Bruno: 20 years, still counting

Good Counsel girls soccer coach an active legend

His 307-77-37 career record makes him the winningest coach in the state. Good Counsel’s never had a losing season. And each victory — watching his young charges successfully translate what they’ve learned on the practice fields to game situations — is just as gratifying as the first.

‘‘I was absolutely thrilled to death when I got that first win, that was a big deal, let alone the next 300,” said Bruno, 60 of Brookeville. ‘‘I didn’t even know how long I was going to stay at that time. But, I do plan on staying a while more. I have former players who call me all the time asking me, ‘When are you going to retire? I want your job.’ But it’s the love of coaching, something that’s in your blood. It’s hard to give up.”

Bruno, who’s been coaching select soccer with the Montgomery Soccer League and last February was named Montgomery Soccer Inc.’s Director of Coach and Player Development, took a different path than most successful coaches. He’d always loved soccer but didn’t have a huge history in it. He’s not a former high school standout — he played soccer for two years at DeMatha before finishing out his high-school career at Walter Johnson in 1966. He didn’t play college soccer — he served two years in Vietnam after high school. There just weren’t as many opportunities for the sport at that time in this country.

But the ability to coach, to work with young athletes and earn their trust really has nothing to do with physical soccer skills. It’s more about communication, conveying a love for the game and creating a fun learning environment. It’s about accepting there are things coaches, like the players themselves, can always learn and improve on and the willingness to work at it.

Bruno had only four years coaching experience before he joined the Falcons. He coached his sons, former Good Counsel soccer standouts Chris, 26, and James, 29 who played at St. Mary’s College through the U-17 club level. After accepting the job at Good Counsel he sought training in how to coach. And a year ago this past June, after more than 200 hours of courses, he earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s highest degree, the Premier Diploma.

‘‘He puts a lot into his coaching, he’s so dedicated,” Falcons four-year varsity midfielder Sarah Chapman said. ‘‘Girls can get into a lot of arguments and he always makes sure everyone’s calm. He really brings the team together, I know Good Counsel has a history of always having good strong chemistry. We can trust him. I know I can call him if I need something non-soccer related and he’ll be there to help me. And he always wants to make sure we’re having fun. Like, a couple weeks ago we had three games and so one practice — we just played kickball.”

Winning is important, of course. But it’s not everything. Even more satisfying than each of Bruno’s 307 wins, is watching his young student-athletes mature and succeed in life, on and off the soccer field. Players from 20 years ago still contact him with news of marriage and children. And he recently reveled in the opportunity to watch on College Sports Television as former standouts Vicki Anagnostopoulos (2006 graduate) and Melissa Whitley (2003) helped Princeton to a 5-1 win over Rutgers Oct. 2.

‘‘I’m like a proud papa,” Bruno said. ‘‘The alumni game is the biggest thing. I’m very proud of these kids. Achievements off the field are what’s most gratifying. Wins and losses are cool but it’s the relationships I’ve built with these kids that’s important.”