New Lee University assistant coach Rick Adolph feels the time is right to enter the college-coaching scene.
Adolph has been the head soccer coach for the boys and girls programs at Cleveland High School. He recently join Lee University’s head soccer coach Henry Moyo as assistant with the men’s program.
Adolph said he would continue his teaching duties in the Cleveland City School System and continue to coach the Cleveland High boys’ soccer team. He began his duties with the Lee program in May.
“Coach Moyo is a great coach and I look forward to working with him at Lee,” said Adolph. “This is the experience I’ve been waiting for. Things just fell into place.”
Born in Bangladash and the son of medical missionaries, Adolph attended Wheaton Christina High School (Ill) and played soccer for four years under former Lee coach John Bratcher at Grand Rapids Baptist College (now Cornerstone).
He taught and coached at a private school in Maryland for five years before moving to Cleveland. “I had kept in touch with coach Bratcher and he told me about the openings in the Cleveland system,” said Adolph. “I applied – was hired – and I’ve been here ever since.”
Adolph has turned both Cleveland High soccer programs into winners. Last year, his Cleveland team won the region title before being beaten in the sectional tournament.
“While I continue to coach the Cleveland boys, I’ll have the opportunity to see a lot of talent around the region,” said Adolph. “I think this could help our recruiting for Lee.”
Moyo called the hiring of Adolph a win, win for his program. “I’m really excited,” said Moyo, who will be in his first season as the Lee men’s soccer coach. “I’ve known Rick for several years. He played professional soccer in Bangladash. He knows the game well and has played it at a very high level. Not only that, Rick is highly respected by his players.”
Moyo said his new assistant would definitely be involved in recruiting. “He has so many contacts in the region and that is going to help. Rick will also play a major role during our practices and in game-day coaching. He’ll also be called on to do some advance scouting of our opponents.”
Adolph and his wife, Julie, have three children, Thomas (9), Marissa (5) and Natalie (3).
While Moyo was naming Adolph, he noted that he had also selected Bill Estes as his team’s chaplain.
Estes came to Lee in 1998 as an Assistant Professor of Education. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wheaton College and his M.S.E. from the University of Central Arkansas and his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Prior to coming to Lee, Estes served as the Principal at Orange Charter School in Hillsborough, N.C. During the summers of 1996 and 1997, he served as an 11th grade American History teacher at Chapel Hill High School. From August 1989 to June 1994, he was a 9th grade Civics teacher in the Little Rock, Ark., School District. While teaching in the public schools Bill was an assistant basketball coach and the head soccer coach. In January 1993, he served as the Assistant Principal in the same school district.
Estes has held several positions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been a technical trainer, a Computer Skills instructor, a Paideia Seminar Trainer, a teaching assistant, a research assistant, and a Carolina Teaching Fellows Program Assistant.
Estes and wife, Virginia, have two children.