Head coach Mike Linenberger has had some early success with Sacramento State’s men’s soccer team due in part to outstanding achievements by new freshman players such as Matt Linenberger, the coach’s son.

Mike and Matt Linenberger have always been close except when it comes to Matt’s soccer career.

“I’ve always thought it was important for him to play under other coaches,” Mike Linenberger said.

He always encouraged Matt to be interested in other sports, but as soon as he turned six, Matt began playing recreational soccer. He liked the action of soccer, but as a small, skinny young boy, his parents had their reservations about contact sports, and did not let him participate in competitive soccer leagues until he was 11. But he was also quick, agile and had a competitive drive that was well suited for sports. He excelled early.

Though he was involved in swimming, gymnastics and baseball, Matt Linenberger liked soccer more than any other sport.

“Soccer is the most beautiful sport in the world,” he said.

Matt Linenberger said he grew up around the Sac State soccer program, as his father was already a seasoned head soccer coach well before he was even born.

“Soccer was a way of life,” Matt Linenberger said. “At home, there was always soccer on. We always had friends over who talk about soccer or people visiting who played soccer.”

He said having soccer around him all the time and his father’s encouragement was probably the main reason he stuck with soccer over all other sports and motivated him to play at the college level. His father always told him that no matter what, his athletic ability could always improve and his potential was limitless.

But surely the son of a head coach in a venerable soccer program and captain of his high school team could play at nearly any school he wanted. Why play on the one team his father coaches?

“We went and looked at other schools and encouraged him to go away to college but he said ‘No, I want to be a Hornet'” Mike Linenberger said.

His mother played for the gymnastics team at Sac State years ago.

Mike Linenberger felt it was important, even when Matt Linenberger was young, for him to play under other coaches. He also made it a point not to become a parent who coached from the sidelines, and never offered advice unless Matt Linenberger asked for it. He did not want to jeopardize their father and son relationship.

“On the field he’s more of a coach,” Matt Linenberger said, mostly because it would be weird if they had the same family-relationship dynamic while playing.

“They have a very professional coach and player relationship,” said freshman Pat Carden, Matt Linenberger’s former high school teammate.

Both Matt Linenberger and Carden played on the soccer team at Jesuit High School from 2005-09.

“You wouldn’t be able to tell by watching games that they are related,” Carden said.

Instead of pressuring his son to continue his soccer career, Mike Linenberger made sure he passed on the good sport values of working hard, being committed to the endeavor and being competitive while being a good sport. Mike Linenberger said there is a way for players to leave all ill feelings on the field and that it is important to be a good person, even if you are a passionate competitor.

The qualities that make Matt Linenberger such a good asset to the team are he is naturally left-footed, a good passer, useful during corner kicks because he is good in the air and has a good heading technique. He is an inspirational and vocal leader. He has a great athletic body and came into summer training fit and ready to join the team. Matt Linenberger heard his father complaining about freshman of previous years not being prepared or conditioned enough to make an immediate impact to the team or get to play minutes their first year.

“Freshman don’t realize what their getting in to. They have to be physically prepared,” Mike Linenberger said.

He does not give his son any special treatment.

“(Coach Linenberger) is a little harder on him,” admitted sophomore midfielder Adam Bettencourt.

So far, however, Matt Linenberger is off to a good start. He is a threat to score and a good defender, able to connect passes simply but effectively. He is also able to hold on to the ball to set up offensive chances. He has also played a good number of minutes, especially for a first-time freshman.

He said that he felt more confident coming into the season as a freshman because he grew up around soccer.

“I knew more than most guys coming in,” he said.

He was always known as the coach’s son, and consequently, there were always high expectations for him, whether it was his athletic ability or his overall character.

Matt Linenberger always had the feeling he was playing under a magnifying glass.

“I had to work harder than other guys to prove I belong on the team,” Matt Linenberger said.

Jeondra Arrington can be reached at [email protected]