HUDSON SAYS GOODBYE AFTER 20 YEARS WITH UNIVERSITY

Job transfer forces coach to leave program he founded and built

by Ken Dunkin

When his job at ATCOM was transferred to Huntsville, Ala., Kenny Hudson went with it, leaving behind 20 years of coaching at UM-St. Louis.

Hudson, head coach of the women's soccer team for 17 years, resigned in late July.

Despite his wanting to stay, he couldn't find a job that would even pay his bills. He had to leave.

"It was tough," he said. "I always thought I would leave on my terms."

It will be tough on the team also. Hudson was Riverwomen soccer. He created the program in 1980 as a club sport. In 1981, it became a varsity sport. Success came early for the program. After several years, the team was within a goal of going to the national finals.

Being such a part of the program's history made it even tougher for the UM-St. Louis graduate to leave.

"I've been here longer than everybody if you include my time as a player," Hudson said. "It makes it more difficult to stomach."

As a player, he was just as good. He was captain on the National Championship 1974 men's soccer team.

"I had always wanted to take a team back to the nationals to bring back that recognition to UM-St. Louis," Hudson said. "I was hoping that this would be the year." It is hard to tell what this team might accomplish if Hudson could stay. His former assistant Beth Goetz is a very Kenny-like coach. She will have the tough task of filling Hudson's huge shoes, but she maintains that she isn't going to try.

"I can't be Kenny; no one can," Goetz said. "He had to leave, and there is very little we can do about that. He is still a part of this team though, and I want to perform up to his expectations."

Hudson's expectations of Goetz were so high that most of his resignation letter is a recommendation of her.

"I have all the confidence in the world in Beth," he said. "And it's not like she doesn't know the team; she was around all of last season."

The Riverwomen have will no doubt remain fond of their former coach. Twelve of the team's thirteen players were either recruited by Hudson or coached by him.

"There is a spot in my heart for this team," Hudson said. "They are a great bunch of girls."