Alex Salvo retires after 23 years as winning girls soccer coach at Saint Joseph CHS

Intermountain Catholic

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OGDEN — Alexis Salvo broke the news to his girls soccer team when the season ended that he was retiring after 23 years as the head coach at Saint Joseph Catholic High School.

Salvo will remain as the school’s athletic director and the vice principal for student life.

"Alex exemplifies everything that is good about being a coach at any level," said Joe Cravens, who knew Salvo for several years before he became the St. Joseph girls basketball head coach four years ago. "He cares deeply about the kids, he leads his personal and spiritual life in an exemplary fashion, he’s a great teacher on the field and in the classroom and the world of coaching is losing a great man with Alex Salvo stepping down, but he’s stepping down for all the right reasons – a family decision.

The National Federation of High School Association selected Salvo as the 2012 National Girls Soccer Coach of the Year. He also has won three state championships.

To Salvo, however, the most memorable accomplishment of his career has been "molding these young women into people of faith; and teaching them to be hard-working, loyal, honest and respectful," he said. "My motto has always been ‘We should educate the heart, and everything else will take care of itself.’"

Ali Koehler, a junior who last year was named to the 2A First Team as a goalkeeper by the Deseret News, agreed that Salvo has taught the team to work hard.

"He’s been loyal to our school and he really cares about all of us and always supports us," Koehler said. "He’s always taught us that sportsmanship is really important. He’s always trying to motivate the team the best he can and the last couple years have been rough with fewer players. I think he will always be involved in soccer because he will still be the athletic director and dean."

Ruby Marden, a sophomore, added that Salvo has been supportive of his players. "The team this year has been at different levels and he really tried to help everyone improve; he is really encouraging even if we lose a game," she said. "He’s always positive and really proud of us for working hard."

Salvo began the girls soccer program in 1990 while coaching soccer at St. Joseph middle school.

"There wasn’t a soccer program in place at the high school, so I approached Father John Norman, who was the principal at the time, and he approved a girls soccer program," Salvo said.

During Salvo’s career, the girls soccer team has won state championships in 1998, 2008 and 2010. They were runners up in 2002, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

Salvo was instrumental in getting Class 1A and 2A teams sanctioned by the Utah High School Athletic Association while serving on its board. He lobbied so the smaller high schools would not have to compete against 3A-5A teams.

"This allowed the smaller schools to compete for a state championship title on an even playing field," said Salvo. "It encouraged the smaller high schools to add soccer to their programs. The girls league now has 24 teams and the boys have 30."

Playing sports educates the whole person, Salvo believes.

"The kids learn loyalty and respect, team work and organizational skills to succeed in school," he said.

Salvo played soccer in his home country of Chile from childhood to senior high school, and one year at Weber State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in Spanish.