Platt steps down as NIACC men's soccer coach, Driscoll takes over

By KIRK HARDCASTLE

NIACC sports information director

MASON CITY – After six seasons, Jonathan Platt is stepping down as the NIACC men's soccer coach and director of soccer operations.

Platt, who took over for Mike Regan in the fall of 2012, will be replaced by Leo Driscoll, who was the NIACC women's coach in 2017.

"It's really a case of beginning to focus on family time," Platt said of his decision to step down. "I'll still be involved with the game at the youth level. When I started coaching, we had a 2-year old. Now we have an 11-year old and an 8-year old. I need to give more support to my wife."

Also in his time in Mason City, Platt coached the Mason City boys soccer team and was heavily involved with youth soccer. The last couple of seasons, the NIACC soccer program conducted a fall league for youth in the North Iowa area.

He also played a part in re-starting the NIACC women's soccer program in the 2017 season.

"I'm pleased with the transition," said Platt, whose 2017 squad was 8-8 overall and 5-4 in the ICCAC. "Leo was one of my first recruits.

"He's come full-circle. He started out here as a player, left (played at Missouri Valley College) and came back as a coach. That's nice to see."

NIACC fielded a women's soccer from 2001-04 and decided to bring the sport back for the 2017 season.

"That was a big part of this year," said Platt, who was 38-62-4 in six seasons. "We wanted to get that launched the right way and we did that."

Platt, who coached 27 all-region players in his six seasons as head coach, said he will miss coaching the Trojans next fall.

"For sure," he said. "There's nothing like that feeling.

"I'll miss in August when the players show up on campus. You've spent a lot of time recruiting them and then when they're finally here there's a buzz that first week. I'll miss playing the games like Iowa Lakes under the lights. You can't replace that feeling."

Driscoll, who is a Huddersfield, UK native, will be the fifth men's soccer coach in program history since the college started soccer in the fall of 2001.

"The men's side has a strong group of returners that I'm really looking forward to implementing my style and ethics upon," Driscoll said. "I was the men's assistant this year so I know the guys and know the quality we have in that locker room.

"It is very important that the change doesn't halt the progress the program has been making over the last few years. I'm here to continue the hard work set in place by Coach Platt and really looking to push on further to challenge those ranked schools."

Driscoll said he's already learned plenty in his time as a player (2012-13), men's assistant coach (2016-17) and head women's coach (2017).

"I owe a lot to Coach Platt because of the opportunities and the trust he has given and showed me," Driscoll said. "I loved every minute of coaching the ladies, through the ups and downs."