DaytonDailyNews.com

If the next Lamar Skeeter or Daniel Griest shows up at tryouts, new Kettering Fairmont boys soccer coach Tom Robey isn't about to turn him away. But the first-year Firebird boss is fully prepared to mold a young squad that will start out without a superstar scorer.

Robey and Fairmont know what it's like to have that clear-cut go-to guy up front.

When he played in high school at Springfield Northwestern, the headliner was Griest, who set Ohio career and single-season scoring records. Robey was a center midfielder who set up many of those scores, and is the school's career and single-season assist leader.

Fairmont is just two seasons removed from the scoring exploits of Lamar Skeeter, an All-Ohio performer who set Fairmont's career scoring record.

The Firebirds also had one of the area's leading scorers last year in Anthony D'Amico, one of eight players who graduated.

"We might not have the clear-cut standout right now," said Robey, who is still learning the team's personnel. "As the season progresses, I'm sure we'll have a couple of guys step up."

Robey witnesses a lot of teams that rely on sheer athleticism and speed. While he can embrace those traits, he's looking for something more from his young Firebirds.

"Hopefully they'll be players that understand tactics," he said.

Coach learned

Robey refined his approach to the game while playing with the Ohio Galaxies '79, a team that played around the country, as well as in France, Belgium and Canada.

Through his exposure with the Galaxies, he was recruited by Division I Campbell University in North Carolina. Robey combined his speed with creativity and finesse to become a four-year starter and a captain.

During his career, Campbell faced several ACC schools, including Clemson when they were ranked first in the country.

Robey's coaching career started almost immediately after he graduated from Campbell in 2002. He took over a Galaxies under-16 boys team that spring, then was named varsity coach at Dayton Christian in August, just two days before tryouts began.

He spent six seasons with the Crusaders, who took their lumps that first season but became a competitive program that reached the regionals.

Firebird job a surprise

Robey had no plans to leave the school, but decided to apply for the Fairmont job when it opened up.

"We had some success at Dayton Christian and felt Fairmont was a new challenge," he said. "But I felt I had no chance at the job."

He was given the nod to replace John Boucavalas, and was thankful to have more than two days before tryouts.

Robey was given an early look at the Firebirds' summer tournaments at Perrysburg and Northmont.

"We'll probably have 40 kids that I know of, and not a lot of seniors," Robey said.

"At Dayton Christian, we had somewhere in the upper 20s. We put together a good varsity team, but we had to find players for the junior varsity."

Robey will be joined at Fairmont by his varsity assistant at Dayton Christian, Jon Faulkner. He'll maintain some continuity in the Firebird program with Ron Fernandez and Jeff Lane returning to the JV team.

Robey is not a teacher, but he has some flexibility with his work schedule to coach.

The Carlisle resident has owned and operated a commercial cleaning business for six years.

Contact this columnist at (937)

847-8435 or d_lamb@msn.com.