The following article was comprised for the June edition of Saginaw Township Living magazine. 
 

Soccer has a lexicon all of its own. Once the misunderstood little sister of other sports in the United States, soccer has grown to immense popularity in our country. Over 1200 athletes participate in the youth soccer program at the Saginaw Township Soccer Association each season alone. A big part in that enthusiasm is Nouvel Varsity Girls Soccer Coach/Athletic Director/ Saginaw Township Soccer Association President Matt Solek. 

Solek was instrumental in bringing the Detroit City FC Academy up to Saginaw, giving youth players a route for college soccer or to make the jump into the professional ranks. The Academy’s parent club, Detroit City FC, is a USL Championship (one rung below the MLS in soccer hierarchy) team who play their games in the eclectic Detroit neighborhood of Hamtramck.

The excitement and energy that Solek brings to the Saginaw Township Soccer scene carries over to his duties as the Varsity Girls Soccer Coach at Nouvel. Losing multiple college soccer players off the 2023 squad, the success has endured in 2024. At the time of writing, Nouvel stands atop the TVC standings, a game up on Hemlock. While the team has taken some knocks in non-conference games, they have maintained an undefeated record in conference, outscoring their opponents 57-1 on the season. 

The success is part of a culture cultivated by Solek, in a program that has long flourished. Nouvel’s girls soccer team has won 22 District Titles in the 27 years of existence they have had. The program has sent girls to play at University of Minnesota, Michigan State University, Butler, and Ferris State University, just to name a few. This year they add Savannah Garcia to that tally, as she is set to attend Northwood University. 

With Solek at the helm, the Nouvel girls soccer program is set to continue a tradition of playing a beautiful, and successful, brand of soccer. 

Panther student-athletes receive the benefit of smaller class sizes and individualized attention in the classroom, while having many incredible opportunities to shine on the court and as leaders in their community. For more information on Nouvel athletics, please visit www.NouvelCatholic.org/Explore.