Familiar face Jeff Mitchell sticks with it, takes over as Bemidji's new head coach

Mitchell and Toward's emphasis on developing the youth program has led to more advantageous results at the high school level. For Mitchell, the tactical mind of the duo in charge of figuring out which players will thrive in certain areas of the field, it's given him more flexibility when youth players mature into varsity shoes.

"Xs and Os, the style of play, there's nothing that's really going to see any huge differences from the last 14 years Rick and I have been together on the varsity field and the last 25 years I've been with the program," Mitchell said. "When the high school players get to us, they've played in a 4-4-2, they've played in a 4-3-3 and they've played in a 3-5-2. That's by design. We can rotate through a 4-4-2 and a 3-5-2 pretty consistently."

The big question, though, still lingers.

Toward's initial plan was to coach until his youngest son, Al, graduated in 2025. He then intended to stretch his career at the helm by three additional years until the opportunity to teach in Uruguay popped up.

"Well, it wasn't the game plan Rick and I discussed," Mitchell said with a laugh, noting he intended to follow the same timeline. "He got this great opportunity he's always wanted to do, and I'm more than happy he and Sherry get to do this. It's pretty awesome that it's the time in his life when he can make it work. It's not an easy thing to do when you have kids, or even to get accepted if you can do it. But he did, and that's great for them."

While supportive of Toward's decision, it forced Mitchell to think about his own situation.

"You can say it's selfish, but Rick and I both had the same feeling that we can't just let somebody walk in off the street and run it into the ground," Mitchell said. "We're too attached to this program and soccer in Bemidji just to let anybody come in and run it. We joke that he'll have to get me a guest room in Uruguay if that happens. I can't sit here and watch this program deteriorate."

At the annual BHS boys soccer team's year-end banquet in 2024, Toward was pointed in his aspirations for a rising group of sophomores. It's a group of players that the coaching staff, Mitchell in particular, grew close to.

"I coached that whole group in the summer, and they're just great kids," he said. "As human beings, they're fun to be around. I also think, as soccer players, there's something there that could be special. If we can get it all to fall into place, we've got something."

For now, Mitchell's exit strategy remains fluid. Ideally, he'd like to see that same class of players graduate under his leadership. From there, it's up to a younger voice in the community to prove they're capable of taking the reins.

"There are quality people here who could take this over. It's just about making it work," Mitchell said. "It's the kids that keep me coming back. I was talking to Logan Larsen about this, and it doesn't really matter if you're coaching the girls or the boys. You get attached to these kids. You go through the highs and the lows with them.

"If we find somebody who comes along who will do a good job, whether it's two years, five years or 10 years, that's outstanding. If nobody shows up, I don't know if I'll make it to my late 80s like my dad, but I'll keep doing it because I love it and I love the people."