Coaching friendship drives
former conference foes
Naperville North, Glenbard East bring mutual respect to contest
By Chris Walker
When Naperville North coach Steve Goletz’s first daughter was born a few years ago, she undoubtedly received numerous gifts from family and friends.
One such gift was a soccer ball she received from Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey.
Overbey’s no dummy. He knows that Goletz resides in Lombard and that someday his daughter could become a soccer-playing Ram. It’s more than that, though. Goletz and Overbey are part of the community of high school coaches. Both excel at what they do, both are making an impact in the lives on young student-athletes and both respect each other a ton.
“Yeah, I wrote a little note with (the soccer ball) telling him to coach her up and get her ready for 2027,” Overbey laughed. “I have a lot of respect for Steve, and we’re a lot alike. We were both young coaches in the DVC, and now we’re both coaches who are also parents with young kids.”
There was a very good chance that they’d no longer be rivals, but they assured that they would continue to face each other annually, despite Glenbard East having left the DuPage Valley Conference for the Upstate Eight Conference. The move makes their matchup at 6:30 p.m. Thursday a nonconference affair.
“Kent’s an awesome guy, and he gets the kids who play for him excited to play,” Goletz said. “We get along so well, so we talked and were fortunate enough to keep each other on the schedule.”
Naperville North won last year’s meeting 2-0. Abbie Boswell scored early in a game that was played in the snow.
While snow Monday made things difficult for local teams to practice and play games this week, it appears as if the biggest weather concern Thursday will be the temperature. The forecast is calling for low 40s. The girls have grown accustomed to playing in these conditions, though, and the excitement of battling each other, albeit in a nonconference match, will keep the action heated.
“We’ve always liked to compete against them, even during the two years that they won state, I thought our games were tight,” Overbey said. “We know it’s always going to be a bloodbath, and you’ve got to have respect for a program like Naperville North’s.”
Each team is coming off big victories on Wednesday. The Rams (4-0) blasted Beecher 7-0 in a semifinal game of the Windy City Ram Classic, while the Huskies (2-1) edged Neuqua Valley 1-0 on a -- you guessed it -- game winner from Boswell.
“Naperville North will provide a true test to see where we’re at,” Overbey said.
The Huskies also realize that the Rams will be looking to make a big impression.
“They were good last year, and they still have (Brittany) Paganucci, who is a great player,” Goletz said. “We know they’re going to be up for this and that they’re gunning for us.”
Other than fatigue from Wednesday, the teams should be near full strength. Senior midfielder Claire Hilburger remains sidelined for the Huskies, while the Rams have some players battling minor injuries, but nothing that should keep anyone from seeing the field.
“We’re as close to 100 percent as we can be right now,” Overbey said. “It’s more of a matter of the fitness level that they need to be at. They’re not used to training six days a week, but they’re getting there.”
former conference foes
Naperville North, Glenbard East bring mutual respect to contest
By Chris Walker
When Naperville North coach Steve Goletz’s first daughter was born a few years ago, she undoubtedly received numerous gifts from family and friends.
One such gift was a soccer ball she received from Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey.
Overbey’s no dummy. He knows that Goletz resides in Lombard and that someday his daughter could become a soccer-playing Ram. It’s more than that, though. Goletz and Overbey are part of the community of high school coaches. Both excel at what they do, both are making an impact in the lives on young student-athletes and both respect each other a ton.
“Yeah, I wrote a little note with (the soccer ball) telling him to coach her up and get her ready for 2027,” Overbey laughed. “I have a lot of respect for Steve, and we’re a lot alike. We were both young coaches in the DVC, and now we’re both coaches who are also parents with young kids.”
There was a very good chance that they’d no longer be rivals, but they assured that they would continue to face each other annually, despite Glenbard East having left the DuPage Valley Conference for the Upstate Eight Conference. The move makes their matchup at 6:30 p.m. Thursday a nonconference affair.
“Kent’s an awesome guy, and he gets the kids who play for him excited to play,” Goletz said. “We get along so well, so we talked and were fortunate enough to keep each other on the schedule.”
Naperville North won last year’s meeting 2-0. Abbie Boswell scored early in a game that was played in the snow.
While snow Monday made things difficult for local teams to practice and play games this week, it appears as if the biggest weather concern Thursday will be the temperature. The forecast is calling for low 40s. The girls have grown accustomed to playing in these conditions, though, and the excitement of battling each other, albeit in a nonconference match, will keep the action heated.
“We’ve always liked to compete against them, even during the two years that they won state, I thought our games were tight,” Overbey said. “We know it’s always going to be a bloodbath, and you’ve got to have respect for a program like Naperville North’s.”
Each team is coming off big victories on Wednesday. The Rams (4-0) blasted Beecher 7-0 in a semifinal game of the Windy City Ram Classic, while the Huskies (2-1) edged Neuqua Valley 1-0 on a -- you guessed it -- game winner from Boswell.
“Naperville North will provide a true test to see where we’re at,” Overbey said.
The Huskies also realize that the Rams will be looking to make a big impression.
“They were good last year, and they still have (Brittany) Paganucci, who is a great player,” Goletz said. “We know they’re going to be up for this and that they’re gunning for us.”
Other than fatigue from Wednesday, the teams should be near full strength. Senior midfielder Claire Hilburger remains sidelined for the Huskies, while the Rams have some players battling minor injuries, but nothing that should keep anyone from seeing the field.
“We’re as close to 100 percent as we can be right now,” Overbey said. “It’s more of a matter of the fitness level that they need to be at. They’re not used to training six days a week, but they’re getting there.”