In February, when Eric Nichols became the fifth head coach in the history of the men’s soccer program at BG, revamping the team that would play on Cochrane Field was only part of the equation.

Entrusted with reviving a once-thriving collegiate program was going to take a lot more than Xs and Os on the field.

‘As a program, we need to be proud of what we are doing, and that isn’t always about wins and losses,’ the first-year Falcon coach said. ‘We want to be proud of who we are as people and what kind of program we are running.’

Nichols and his staff, which includes assistant coach Paul Habrecht and goalkeepers’ coach Eric Pfeifer, have taken important steps toward that revitalization, starting with community outreach.

Under Nichols, the men’s soccer program has begun running clinics for the two youth soccer clubs in the area, Valentis Athletica and Bowling Green Soccer Club. Between the two clinics, all 25 Falcon players have participated.

‘We have two great clubs in town and a great community here in Bowling Green that we would like to get more involved with,’ Nichols said. ‘We want to give back. Our guys have all grown up playing and this is a chance for us to do that.’

Last week, the Falcons hosted two clinics, one for each youth club, in which Falcon players worked with youngsters on different skills and techniques of ‘the beautiful game.’

Outside of the clinics that the Falcons host, Nichols also assumed the position of head coach for the under-10 team at Bowling Green Soccer Club, where his son Kale plays.

Parents in the community are happy to welcome the new coach into the club and also look forward to working alongside the Falcons to build excitement about soccer in the city.

‘As a parent, I think we are fortunate to have somebody of his character working with the kids,’ said Dallas Black, whose son Ryland is coached by Nichols. ‘I like the fact that we are working with the University as well. To have soccer at that level in our own back yard is something special.’

Black, an educator himself, was also impressed with the way Falcon players handled the kids.

‘I don’t know how many of those players are education majors, but to see how the kids react to those guys is amazing,’ Black said.

Outside of building relationships within the community, Nichols’ decision to host clinics has paid off at another level.

‘It’s a situation where everybody wins. I would have never come out to a soccer game before the clinic,’ Black said. ‘But after seeing how well the college guys worked with the kids, I couldn’t pass up the invitation.’

Slowly but surely, the Falcons are beginning to make an imprint on the community, while gaining fans and exposure for the program.

‘It’s a big part of rebuilding this program,’ Nichols said. ‘We want to continue on this path, hosting clinics annually, biannually, whenever we can. We want to grow soccer and awareness of the game.’

Senior Chuko Evwaraye said the Falcon team is also benefiting from their experiences helping the younger players.

‘In my four years here, this is the first time we have done something like this as a team,’ the senior forward said. ‘It’s a huge thing that we have never tapped into before. For us to be able to hang out and play with the kids is something unique.’

Nichols said his players are learning invaluable lessons from their experiences helping out.

‘This is great for our players as well,’ Nichols said. ‘It makes them aware of the fact that they are more than players, they are role models. After something like this it’s nice to see them carry themselves with more pride and sense of accomplishment.’

According to Black, the coach has set a good course for soccer in Bowling Green at all levels.

‘We can all work together, the city, public schools, youth soccer and college soccer.’ Black said ‘This is a winning proposition in so many ways.”