NEW BOSTON — In a small but proud village, and a small but proud program, it’s only — truly — right and just that a proud Tiger be leading New Boston soccer.

And, indeed to be honest, Anthony Maynard is New Boston’s best man for the job.

That’s because Maynard, in early June, was officially hired as the Tigers’ new head coach —after most recently serving as an assistant to now former Glenwood mentor Greg Mauk.

Maynard is now the ninth head coach in Tigers’ history.

With the 2023 Ohio High School Athletic Association soccer season officially upon us as of Monday, Maynard —in a recent interview with The Portsmouth Daily Times at New Boston’s Municipal Stadium —spoke about taking the reigns at his alma mater.

Maynard is a 1993 Glenwood graduate, and has spent the past three decades involved in Scioto County soccer — somehow and someway.

Most recently, for the past five seasons, he has headed up the New Boston Junior High club soccer program —started because the Tigers’ high school numbers were dipping too low for the liking.

“I only played my final two years here, but I’ve always had the passion for the game of soccer. I have 30 years of experience in soccer, either at the high school level or in the youth level,” said Maynard. “We’ve sent several kids up to the high school level from the Junior High program. The graduating class of 2023 was the first kids which played in that program. The goal is to get them to play at the high school level, and gain experience and exposure through the Junior High School soccer club to understand what’s going on, instead of being a freshman in high school and never having touched a soccer ball. Or play soccer as a kindergartner in the youth leagues and not play for a while until they get to high school. That program has been a huge success, I am proud to say, to advance our kids and help our high school program.”

Maynard said he will still oversee the Junior High club, believing that a high school head coach is responsible for — from top to bottom — his or her entire program.

“Successful programs. that’s what they do,” he said, simply. “As the varsity coach, you need to do that. Make sure it’s all on the same page. Consistency all the way through.”

Maynard’s coaching career began immediately out of high school —serving in 1994 as then-Northwest head coach Scott Jenkins’ “practice coach”.

“Scott wanted me to coach, but be a ‘practice coach’ and watch on gamedays that first year. I learned what it was to be a coach, started learning about soccer, and it carried on from there,” he explained.

In his final year (2002) in his first stint at Northwest, Maynard started the youth program in Roy Rogers Country —as the Mohawk program boomed, beginning a girls soccer program there.

His first head coaching job was at Portsmouth High for 2003 and 2004, before the Trojan program folded at the time.

He then spent seasons at Clay (one), West (two), Valley (two), and Northwest again — before returning to New Boston for the fall of 2017.

“We want to get our program even to a higher level than what it’s been the past few years,” said Maynard.

Maynard does have long-term goals for the Tigers, but with an eight-player senior class this season — making up half of the 17-player roster — winning the Southern Ohio Conference Division I and capturing a Division III sectional championship is already at the top of the totem pole.

Maynard’s son, senior Colt Maynard, is a first-team all-SOC I returnee —along with being the Tigers’ top returning all-district performer.

Other experienced senior Tigers include Rhys Bratchett, Hunter Easter, Jayse Tabor, Devin Allard, Kellen Gray and Josiah Smith.

“The eight seniors, that is a big senior class for us in athletics at New Boston. I would like to see them take that step forward, not only winning the league but also win that sectional championship that we haven’t won in so many years,” said the coach. “Our senior leadership is the core of this program, some of them have started since they were sophomores, and we’re looking towards them if we want to win the SOC I, win a sectional and compete at the district level. They understand that by talking to them. They understand what lays in front of them and what they can do. They want the SOC, and I feel if they all come together with their leadership and get the underclassmen to buy in and listen to the coaches, we’ll be able to make some noise this year.”

And, provide some excitement inside “The Jungle” of New Boston’s Municipal Stadium — in Maynard’s first season as the top Tiger.

“In every sport, every time you take over a program, there’s challenges involved. I don’t care who you are,” he said. “We’ve had several great coaches in the past, and hopefully I can continue the success of this program here.”

Maynard’s assistants include Eric Voiers and Jackson Williams, as Voiers and Maynard also serve together on Adam Cox’s staff with the New Boston boys basketball team.

Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at [email protected], or on Twitter @paulboggssports © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved