PASSING THE TORCH

They say all good things must come to end, but do they?

Adam Finney has been the heart of the Mariposa County High School girls soccer team for almost 20 years.

Finney started as an assistant coach to the boys varsity team at MCHS around 2006 and has been an instrumental part of the MCHS soccer program ever since.

“The team was really good that year,” Finney said.

“At the time, I was ready to be done in Mariposa and I was unsure if I wanted to continue coaching.”

Finney moved to Mariposa at about the age of three. His dad was a game warden and his mom was a teacher at Mariposa Elementary School.

As many children in Mariposa do, Finney grew up playing sports.

While attending MES as a kid, he played youth basketball.

“There used to be a youth basketball tournament and we played against Catheys Valley,” explained Finney.

“They were led by Logan Mankins and we lost in overtime; that was rad.”

Finney continued to play sports through his younger years.

“I played mostly football, basketball and baseball,” Finney said.

“I was actually part of Trace DeSandres first basketball team.”

Soccer came into the mix later during Finney’s high school years.

“I switched over to soccer as a goalie,” he said.

“I played on a really good club team in Merced as well.”

Finney graduated from Mariposa County High School in 2000 with several familiar faces in the community.

“I graduated with Kierstin Wight, Jeff Aranguena and Michelle Wise, to name a few,” said Finney.

After graduating high school, Finney attended college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as an English major.

While attending college, sports weren’t in the cards.

“I remember seeing signs around campus that said ‘do you play goalie?’,” Finney laughed.

Apparently the college team was in desperate need of a goalkeeper.

“I was at a crossroads about talking to the coach and I remembered my experience in high school with getting back late and doing homework.”

Finney decided to focus on academics.

“I think it was the right decision at the time,” he explained.

“If I could go back I would probably try to play.”

With the goal of being a writer and possibly being part of a band, writing and performing lyrics, Finney immersed himself in his writing, poetry and art.

“It was a really fun time and I was working in Yosemite,” Finney said.

“Having friends in Yosemite, I wanted to get done with school and work April through November then travel for a few months.”

Finney graduated from college in 2004 and went to work in Southern California for a year.

Somet imes as much as you want to, it’s hard to stay away from home.

The recent grad returned to Mariposa and began working odd jobs as well as construction while helping out with the MCHS boys soccer team.

After that first year helping coach, Finney took an unforgettable trip to India to visit some friends from Mariposa.

“I was ready to be done in Mariposa,” Finney said.

“I was very adamant about not living here but coaching kind of got me on the hook.”

Finney had the opportunity to visit an ancient temple in Southern India.

“Someone had told me when I visited this place my life would never be the same,” explained Finney.

“We’re on this island and there were about 30 kids playing soccer; I ended up just playing soccer with these kids.”

After traveling around Asia, Finney returned home to Mariposa.

“I knew I wanted to work with young people and apply to grad school,” said Finney.

“Then I ended up getting stuck because I didn’t have any money from traveling.”

Finney began substitute teaching and helping out with the MCHS girls soccer team.

“I had a great experience with the girls team that year,” he said.

“I remember thinking they listen and try to work together; it was just amazing.”

During that time Finney applied to graduate school.

“I didn’t get in to the graduate school I wanted to go to,” Finney said.

“That was right around the time of the recession so there was a possibility teaching jobs would be hard to get.”

Finney then started working on his high school teaching credential thinking that there might be more jobs at the high school level than higher education.

“I was ready to move and get a job wherever I could,” Finney said.

“I actually had moved back to San Luis Obispo doing native plant restoration; I was living right on the beach.”

As Finney began to close the door on teaching, he got a call that there was a job opening at MCHS.

“Jobs were so competitive that I had to write an entire unit just for the interview,” Finney said.

“I thought I wasn’t going to get it but I got the job.”

That was just the beginning to Finney’s coaching career with youth soccer in Mariposa.

“I didn’t want to come back but once I started teaching I realized how great our district is,” Finney explained.

“I knew this is a good spot.”

After almost 20 years of coaching youth soccer, the memories and experiences are what Finney cherishes the most.

Before the inception of Mariposa Soccer League, Finney helped with the Mariposa American Youth Soccer Organization, the Mariposa Fire club teams as well as teams in Merced.

“One of my biggest highs was watching one of my Mariposa Fire club teams win for the first time,” Finney said.

“That was pretty awesome.”

During his time coaching at MCHS, Finney had some pretty elite athletes come through the program.

“Watching Lupin (Amstutz) play in Spain was amazing,” he said.

“Watching her play against National team players, that was pretty incredible.”

Another special memory for Finney is coaching teams who set goals and achieve them.

“Especially when the goals are lofty and not probable,” Finney laughed.

“But sometimes you reach those goals and that’s something you have to celebrate,” Finney said.

Coaching is a heavy investment, not only of time but also energy and if you’re going to do it, you have to do it right.

“Coaching involves being heavily invested in overall youth development, having short and long term goals and having some type of program to build the high school program,” Finney said.

“Between everything, for a long time I was doing four days a week with double practices/ games (boys and girls) with a couple months off during the holidays and the summer and some games on the weekends.”

Finney isn’t 25 years old anymore.

“Things were fun and cool when I was in my 20s,” laughed Finney.

“I’m older now and I’m in a different spot in my career; it’s been eye opening.”

Finney also applied to graduate school again, but this time he got in.

“I’ve reignited that part of my life,” Finney said.

“At times it’s been put on the back burner for my coaching responsibilities.”

Finney took a lesser role this past season as Katie Pike took over as head coach for the MCHS girls soccer program with the help of Jamie Casner, who has been assisting for the past couple seasons.

“I’m confident with Katie and Jamie,” Finney said.

“They have experience and they want to learn; they’re going to be assets to the program.”

As Finney moves forward in life, he plans to finish his Master’s Degree in Fine Arts, which will go along nicely with his Master’s in Education.

“My goal is to complete 20 years with MCUSD,” said Finney.

That shouldn’t be too hard as he is already at 19.

Is coaching over for Finney?

“Probably not,” he laughed.

“I still want to be involved but the amount of time I have to dedicate just isn’t what it used to be.”

Like many other sports, soccer is a metaphor for life.

“Things change and the clock catches up with you,” Finney said.

“I’ve said it a lot, the other team didn’t beat us we just ran out of time.”

It’s the people who make the experiences what they are and Finney remembers those who have influenced him along the way.

“You can be the greatest coach but you’re nothing without your players,” Finney said.

“I want to thank everyone I’ve coached, they’ve made me who I am.”

The coach of the current MCHS boys soccer team is Miguel Ramirez-Ruiz.

“Miguel played for me and he’s the first person I brought in to coach who was a former player,” Finney said.

“I’m really happy with what he’s doing and to have been able to work with him.”

Finney thanked the people he’s coached with: Randy Bown, Harry Steed, Rich Keller, Josh Jones, Ani Drozen, Dana Marcell and Ibo Meric, Tim Thomson and Regan Rowley.

Finney also thanked Principal Celeste Azevedo, the administration and the many athletic directors for their support along the way.

“I’ll never forget Harry and the semi final the year we won the section at Delhi; they’re still mad about that,” laughed Finney.

“All of the people I’ve coached with have only made me better.”