The decision in 2005 set the Worthington Christian boys’ soccer coach on a path to win over 250 games.
In 2005, Worthington Christian boys soccer coach Dan Roads found himself at a crossroads. At one turn, Roads could finish his playing career with the Ohio Wesleyan University men’s soccer team. On the other hand, Roads had been offered a chance to coach the Delaware Hayes junior varsity boys soccer team.
Roads chose to coach and has never looked back. On Sept. 3, he achieved his 250th victory with a 2-0 win over Central Buckeye League rival Bexley. The victory, coupled with a 7-1 rout of Columbus Academy on Sept. 10, gave the Warriors a perfect 3-0 start in CBL play before facing Ready on Sept. 13.
“I thought about the long term, and I was trying to build that coaching resume up as much as I possibly could,” said Roads, a role player for the Battlin’ Bishops, who had been 50-9-4 during his three years. “I wanted to be able to put my name out there, and I thought it might help with getting hired as a teacher if I had experience with a JV program at a high school.”
Roads missed out on the Bishops’ 20-1 season, a North Coast Athletic Conference title, and a trip to the NCAA Division III tournament in 2005. Former OWU coach Jay Martin, who retired after the 2024 season with a 774-169-84 record and is the first coach in any level of the NCAA to surpass the 700-win mark, remembers his conversation with Roads about leaving before his senior season.
“Dan was a hard-working player. He was not the best we had, but he did all that was asked and more,” Martin said. “I was not a great player either. It helps us be better coaches. He loved the game and loved being part of a team. He was inquisitive and always wanted to get better. (When he approached me about leaving the team, I remember telling him) ‘Follow your dream.’ He was ready for the next step.’”
Roads, who helped guide the Pacers to a 12-19-3 mark as an assistant varsity coach, doesn’t remember his record as Delaware Hayes’ junior varsity coach. He remembers trying to balance his studies at OWU and his first year of teaching at Worthington Christian while serving as a coach there.
Roads believes ending his collegiate career has helped prepare him for his next step as a soccer coach.
“My experience at Delaware Hayes) helped me when I was handed the reins at Worthington Christian,” Roads said. “For the last 18 years, I have been here, trying to figure things out. I’ve learned a lot of lessons.
Roads has also dispensed a lot of advice while compiling a 252-84-36 record. During Roads’ tenure, the Warriors have captured two state titles (2009 and 2011), finished second four times, and lost in a state semifinal twice.
In Roads’ 18 years with the team, Worthington Christian has never had a losing season. The closest the team came was finishing 9-8-2 overall in 2018, but even that year, the Warriors advanced to a district final before losing to the Wellington School 1-0. However, the coach believes being able to touch the lives of his players far outshines any win or achievement. As soon as the Bexley game was over, Roads’ cell phone lit up with well-wishes from players who had gone through the program.
“It feels great to be within a community for that long time,” Roads said. “You think about the wins, but you also think of all those games that involved at least 11 players. That’s a lot of guys who’ve gone through the program and built many memories. Several players from the 2011 (state championship) team came to see the 7-0 win over Wellington Sept. 6, the game after Victory 250. It has been cool to see some of the older players come back.
“A couple of guys said, ‘What are you going to chase now? Are you going to go after 300? 500? What’s stopping you?’ It’s sort of fun to think about the possible legacy we could build.”
The Warriors have finished second in the state tournament the last two years, losing to Warshaw River Valley 1-0 in double overtime in the Division IV title game last year and to Andrews Osbourne Academy 2-1 in the Division III tournament in 2023. Worthington Christian has built themselves into a premier program by taking on the top teams in the area. During the 4-2-1 start this year, the Warriors’ two losses have come against Division I programs: Westerville North 2-1 on Aug. 19 and Olentangy Berlin 3-0 on Aug. 21.
“The games ask a lot from us physically and mentally,” said Roads, whose team carries 27 players, its largest varsity roster in his tenure. “One of the big themes for us is how we build on that identity and accept challenging games. We’re a team growing and becoming grittier as the season goes on.
“One of the lessons I’ve learned is that the head coach must have his hands in so many different things, whether it’s the administrative stuff or the players’ personal, academic, and athletic lives. The head coach doesn’t just coach on game day. You must tweak all these factors and nuances of the game to find success for that season.”
Senior goalkeeper Cody Thomas, who has been on the roster for the last two runs to the state final, said what makes Roads successful is his ability to change his team to fit who they are and counterattack who they are facing.
“He has a strong knowledge of the game and can change formations whenever we need to,” Thomas said. “He is never afraid to throw a new formation at our team, and that new formation typically flips the game in many good ways.
“Another good thing that makes him successful is his drive to set goals and identities for the team from Day One. This allows all the players to know what they are striving for and keeps them at the high standard Roads holds us to.”
Roads didn’t produce the team’s annual mantra: “Walk Worthy,” but he has ensured his teams follow that Ephesians 4:1-2 message every season. Thomas says Roads is far more than a motivator or an Xs and Os coach. He remembers last year when the coach sat the team down in his classroom and used Romans 12 to illustrate all the team meant to him. The pep talk left Roads and some of his players in tears.
While Worthington Christian had the same players the rest of the season, they became a completely different team.
“As a player listening to this, I felt chills,” Thomas said. “The only thing you want to do is play as hard as possible and keep fighting for the team and coaches. It was a very cool moment and just what we needed as a team to hear from our coach.
“This shows Coach Roads’ character. He does everything wholeheartedly and pours into the soccer team with a faith-based mindset. It’s more than just being a soccer coach to him; he wants to pour into every player and create an impact on them that they will always remember.”
Roads can’t remember a time when soccer was not a part of his life. His father, Phil, enrolled him in a U9 team when he was eight. He started playing club soccer at 11, played high school ball at Westerville South, and then went to OWU. And, he admits, he keeps playing in adult leagues to keep his game sharp.
Like Juan Ponce de León, Roads has found his fountain of youth … only it happens to be on a soccer pitch.
“I think I love soccer because you have a chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself,” he said. “Your coaches and players become like your brothers. You experience such happiness when you overcome obstacles and win games, but you also experience sadness when you lose. It’s fun to feel those emotions on the high school level. It’s sort of like being in high school forever.”