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Spaeth retiring after 21 seasons

BY TAYLOR ELDRIDGE

Wichita Eagle correspondent

For years, Donna Jean Spaeth could not figure it out.

As a certified AYSO coach, Spaeth applied for job after job only to see the positions go to seemingly lesser qualified applicants.

She came to the realization that she couldn't find a coaching job because of her gender. But her passion for soccer was too strong to keep her from coaching the sport, so Donna Jean Spaeth became DJ Spaeth.

"That's how I got my name," Spaeth said. "I couldn't get a job interview. I kept seeing people get the job that weren't as qualified as me. I was certified and I couldn't get a job and I couldn't figure it out. So the American Civil Liberties Union advised me to use DJ."

DJ Spaeth found a job soon after the switch, taking over as boys soccer coach at North in 1987. Twenty-one seasons later, Spaeth has decided to retire from the school where she has become more than just a coach.

Spaeth will also give up her duties as assistant girls soccer coach, cheerleading coach, scholars bowl coach and history teacher.

Spaeth doesn't plan to stop coaching. She is actively seeking head coaching opportunities outside of Wichita. If nothing arises, coaching youth soccer is always a possibility.

Spaeth's impact has stretched far beyond the soccer fields she helped build at North.

Coaching several players from underprivileged households, Spaeth has always reached out to her players not only as a coach, but as a friend and a mentor. She made soccer the cool thing to do at North, evident by the 105 girls who showed up for tryouts this spring.

"I think it's a connection," Spaeth said. "When you look at the impact, not only on the field but in the classroom, it's amazing. Teachers come up to me all the time and tell me a kid is more involved since they started playing soccer."

Spaeth won a boys state championship with the Redskins in 1989 and was named coach of the year a year later. To this day, she's the only female to do that.

"I have gotten way more out of coaching than coaching has got from me," Spaeth said. "I just get enriched all the time when I see kids changing."

City League race -- Kapaun Mount Carmel clinched at least a share of its fifth straight CL title on Tuesday with a 5-0 victory over Northwest. The Crusaders will look to win the title outright with a win over South tonight.

Northwest can secure a tie for the title with a Kapaun loss and a win over Southeast tonight as well.

Garden City (12-3) should retain the three seed, with Heights (11-4) likely coming in with fourth. The last two teams to get home games the first round will be Northwest (10-5) and Campus (9-5-1).