Norco College's soccer program is achieving unprecedented success under the leadership of Coach Drew Rea. Recently named the Inland Empire Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Rea has not only led the men's soccer team to their first-ever conference title but has also taken on the remarkable challenge of coaching the women's soccer team.
Rea's journey in soccer began locally in a Southern California youth sports team. After developing his skills at Western Michigan and transferring to Cal State Bakersfield, he earned All-American status for two years and set school records as a defender with the league's most points in school history. Following a year of professional play in Ireland, Rea transitioned to coaching, starting with a successful stint at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
With a coaching career marked by four league titles and an NCAA national title for men's soccer, Rea joined UCR as the assistant head coach during the 2018 Big West title for men's soccer. This paved the way for his current role as the head soccer coach at Norco College.
Coach Rea's extensive experience coaching both men's and women's teams positions him as a valuable asset to Norco College. Rea is confident in enhancing Norco College's recruiting efforts by leveraging his network from Legends Football Club and the Elite Club National League (ECNL) program, where he serves in director roles.
Reflecting on the success of the 2023 men's soccer championship team, Rea emphasized the importance of creating a culture that fosters commitment and shared goals among players. This culture was cultivated in 2019. His coaching philosophy centers around honesty, hard work, dedication, and a family-like atmosphere, shaping well-rounded scholar-athletes.
Looking ahead, Rea's short-term goals include replicating the men's soccer team's success, targeting a league title and playoffs, and facilitating more players' transitions to four-year institutions. His long-term vision is to establish a sustained legacy of success.
Particularly for the women's soccer team, Coach Rea is committed to cultivating a culture where players thrive and community support flourishes. His long-term objectives include securing a coveted league title. Despite acknowledging past challenges, Coach Rea is resolute in overcoming skepticism surrounding the women's program. Rather than dwelling on past statistics, he focuses on the present and future potential, firmly believing that the proof of his coaching prowess lies not in historical records but in tangible success. He emphasizes that a winning culture is not just desirable but entirely attainable for the women's soccer team at Norco College. Coach Rea places immense importance on garnering buy-in from players and the community, stressing that everyone, regardless of past performance, plays a pivotal role in building a successful and respected program. Furthermore, he aims to ensure that female athletes achieve the same rate of transition to four-year institutions as their male counterparts.
Beyond the field, Rea aspires to install lights on the field, enhancing community engagement by allowing more families to attend games. He views soccer as a sport for everyone and hopes to involve the community further in the soccer program.
Coach Drew Rea's advice for aspiring coaches is to learn the craft, volunteer, understand the recruitment process, and build relationships within the game. He believes in the importance of getting one's name out in the sports community, emphasizing that financial rewards will come with dedication.
Rea's story of winning multiple titles, including the CIF, CCAA, NCAA, and Big West titles, culminated in a gratifying experience at Norco College. As he leads both men's and women's soccer teams to greatness, Coach Drew Rea instills a sense of pride and high hopes for Norco College's continued success on the soccer field.