his own.
Every stop has taught him something valuable, something to add to that coaches’ toolbelt.
Limle himself has good memories from a successful club career, one that helped him grow to play at the collegiate level for both Urbana and Muskingum University.
He would go on to serve as an assistant coach at Muskingum while working for the Crew Juniors Phoenix, one of the first youth programs run by the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. He also worked for the Ohio South ODP program, allowing him to have an even bigger impact on the youth game.
But it was working for the Crew that defined Limle as a coach. He appreciated the close connections between the youth program and the first team.
Photo Courtesy of Chris Limle
“When you are a U-8, U-9, or u-10, you are looking up to professional players. Every training session when they go out with their Crew jersey on, they are thinking that they can be McBride, Schelotto, or Padula.”
He thrived working in a professional environment where player development was key.
His experience with the Crew allowed him to continue to move upward on the coaching ladder. He went on to work for Division II Concord University, where he had enormous success as an assistant coach. The program and its players reached new heights under Limle’s expert tutelage, tying a school record for wins and sending numerous players to conference and regional honors.
The success at Concord translated into a job offer from Thiel, a program that Limle could call his own. He has been successful at every stop of his soccer career; there is no reason why this would be any different.
Photo Credit: Concord University Athletic Department
Thiel is a program on the rise and that success should continue under Limle.
“One of the biggest things you have to do as a young head coach is to instill passion in your players. I want to get them excited. I want to find those who really want to be out there.”
He shared his admiration for Anson Dorrance and Caleb Porter, two coaches that approach the game with that same passion and enthusiasm.
Limle is a player’s coach that has all the right attributes: a desire to grow the game, tactical knowledge, passion, enthusiasm, and the right role models to follow after.
We are quite confident that the future of American soccer is bright thanks to young coaches like Chris Limle. It will be coaches like Limle that will lead America into a golden generation of the beautiful game.
Korrio understands it is your passion for coaching kids that drives you. We also know that the less time you spend dealing with administrative, communication and automation hassles, and the more time you spend on the field, the happier you’ll be. And because you play a crucial role in our children’s lives, we want you spending as much time as possible coaching our kids. Korrio offers a modern approach to coaching by allowing new ways to communicate and develop a community on and off the field. Congratulations to the ISN Star of Coaching this month.