Campo Verde soccer coach Drew Guarneri was close to not coaching the boys team at the school after four seasons this winter. Instead he's doubled up mentoring successful boys and girls teams after prodding from administration and scheduling adjustments to make it work. (Photo courtesy of Darin Sicurello/MaxPreps)

Drew Guarneri intended to give up his coaching assignment at the end of last year's soccer season. He was packing it in as the boys coach at Campo Verde. Had completed his commitment plus one additional year. Informed the administration. Done. 

Apparently, he didn't communicate that well to the higher ups. Or more accurately, they weren't listening.

"When I took the job I said I'd do it for three years," Guarneri, said. (Son) Briley was a sophomore when I started, and that's what I committed to. I stayed for another year last year. My mind was made up."

No it wasn't. Not really. Athletic director Renee Regoli had tuned Guarneri out. Not only was he not quitting, he was going to coach the boys and the girls this season. Regoli would need two coaches if Guarneri exited since former girls coach Rosie Headley bowed out after last season to tend to her infant daughter.

The battle of wills continued over the spring and summer. Guarneri ended up on the losing end. In reality, however, it's been a win-win for everyone.

"I wasn't convinced that Drew was quitting," Regoli said, hitting the nail on the head. "He has such a passion for coaching and a heart for these kids. He lives the Campo Way in everything he does.  These kids are family to him and his wife.  I know he had been interested in coaching the girls for a couple years simply because he also coaches women at the college level.  However, switching from the boys to the girls team wasn't an option for him because of the love and care he has for these boys and their families. So for me it was an easy solution.  I want all of our student-athletes to have the best coaches and experiences possible.  I didn't, and still don't believe, there was a better coach in the Valley to follow Rosie and give the girls an opportunity to continue the level of learning in such a great environment.  We are a family here. We weren't ready to see Drew leave our family."

The results with a week left in the regular season? Campo Verde's boys are 21-0 and ranked No. 1 in the 5A power-rankings.  They've clinched the San Tan Region title. Campo's girls aren't quite as lofty at 9-7-1 overall, ranked fourth in the power rankings and a win away from a region title. Four of their losses have been by 2-1 counts, including 2-1 defeats to No. 1 Chaparral, No. 2 Arcadia and No. 3 Notre Dame Prep. The other defeats are to top-6 6A teams Desert Vista, Perry and Millennium.

"The administration went out of their way to make it happen," Guarneri, who has an 87-21-5 record guding the boys at Campo in five seasons said. "In August I told them I'd discuss it with my wife. They worked on changing schedules so I was able to be at every game. We had to give up some home games. They made it easy for me handling all the (administrative) stuff. We have a booster club that helps out, and is very supportive. Other than running our tournament, all I've had to do is coach."

Coaching both squads is what it is. Double the time spent practicing. And mostly extra long game days since the teams often play varsity matches back-to-back.

Campo Verde trainer Matt Blackburn has 25 years experience sitting next to or near coaches as he tends to physical needs of players. He is a charter member of the Drew Guarneri fan club.

"I have never coached or have any desire to do so, but I know what good coaching looks like," Blackburn said. "The nice part about my job is that I'm right in the middle of the action, but I don't have to make any coaching decisions. So that has allowed me to observe up close and see everything.  With Drew, he is easily one of the best soccer coaches I've been around if not just one of the better coaches of any sport I've been around.  You can see it on a daily basis on how he runs his practices and games....  

"He's a quality person and fits in perfectly with what we have at Campo Verde.  We are family first. Being around him you can tell he is a great family man.  I'm glad he's coaching both programs and hope he stays with it.  It gives the current and future soccer teams a great chance to succeed.  Not sure if too many people could pull it off but by this year's success, he's doing a great job at it."

The boys success is off the charts. It's not a one- or two-man show. Junior Ethan Willson has 14 goals, senior Johnny Halter 12 goals, junior Blaise Hale 8 goals, and sophomore Shawn McGarvin 7 goals. Junior Colton Shafer and  Halter lead with 12 assists each and Willson has 8. In a recent win over Queen Creek six players scored in a 7-0 victory. The Coyotes have allowed 11 goals (a half-goal per game) with senior Justin Zimmerman tending the net.

"Over my four years it's always been a balance of having fun and being the best team we can be," Zimmerman said. "I think if he hadn't coached us this year it would have hurt us a little. We'd still be a good team. But he's a big part of the program and what it has become."

Halter, a forward, didn't anticipate a perfect record at this point in the season. He believes the underdog mentality instilled by Guarneri is the proper approach.

"Coach is always telling us to be humble," Halter said. "Stay humble. I'm glad he's back. I really like him. We haven't won anything yet, so we have to take every game seriously. Our record is good, but it doesn't matter once the next game comes up."

Senior defender Nathan Smith said whether or not Guarneri returned he felt the Coyotes would have a good season.

"He established the culture and foundation of the program," Smith said. "Everything he says and does helps the program."

The girls program has a couple trophies, proof of its prowess. The Coyotes under Headley won a Division III title in 2013 over Mingus and were runner-up in D-II in a shootout to Notre Dame Prep in 2015.

Senior midfielder Gabby Briseno, in her fourth varsity season, has enjoyed the year with Guarneri at the helm. 

"It's been a good change," Briseno said. "He's so involved with the program and making it a community thing. The atmosphere at practice is a little more intense and focused. But he's super encouraging, allows us to have fun and still holds us accountable. We can joke a around some before practice, but once it starts it's all business."

Guarneri also coaches club soccer during the non-high school season and juco women's soccer in the fall at Mesa Community College. He somehow finds time on occasion to venture to Colorado to watch Briley play keeper at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colo., which he has done the last two years. 

As the boys ended their practice Wednesday and the girls began theirs, Guarneri opened up a sleeve of crackers and also dined on fruit to get him through the third and fourth hour of practice for the day.

When all is said and done, Guarneri's nourishment - the meat and potatoes - is coaching in the Campo Verde community. Otherwise he wouldn't have taken the plunge and doubled his pleasure.