Derrek Falor, who has built the Cleveland State women’ssoccer program from the ground up over the last decade, returns toCleveland State for his 10th season as the head coach of thewomen’s soccer program with one goal in mind: continue toclimb the Horizon League ledger and win the leaguechampionship.
The only coach in program history, Falor has steadily built theprogram from winless seasons in the first two years to being onevictory away from the league’s regular season title in 2010.In that time, he has coached three first team and eight second teamAll-Horizon League selections, six All-Ohio honorees and the 2010Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year.
Last year’s squad battled injuries from the start of theseason to finish 6-11. However, a total of 17 letterwinners returnfrom that youthful squad and combined with one of the toprecruiting classes under Falor, the Vikings are poised to showimprovement.
The 2011 team got off to the best start in program history,winning seven of its first 10 matches. After a brief mid-seasonstruggle, Falor’s group rebounded to go 2-0-1 over its lastthree matches, clinching fourth place in the Horizon League and afirst round league championship match at home for the secondstraight season. Natalie Daniels also became the first player inschool history to earn all-league honors in four consecutiveseasons.
The 10 wins in 2011 continued the upward trend for the Vikings.After winning no matches in either of the first two years ofexistance, the Vikings won three matches in 2006 and pushed the wintotal to five in 2007 and eight in 2008 season before winning ninein 2010 and 10 in 2011.
Cleveland State has also started to build a home field advantageunder Falor, as the Vikings produced a program-best 7-2-2 record atKrenzler Field in 2010. Over the last four seasons, CSU has postedan 21-17-6 mark at home.
A big believer in ball control offense, Falor has steadilyimproved his team’s scoring while concurrently tightening upits defensive play.
After allowing 95 goals in 2004, the Vikings lowered the total to68 in 2005, 54 in 2006, 51 in 2007, 39 during 2008, 25 in 2010 and22 in 2011. At the other end of the field, the Vikings havegradually increased their scoring total from four in 2004 to 23 in2007, 19 during 2008, 24 in 2010 and 25 in 2011. Shots on goal havesurged from 112 in the inaugural year to almost double in 2007 with197 and a school-record 211 in 2011.
When Falor was hired in February of 2003, he was charged withdeveloping the program from scratch. He implemented an 18-monthplan that culminated in 2004 when the Vikings began the inauguralseason of women’s soccer at CSU.
A sports psychology major in college, Falor knew that the successof the team during the first several seasons wouldn’t bebased on wins and losses, but by how well the program was set upfor success in the future. Playing with a roster that has beendominated by underclassmen - CSU had just two seniors during thefirst three seasons - Falor knew that he needed to look togradually improve the Viking roster over the course of thefollowing seasons.
The passion that Falor displays for coaching has been evident inthe process that he has used in developing the Viking program,following a step-by-step plan to address all the necessary growthaspects of the program.
After coming to CSU, Falor focused the majority of his energy onrecruiting, searching northeast Ohio and the surrounding area forplayers that he felt fit into his vision of the program. Heaccomplished just that, signing an inaugural class of 12 players inFebruary of 2004 who he felt would be the cornerstone of theprogram for years to come.
A two-year starter on the men’s soccer squad at ShorelineCollege in Seattle, Wash. (1987-88), Falor transferred to WesternWashington in 1989, earning a bachelor’s degree in exercisescience and sports psychology in 1992.
Falor remained at Western Washington, serving as a graduateassistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccerteams for two years (1993-94) while earning his master’s insports psychology in 1995.
Falor received his first collegiate head coaching position in 1995when he was promoted to women’s head coach at WesternWashington. He compiled a 56-47-10 mark in six seasons, the secondhighest win total by a head coach in school history, and helped theVikings to top-three conference finishes each year.
Falor moved to DePaul in 2001 where he assisted in all facets ofcoaching, including recruiting, travel management, technical andtactical player development, mental skills training, andfundraising.
He helped the Blue Demons turn around a struggling program, asDePaul won just three matches prior to his arrival but improved tosix in 2001 and 10 in 2002.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Falor married the former CamilleAnne Beatty in 1992. The couple has two sons, Mason and Elliot, andreside in Lakewood.
