With stellar season,
Washington coach hits the road

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

Earl Mathes has done it all.
He’s played. He has taught and coached. And after more than 50 years of life on the soccer field, Mathes has decided to turn in his cleats for good.
"It’s time for me," said Mathes, who recently announced his retirement after coaching the George Washington High School soccer team for the past decade. "It has been an unforgettable experience and I treasure every memory, but I’m ready to go."
At the end of the school year, Mathes will retire from the school’s classroom as well, ending a 37-year career teaching physical education.
"I’ve always enjoyed the interaction with the kids," he said. "And I know that I’ll miss it."
Mathes recently encountered health problems, which highly influenced his decision to retire.
"I realized life is short and you shouldn’t take anything for granted," said Mathes. "It gave me a different perspective on life."
The Eagles’ leader helped his squad earn first place in the Public League A Division this season, finishing with an 11-2-1 record and an appearance in the semifinals.
"Of course I had my fingers crossed for this year," he said. "I’ve been truly blessed to have really great kids. No coach wins it, the coach only helps. It’s all in the kids."
The coaching guru compiled a 53-6-1 record during his tenure. He also claimed two Public League titles during his coaching career. His first championship victory came in 1985, during his lone season as Northeast’s coach. The second triumph in the finals occurred in 2005 with his beloved Eagles.
He won the league’s coach-of-the-year honors during both championship seasons.
"It was great to win," said Mathes. "But the best part was having an opportunity to see different perspectives every day and get a chance to affect some younger people. I really enjoyed it."
Mathes made his coaching debut shortly after graduating from Temple University in 1971, when he started a program in New Jersey and served as its coach. He later spent some time with the Roman Catholic squad in the late 1970s. He spent one year with Northeast High School, helping the Vikings bring home a championship, and returned to his alma mater, Frankford High School.
"Coaching Frankford was a really neat experience," said Mathes, who played soccer for the Pioneers and graduated from Frankford in 1966. "Frankford has a tremendous soccer history. Most people on the team came back to do something in soccer because of our relationship with each other and the school."
His coaching capabilities complemented his teaching skills — Mathes also taught at Mayfair Elementary School before transferring to Washington High School in 1997.
"My first semester at Washington, I said, ‘What am I doing here?’" recalled Mathes. "I had sweet kids for years who would give me a hug and say they love me. And here you have different characters, who use language I might not like.
"I’ve mellowed a lot though," he continued. "I taught elementary school for twenty years, so when I started teaching at a high school level, it was radically different because of the age and discipline level."
Mathes quickly made a name for himself among the students. Within his first year at Washington, "Mr. Mathes" quickly transformed to "coach."
"I think kids are more comfortable with me because I am a coach," he said. "They seem to have an identity with you when you coach, even if you’re not their coach."
But challenges still arose for the mentor.
"You see the students for approximately an hour a day, so the time constraints can be challenging," he said. "Plus, there are so many kids in the school."
Despite the hurdles and frequent battles that can mark a teaching career in the Philadelphia school district, Mathes prevailed. And over the years, he has witnessed the sweet reward of his hard work.
"A few of my former students have become teachers," said Mathes, who returned to school himself to earn master’s and doctorate degrees in education. "I ran into one of them a while back and she said, ‘I became a physical education teacher because of you.’ That was an amazing feeling."
In addition to his expertise in the classroom, Mathes has influenced countless students on Washington’s soccer field. Much of his success as a coach can be attributed to his hard work as a player.
The former defender got his soccer start when he was 7. He teamed up with the Pioneers in high school, helping them to the Public League crown and the city championship in 1964 and ’65.
He continued getting his kicks at Temple University before joining the Lighthouse 49ers and winning the U.S. Junior Cup Championship in 1967.
"That is one of my fondest memories as a player," Mathes recalled. "There must have been five-thousand people there to watch the game."
The defender continued to play for various over-30 leagues before calling it quits two years ago.
"I stopped playing when I realized I was out of my league," said Mathes. "I was playing on the over-thirties team when I was in my fifties and these other players were just whizzing by me.
"I didn’t want to stop, because I think soccer is one of the best fitness activities you can have," he added. "Plus there’s a camaraderie that goes with it."
His career as a player and coach has afforded Mathes a wealth of skill and wisdom of the game. But the most important thing, as far as he’s concerned, is the people he met along the way.
"The soccer community in Philadelphia knows each other," said Mathes. "If you’re a coach, you know all the coaches in the Public and Catholic leagues. Even the kids from the other schools know you. That’s rewarding in itself.
"I know I’m going to miss all of this," he added. "Sports play a huge role in these kids’ lives, and I have been blessed to be a part of that." ••