A head coach must do what is in the best interest for their team.
That is what caused Bowling Green women’s soccer coach Lindsay Basalyga to change the format of the alumni game.
“It’s my job as a head coach to protect our future and our current players,” Basalyga said. “I thought this was the best format for them to get something out of it as well as keep ourselves healthy heading into the summer.”
This is the first year that the Falcons did not compete against the alumni in the annual alumni game. Instead, the current Falcons were sitting on the sidelines watching and keeping time as the Alumni played in a shortened game.
“It’s good for me to put the alum in the face of our current players,” Basalyga said. “I still wanted them to be a part of this … I think it is important for them to be a part of the past.”
Beth Reiman was one of the alumna who came back to play in the game. Reiman was the captain of the 2004 team that won the Mid-American Conference Tournament as an eight seed.
That 2004 team started that tournament with a 2-1 overtime win against number one seed Kent State University. They ended their run with a 2-0 win against number three seed Central Michigan in the championship game.
“It’s awesome to see everybody here. I want them to get back to the winning ways,” Reiman said. “That’s the way we left it and we want to see that return.”
Reiman, who has only missed one alumni game since she graduated in 2004, said that the game is tradition but understands Basalyga’s choice to change the format.
“It was different but I understand the situation of the current team,” Reiman said. “I think it was what she needed to do to get us back out here which is a good thing.”
Basalyga got in on some of the playing action herself as she prepares for her alumni game at The University of Maryland.
“I was glad they [the alumni] asked me to play with them,” Basalyga said. “My alumni game is this weekend so I’m glad I could represent BG playing here.”
No matter how the format of the alumni game changes the importance of it will not go unrecognized by any of the Falcons that have been a part of BG women’s soccer.
“We have a storied history here at BG. We have players who have come back who were in the first NCAA tournament and won MAC Championships here,” Basalyga said. “To have those players back and wanting to come back is really special. This is something we want to continue to evolve overtime.”
