Gainey returns to Pirates bench

BRADEN RIVER — After walking off of the soccer field for the final time two years ago, Nikki Gainey never imagined she would return to the Lady Pirates bench.

But that was before an admissions mishap, the unexpected passing of Braden River assistant coach Jim Clerkin a few months ago and a chance meeting with head coach Don Engelberger propelled Gainey to make her return to Braden River — this time as an assistant coach.

The Lady Pirates all-time leading scorer was out walking her dog one night when Engleberger, who happens to live in the same neighborhood, called out her name. The two struck up a conversation about soccer and her time playing for Braden River.

Shortly thereafter, Gainey returned home one day to find a letter from Engleberger waiting for her at the front door. It asked if she would like to be the girls soccer team’s new assistant coach.

Gainey accepted the position and made her return to the Lady Pirates bench last month. As an assistant, Gainey scrimmages with the girls — a few of which are her former teammates — and trains the goalkeepers.

“I actually miss high school soccer,” Gainey said. “This is fun for me. I just want to (teach) the girls leadership, to love the game of soccer and not to give up.”

In her first year as an assistant coach, Gainey is hoping to help prepare the Lady Pirates for a tough district schedule.

“They’re very strong,” Gainey said. “We’ve got strong players at all of the positions. I can’t quite say they are as good as were, but they’ve done very well for being such a young team. It’s kind of like watching when we first started only 10 times better.”

While at Braden River, Gainey set the school record for goals scored with 113 while leading the Lady Pirates to a district championship and three consecutive trips to the regional tournament, including a berth in the regional finals in 2009.

Upon graduation, the Braden River forward was supposed to play soccer for the University of South Florida. But a mishap with her admissions application and the addition of a number of football applications would have kept her from making it to training camp on time.

“I was really shocked,” Gainey said. “I asked, ‘What can I do?’ The (school) talked to a Division II school and said I could play there, but I thought it would just be too much.”

Gainey ended up enrolling at the State College of Florida to pursue a nursing degree. And although there are times when Gainey would love to get back out onto the field, for now she is focused on finishing her degree.

“There are times that I do think about going and talking to coaches, but I haven’t played for so long,” Gainey said.

As for coaching, Gainey is simply using the experience to fulfill her desire to be around the game she has been a part of since she was 6 years old.

“Coaching — it’s more just for fun and being around the game,” Gainey said. “I’m glad I came back though because it’s been fun.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].