By Tori Wittenbrock
Sports Reporter
DE PERE – The De Pere High School girls’ soccer team seems to have found some stability in their recent hire of Sarah Hagen as their new head coach following Andy Steger’s departure in late June.
Steger announced his resignation from the team after a successful 11 year stint, winning the two most recent Fox River Classic Conference championships.
Hagen brings an abundance of both playing and coaching experience to the team as the associate head coach of the Green Bay Glory women’s pre-professional USL-W League team.
“After two years coaching the Green Bay Glory, I have built some strong connections and relationships with people in the De Pere soccer community and when the position opened up it was a no brainer,” said Hagen, about her reaction to the opportunity to coach the De Pere girls’ team.
In addition to coaching Glory, Hagen’s coaching experience began in Florida when she served as the head coach of the varsity program at Tohopekaliga High School in Kissimmee, Flor. during the 2018-19 season, as well as being a youth coach at Orlando City Soccer Club.
Hagen’s playing experience includes an impressive few years at the Division I level playing for nearby UW-Milwaukee, earning her spot in the Panthers Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. During her collegiate career, Hagen amassed a total of 93 goals. This achievement is the ninth most recorded in NCAA Division I history.
Making her resume even more impressive, Hagen has six years of professional playing experience as well with FC Bayern Munich, Orlando Pride, Houston Dash and FC Kansas City. Hagen also has two US Women’s National Team appearances under her belt, as well.
Hagen said that although she has had many great experiences through her career, she is extremely excited to experience the culture that surrounds Redbird girls’ soccer.
“I’m most excited about meeting the players and their families. I know I have a lot to offer the players — both on and off the field knowledge — so I take a lot of responsibility in sharing that knowledge. Joining an already successful program makes me extremely excited and inspires me to continue to create an atmosphere where players learn and love the game of soccer,” said Hagen.
“I’ve been very blessed to be able to have played at the highest level the game offers. It has taken me all across the world and has given me lots of soccer and cultural knowledge but family is extremely important to me. So when I retired from my playing career and moved back to the Appleton area, I wasn’t sure what my involvement with soccer would be like. However, being able to coach youth players in the communities that shaped me into the player I became, makes me feel very proud and fortunate.”
The De Pere Redbirds are anxiously anticipating the start of a new season in spring of 2024 under Hagen’s new leadership.
“Sarah’s resume is impressive, but her personality, her love for the game and her ability to connect with our athletes will be her greatest contributions. She’s a great fit for our school and the soccer program,” said De Pere Athletics Director Jeff Byczek.