It didn’t take Rick Barnhill long to create a buzz in the room full of players, parents and summer coaches.

“I think it is realistic for Albert Lea to set their sights on the state title game,” said Barnhill, the new Albert Lea High School girls’ soccer coach. “I am excited to be coaching at Albert Lea. Last fall, I watched a couple of games with Coach (Raissa) Byers. The Tigers have talent with an opportunity for real improvement. Albert Lea’s success shows the commitment of the players, parents, summer coaches, the soccer association and the school district. I looked back at the last several seasons and Albert Lea has a tradition of being competitive. The Big Nine is playing on par with the metro conferences and the Tigers have been beating larger schools and larger communities. A title shot is an achievable goal.”

Can Barnhill guide Albert Lea to the Metrodome? Improving a competitive program is easier than building one from scratch. Mason City, half again larger than Albert Lea, is geographically isolated from the soccer power center of greater Des Moines. Even now, Mason City does not have a competitive summer traveling program. Until Barnhill took over, the Mohawks had won only four games in four years. Since taking over the program four years ago, Mason City has won 21 games and moved from perennial cellar dweller to mid-pack, including a 2-0 start this season against Des Moines area teams.

“It’s an uphill battle,&uot; said Barnhill. &uot;As a spring sport, Iowa players do not have the benefit of a long preseason training regimen, so they cannot push themselves as hard physically right away because of the risk of injury. Without a competitive traveling team, you don’t have the feeder system reinforcing the skills off-season. This makes successes and community support more elusive. Albert Lea has all those advantages; the numbers and the competitiveness of the program shows it.”

Barnhill’s mother was from Geilo, Norway and his father was from southern California.

&uot;Given my Norwegian and American heritage, I think that I will feel very comfortable in Albert Lea,&uot; said Barnhill. &uot;I lived in Voss for 10 years and then Santa Monica, living in the ‘O.C.’ until my graduation in ’77. After high school, I lived in Copenhagen, traveled Europe for two years and played amateur soccer before college. An incredible Hungarian named Janos Nevai, who coached at my first college in Lansing (Mich.), opened me up to the possibility of coaching as a profession. From there, I transferred to Marycrest College in Davenport (Iowa) for the rest of my education.&uot;

Barnhill brings an impressive resume to the Tigers, serving as assistant director for Eurotech Soccer schools the last 14 years, putting on courses and clinics around the country, working with goalies for the Miami Fusion pro team, and as a player-coach for the Tallahassee Scorpions Professional Indoor Soccer Team. At the college level, he was women’s soccer coach at Luther, Graceland and Waldorf. In the high school ranks, he coached boys’ high school soccer at Davenport West and girl’s soccer at Mason City. Next winter, he will be coach boys’ soccer at Miramar High School in Florida.”

At the team introduction, Barnhill laid out his expectations. He focused on personal fitness, skill development and mental preparation.

“I am new,&uot; he said. &uot;I come with lots of experience and no preconceptions.

Each individual is a blank slate, so I can be completely objective in my evaluations. Everyone knows what they are going to be evaluated on in August. Those with the competitive spirit will work this summer to make themselves better than they are today. Each player competes primarily against herself.

How can I be better than I was yesterday? Seeking your personal best, at whatever level, goes to the heart of character and is more important in life than any game.”