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The History & Legacy of River View High School Soccer
The History & Legacy of River View High School Soccer
The River View High School soccer program was established in 1989 under the direction of its founding coach, Jerry Olinger. Over the decades, the program has been led by a dedicated succession of head coaches:
Jerry Olinger (1989–2000)
Bornwell Sianjina (2001–2013)
Mike Burr (2014–2018)
Vince Andrews (2019–present)
Nestled in the heart of Appalachia in Coshocton County, Ohio, River View Local School District is a small, close-knit public school community surrounded by farmland. While football traditionally dominates the local sports culture across Ohio, River View has proudly built its reputation around soccer excellence. River View is also one of the few schools in the region that enjoys playing on a natural grass field dedicated exclusively to soccer.
Overcoming limited resources and playing through rugged conditions over the years, the program has become a powerful beacon of pride for the entire community. That dedication culminated in a historic milestone when the Black Bears captured the 2024 Division IV State Championship—becoming not only the first soccer team in school history to earn a state title, but also the first team in both the Muskingum Valley League and the entire East District to reach the State Championship match. Supported by a passionate fanbase that drew the largest crowd of any team during State Championship weekend, the program continues to represent the resilience, heart, and determination of the River View community.
Sponsorships
First and foremost, we want to share the tangible impact of community sponsorships over the past year. Thanks to local support, we successfully funded several vital initiatives that have completely revitalized our program and facilities:
Apparel & Equipment: We successfully purchased brand-new away uniforms for our athletes, as well as a fresh supply of match-quality game balls (allowing us to cycle our older game balls into daily practice use).
Facility Enhancements: We replaced the aging windscreens behind our goals and added a massive, eye-catching Black Bear windscreen to one of the backstops.
Championship Signage: We installed a permanent 4'x4' metal State Championship sign on our press box, proudly displayed alongside a generously donated banner of our championship team.
Restroom Facility Fund: We successfully partnered and pooled resources with the Girls Soccer program, the Football program, the Athletic Boosters, and the School District to fully fund a much-needed permanent restroom facility for the soccer complex and away football fans. The funds are officially set aside, and we are eagerly awaiting the district to begin construction!
Our Next Steps
Our Next Steps
To continue elevating our program and providing our student-athletes with a top-tier environment, we are seeking support for our next major initiatives. Your sponsorship this year will directly help us fund:
Away Game Team Meals: Because of how our scheduling cycle falls, this year we face a road-heavy season with 10 away games and only 7 home games. We want to ensure our athletes are properly fueled, focused, and ready to compete before they travel. A portion of this year's funds will go directly toward providing nutritious pre-game meals for the boys.
The "Wall of Champions": We are actively planning to erect a prominent display at our facility to honor the historic achievements of our teams and inspire future generations of Black Bear athletes.
Dedicated Locker Rooms: Our most ambitious long-term goal is to build dedicated locker rooms at our home field. This facility will provide essential amenities, enhance team cohesion, and offer a truly professional environment for our athletes on game days.
Thank you for considering our request. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at michelle.beitzel@rvbears.org if you have any questions or would like to discuss how you can contribute to this important project.
Michelle Beitzel
River View Boys Soccer Booster Representative
740-202-2054
michelle.beitzel@rvbears.org
Memories for a lifetime 🏆
Take in the drama, emotion, jubilation, and so much more from the legendary River View boys soccer state championship win over Worthington Christian!
Black Bears earn the D4 title, the first in East District soccer history, off a Hayden Walters goal with 3 minutes left in the 2nd overtime.
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