Eastern Mennonite University’s men’s soccer coach Roger Mast is calling it quits at the end of this season after 31 years with the Royals. Mast has set a program record with 251 wins, is a two time winner of the ODAC coach of the year, and has two conference championships.
The decision to retire was heavily influenced by Mast’s desire to be with family: “My wife and family have sacrificed much time over the years with late evenings and weekends. We wouldn’t change a thing but it is time for me to spend some more time with them and … pursue some other interests and passions that I have neglected,” said Mast.
Mast has always had an interest in sports so coaching was an easy decision for him. “I enjoyed sports and I enjoyed working with people. It seemed like a natural fit for me. I also appreciated the relationships that I had developed with my former coaches.”
It was a dream come true for Mast to be able to coach at his alma mater. “My dream job after I graduated from EMC was to return as the men’s soccer coach. I felt that I could make a difference in the lives of my athletes and the soccer program.”
Having a long coaching career there are a lot of memories that Mast has made throughout his time but one stands out the most. “Our first ODAC championship was pure joy and was unexpected by me. We were the #7 seed in the tournament and simply got hot for a week and won three games in a row. I was so proud of those guys and am still proud of them. This led to four years in a row that we advanced to the ODAC championship game. The ‘98 team took us a step further by advancing in the NCAA to the Round of 16.”
Mast admits that stepping away from coaching is not easy. “I will miss the players and afternoon training sessions. I will miss conversations with my assistant coaches and coaching colleagues. I look forward to continuing to teach in the health & PE department and continuing to connect with EMU students and athletes.”
After having a long and successful career as the head coach of EMU soccer, Mast looks forward to the next chapter.
