By Emma Deo
When speaking about longtime Plattsburgh soccer goalie coach Geoff Spear, one word is consistently brought to the table: irreplaceable.
Spear died Jan 26. at the age of 63, deeply affecting the Plattsburgh soccer community.
“He could have been the head coach, but he decided not to be. I think the selflessness, the dedication, the loyalty and the drive to essentially give his whole career to the soccer program. That’s something that we’re gonna try and reflect on and make sure that people understand he felt the program was bigger than everybody, and that he was just a part of it,” said men’s soccer head coach Chris Taylor.
Spear worked as an assistant coach for the Plattsburgh State men’s soccer team for 29 seasons, spanning two head coaches. He joined previous head coach Chris Waterbury until his retirement in 2015, when he began coaching alongside Taylor. Spear also joined the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team to work with its keepers for the last three seasons.
“You know, to put it bluntly, I wouldn’t be here without him,” Taylor said.
Taylor first started working with Spear during his career as a player at Plattsburgh State and then worked with him as an assistant coach post-graduation for two seasons. Taylor then coached at Vassar College and Clarkson University until 2018, when he found himself at the helm of the Plattsburgh State men’s soccer program.
“He was arguably my biggest mentor in coaching, because we spent the most time together,” Taylor said. “There was a massive age gap, but it didn’t seem to matter. We shared a lot of things in common, so he was a huge father figure to me.”
Plattsburgh State women’s soccer head coach Whitney Frary also had the opportunity to work with Spear, describing him as a mentor but also a close friend.
“He was just so selfless. Drop of the hat, he was going to be there. He was going to give up a Sunday. He was going to give up everything just to be there for our team, for the men’s team, for the youth of the community,” Frary said. “I think that he was such a spectacular human, he’s an irreplaceable person in the program.”
Spear’s coaching philosophy emphasized the basics. He never let his players get too far ahead of themselves, explaining that by doing the little things over and over again, those big moments in the game would come to you. Spear also instilled in his keepers that even if you’re not going to play your best, you must still train your best.
“Every keeper he came in touch with, he made them all-region, all-conference players. He was just so dedicated to making players the best that they could be,” Frary said.
Aside from the soccer field, Spear had a special relationship with his athletes.
“I think an impact that’s a bit more profound, and that you see in our players is the level of care and compassion and the dedication he had to our team,” Frary said.
Senior Plattsburgh women’s soccer goalkeeper Lauren Haley said she saw Spear as a father figure and that she is immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with Spear for four seasons.
“Talking to me now versus my freshman year, my confidence and just who I am as a person has changed so much because of Geoff,” Haley said.
Haley was named to the All-SUNYAC first team in her junior year. Thanks to Spear’s influence, Haley amassed 70 saves and posted a 1.3 goals-against average, allowing only 19 goals in 2023. In her senior season, Haley was also named to the All-SUNYAC third team, starting 15 games in net for the Cardinals. She made 70 saves for the second season in a row, totaling five shutouts.
During Plattsburgh’s home match against Clarkson University this past season, the game was neck-and-neck until disaster struck – the Cardinals had drawn a penalty. In that moment, Haley was unsettled, knowing that as a keeper, the spotlight was on her.
Spear noticed this from the sidelines and was able to calm Haley with just a look.
“He had a very known presence; he was able to joke around with you, but when he needed to, he could switch on and do that. All he needed was a look,” Haley said.
Senior men’s soccer goalkeeper Teddy Healy also worked with Spear during his tenure at Plattsburgh State. Healy was a four-year starter for the Cardinals, earning Second Team All-SUNYAC honors in 2024. Healy also posted a career-high six shutouts with a .725 save percentage in his senior season.
“As much as he works with us on the field developing skills every day, it’s more of a maturity thing; he really helps you grow as a person,” Healy said.
Looking back on his time spent with Spear, Healy recalled one moment from his first competition of his first-year campaign.
“It was my first ever game — not even a real game but a scrimmage,” Healy said. “I can’t tell you exactly what he said, but he gave the best speech of all time. We all still talk about it to this day.”
Spear’s family was also of utmost importance to him, connecting back to his years with the women’s soccer program.
During Haley’s sophomore season, Spear’s daughter Sam was able to play her graduate year with the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team, under the guidance of her father.
“Seeing her and Geoff’s relationship was really heartwarming, because you knew that, like, he was probably a little bit harder on her than he was anybody else, but it was still her dad out there,” Haley said.
At the division three level, having a goalie coach is uncommon, but having a goalie coach with such a special relationship to his players and fellow coaches is a once in a lifetime experience.
“I feel like anybody in the North Country who has ever put on soccer cleats knows Coach Geoff, which is really special,” Haley said.
