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With his 37th and final season coming to a close, Blair Reid’s time at Grand View has been nothing short of monumental successes. In his career as the head soccer coach, he has amassed a record of 458-254-40. Reid fondly looks back at the meaningful relationships he has cultivated over his illustrious career and the significant role he had in helping establish and develop soccer in Iowa to what it is today. 

Reid graduated with a degree in speech pathology and completed his master’s degree at the University of Northern Iowa. Reid initially wanted to pursue a career in speech pathology, researching highfalutin and pragmatic language function in autistic children. He had envisaged himself as an educator for children who suffered from autism. Reid had a passion for this field of work where studies on this subject were very limited at the time.

During this time, Reid was playing soccer at a competitive level and hoping to try out for professional teams. He spent time training while awaiting tryouts at a gym in a downtown YMCA. It was here that Reid met a gentleman by the name of John Shores, who asked if he could teach his young children how to play soccer. This was the first experience Reid had in coaching and thought this was a possible alternative in deciding what he truly wanted to do. 

“Coaching is teaching. I thought this was something I could do. So, after two short-lived tryouts, I made a commitment,” Reid said.

Fast-forward to 1983, Reid helped create the soccer program at GV with head coach Bob Wood. He was offered a job to become a part of the coaching staff but turned it down as the job was not full-time employment. He was then offered the head coach position in the winter of 1985 and remained as head coach for 37 seasons. 

The longevity he sustained throughout such a long career is admirable. He believes that passion and determination are the keys to accomplishing anything in life. 

“Very rarely will you achieve success right away. You have to learn your trade, absorb along the way, and just give it your all,” Reid said. 

This was the mentality he wanted to instill in his players. Every senior in the program receives a plaque that reads, “To be a winner, all you have to give is all you got.” Players who have come and gone through the GV soccer program have been touched by his knowledge and affection. 

“He is someone I can always go talk to, both on and off the field. He is a good judge of character who has helped me and my teammates become better players and better people,” said Jacob Gutierrez, captain of the GV soccer team. 

Within the Iowa soccer community, you will not find many people who do not know the name Blair Reid. He is a decorated coach who has been named District Coach of the Year six times, the NAIA Region Coach of the Year five times, and MCC Coach of the year nine times. He led GV to a Heart of America Tournament Championship, and made 13 NAIA National Tournament appearances, having made the Final Four in 2016. 

Reid will certainly be remembered as the figure who set the foundation of the soccer program here at GV. 

“There are so many games, so enriched with many good memories. The thing I will remember the best and most will be the relationships,” Reid said. “So many good young men who went on to do great things for themselves and their community. You suddenly realize the impact and the love you have and gave. That is priceless.”