The sound of his familiar voice often carried all the way through the Mt. Ararat High School complex. If within ear shot, the angry sounding words during a boys soccer game might bring the toughest of nails individual to a stop.

As he begins his 30th year leading the Mt. Ararat boys soccer team, Rick Renaud will quickly say that at one time, “You must have thought that I was a raving maniac!”

Now, ask most Eagle soccer players who have played for him about this, they have a different answer and memory.

And, just look at that coaching record. Entering this year, Rick is 298-115-44, including the playoffs.

“Rick is a winner and inspires others to want the same, whether it be at life or on the field,” said 1990 alum Jason Miller, who participated in an Alumni game at Mt. Ararat last Saturday night. “He taught me that it takes lots of hard work when no one is watching and that winning isn’t just about how I would feel personally. We learned that winning was about pride for one’s community and all of those people who helped us accomplish our goals. It made all of us play harder because we knew that we represented our community as well as ourselves.

“His passion for the sport of soccer and for teaching has allowed him to affect hundreds of lives and a whole community. The fact that he is still doing this after 30 years is validation of this.”

To a player, those same words will likely be heard, memories of the hard work and success that the Eagles, led by Rick, have enjoyed. Most have a love for Rick, who has touched lives since moving from Vermont to Maine all those years ago, an event that changed the very direction of Mt. Ararat boys soccer.

Even rivals, such as former longtime Brunswick High School boys soccer coach Peter Gardner and current BHS leader Mark Roma, know when playing a Rick Renaud-led Eagles team, opponents better bring their “A” game.

“He gets the most out of his players, and they want to play for him,” said Roma, who has matched wits with Rick for the past two seasons and will again on Sept. 11 at Topsham. “A game with Mt. Ararat always goes beyond the rivalry. It comes down to the ability to play, and Rick does a great job of getting that team ready to play. That is always an indication of a coach, and he has always done a good job of doing that year-in and year-out.”

“It was always good competition,” concurred Gardner, who begins his first season leading the Richmond boys soccer squad. “He has been able to take average soccer players and get the most out of them, putting them into the right role. His players compete. Rick has always done a good job with making in-game adjustments, and you always had to be prepared for that. He is a coach that teaches.”

Rick Renaud

Now, let’s discuss the man himself.

Rick was born in Hardwick, Vt., played soccer throughout high school and in college, showing his skills at Castleton State.

“I am still leading the scorer in a single season (24 goals) at Castleton, was an All-American and I am in the college’s Hall of Fame.”

His senior season opened up the possibility of playing soccer beyond college.

“I tried out for the ASL team in Albany, the New York Eagles, and after my great fall season they contacted me. I made it to the end, but got cut.”

What followed changed his life direction. At first, Rick was going in the direction of being a college soccer coach, serving as an assistant with the Castleton State men before taking over the women’s program the following season. Soon after, Rick was on the move.

I had a choice … coach in college or switch to high school.”

Rick married and was headed for Eastport. Soon, he moved south to Brunswick, coached jayvee basketball at Brunswick, along with dabbling in softball and baseball coaching. He took a job as a substitute physical education teacher at Mt. Ararat Middle School, and after one year was hired full time at the middle school, the same job that he holds today.

Soccer coach

The calling of his first love, soccer, came to him soon after beginning at Mt. Ararat. He had an advantage. As a physical education teacher, he had the chance to see young athletes in gym class show him their stuff.

“It is a big advantage. If a kid is playing football, I won’t get on them to switch to soccer. But, we play soccer in class sometimes and I may say ‘you are pretty good at soccer.’ It helps.”

It took Rick a couple seasons to get his feet wet, trying to mold his Eagles into a fine-tuned machine. In 1986, his team advanced to the postseason for the first time during his tenure after a 9-4- 1 regular season. Wins over Waterville and Nokomis set up a regional final against arch-rival Gardner and his Brunswick Dragons. On that day, Brunswick was just a bit better, taking a 1-0 decision and later downing Cape Elizabeth in the State Class A title game.

One year later, the Dragons and Eagles met in the regional final again. This time, the win went to Rick, sending Mt. Ararat to the Class A championship (a 2-0 loss to Cape Elizabeth) for the first time.

From 1988-1993, Rick had solid teams, with only one team missing the playoffs. Then came 1994. After an 11- 3 campaign, Rick’s squad rolled past Messalonskee, Cony and Brunswick to advance to the State A title game. Rick coached the Eagles to their first boys soccer state title shortly after, winning 1-0 against Portland.

In all, Rick has coached in six state title games with Mt. Ararat, also capturing the championship with a 1-0 penalty-kick win over Scarborough in 2003, the first of three meetings between the schools in the last 11 years (Scarborough defeated Mt. Ararat in 2005 and 2012).

Rick is honest when he says all of his teams are his favorites for different reasons, but he does have a few that stand out.

“If I had to sum up the most enjoyable it would be the 2001 team. We scored 120 goals. They were so much fun to watch. They were good kids too. The year before they drove me crazy and weren’t very motivated. But, that senior year they came in fired up. They got on that field and they were awesome.

“My 1994 team that won the first state championship, they were awesome. My 2005 squad that went to the championship was the hardest working team that I have ever had. They got more out of their ability then any team that I have had. The only undefeated team that I have coached. That state championship, the year before the second round was sudden death. That year, they had changed the rules. We scored, they didn’t, so the year before we win. But the shootout continued and we lost.

“The 2012 team was a hard-working team and they bought into it after starting the season slow. I needed a week to prepare them for Scarborough, but we had one day. It just wasn’t fair to the kids. Yes, Scarborough had the same thing, and absolutely man for man they were better than us. We played Lewiston to double overtime Thursday night, then Friday three of my best players didn’t practice due to being hurt or sick. Saturday we go up at 7 a.m. to Hampden to play on turf, something we hadn’t done. It was just a no-win situation. But, Scarborough was very good, and they probably beat us nine out of 10 times.”

“He gets the most out of whatever group he has,” said Scarborough coach Mark Diaz, who coached against Rick twice in the State Class A contests, along with the traditional preseason boys soccer opener at Woodside Field. He has a gift. He changes his system to fit their abilities, they always play hard and they always play together. That is a Rick Renaud team. When you show up to play them, you better be ready to be challenged with effort and physicality. Years that they are down in terms of talent, he finds a way to get 10 wins, 11 wins, and in a position to challenge.

“We play each other in that first preseason game each year. It shows us where we are at in terms of our effort. They play one way … hard. They put pressure on you. It is a good barometer for my team.”

Rick is up front about the type of team that he enjoys, reflecting back to when he was a student-athlete.

“A team that works really hard is my favorite. When I played, I was a real hard worker, and that is the expectation. But, if I could have it all, it would be a team like this year, a team that works hard combined with real good skills. The kids are awesome. They work hard, and all of my teams have been a great bunch of kids. This group this year, they love to talk soccer, strategize. It is a dream.”

Heart surgery

Rick’s wife of 25 years Beth Ann pressured him to get it checked out. He was having pain in his chest, but tests had come back negative. Another test showed the problem. Rick had an aorta aneurysm and needed immediate surgery. He gave up his position as the Mt. Ararat boys tennis coach, a job he held for five years, and concentrated on getting stronger.

Come soccer season, Rick was back where he belonged … on the soccer pitch. The intensity that he has always had was still there, but the aforementioned “raving maniac” was suddenly a lot calmer. Assistant coach Tom Fournier set up a pair of chairs on the sideline for games, a place the duo sit throughout most of the Eagles’ contests, except on those occasions when Rick’s intensity gets the best of him.

“I have always been really intense and passionate. As I have grown, I have gotten better at letting the kids know it is not them. I start out the game fine, but then everything builds into a pressure cooker and then I explode. I tell the kids that happens every now and then, I tell the kids that is just my personality.

“I am definitely more laid back now. Off the field I am a totally different person. I would ask the kids, do you want me screaming and yelling, or do you want me to kick back in the chair? Nearly every one of them would say they wanted me on them.”

Unlike his chief Brunswick rival for most of his time in Topsham, Rick admits he will never be like the normally stoic Gardner.

“Brunswick, man to man was better skilled than us back in the day, but we would outwork them. I have always wanted to emulate Brunswick’s game, except play a bit faster. The way they moved the ball and possessed, it is something I always wanted to do. Peter is funny. I am rah rah rah, and he wants his kids to lay back and relax. When I am going and my kids were going, we would pressure them a lot. Just beating them knowing they were so good was always huge.”

Rick talked about the importance of Fournier, his fourth assistant coach.

“He’s just a steady influence. He is the kind of guy that does my background stuff. I am not real good at that. I would rather be on the field. I have been known to be a bit flighty. He says ‘Rick you need to do this.’”

And, when something doesn’t go the way that Rick likes in a game.

“Tom is the one who says ‘Rick come on, sit in the chair.’”

Amazing players

There are players throughout the years that have provided Rick with lifetime memories. One player in particular stands out as someone that exemplifies what an Eagle is.

Let’s set up the scenario. Brunswick and Mt. Ararat were playing on a cool night in Topsham, locked in a hard-fought and intense 1-1 deadlock in overtime. Brunswick possessed the ball, and a defender gently sent a pass back to Dragons goaltender Peter Morrell, who later was a standout goaltender at Williams College. As he had done so many times before, Morrell stepped into the ball with force when Mt. Ararat’s Tyler Pelletier entered the picture.

The ball, after Morrell’s powerful boot, glanced off Pelletier’s shoulder, rose into the air and slipped inches over Morrell’s hands and into the net for the stunning game-winning goal. Things seemed to be moving in slow motion, and no one was sure how to react.

“Nobody thought it was in. Tyler is my freshman coach this year. That is one of his favorite memories. That is another reason why I love doing this. He will remember that forever.

“Another kid. He was having a tough time in the middle of the season. He felt like he was not contributing as much as he could, so he was a little bit down. I told him to be patient. Eastern Maine championship, he’s got the throw-in that we headed and won the game. He was so excited and it made his season. He’ll remember that the rest of his life. I tell the kids, something will happen that you think is awesome and you will remember it.”

Rick finds himself reminiscing over these 30 years, almost in disbelief of how fast the time has gone by.

“It seems like time has flown by. Back 10 years ago, I would be amazed that I am still doing it. Last seven or eight years have gone by really fast after my heart surgery.”

And, the players who have sweat and bled for him.

“The kids always come back and there is a special memory of something. That is what sports are all about. Everybody remembers that one time. I have had a lot of contact with alumni. I love going back to college reunions. I have tried to make it special and put out a lot of pictures just so they can reminisce. They all just want to relive it.”

Rick has seen differences in the game, both from the coaching requirements to the players themselves.

“There is not a big difference in the student-athletes, but I think everybody has gotten more athletic, bigger, stronger, faster. As far as working hard and things like that, it depends on the group.

“The liability when you go to coach’s meetings, you think ‘why am I still doing this?’ Concussions, the heat. All that stuff. There are so many things to worry about and you have to be smart.”

Rick has been supported by his partner, Beth Ann.

“Beth Ann knows it is my passion. She gets sick of it sometimes. She doesn’t come to games a lot because people can be mean, and she doesn’t want to hear that kind of stuff. She is very supportive and knows it is my passion. She is always there to help out.”

As for how long he has left on the sidelines, Rick says he has a plan … well, sort of !

“I am pretty sure I will retire from teaching after this year. I am taking it year by year after this year as far as coaching soccer. I don’t know how we will be next year, but when I leave, I want to leave the new coach with a good team.”

For now, Rick is concentrating on this year, this team. And next year and hopefully for many more years to come, fans will still here those echoes from that familiar voice, the not so “raving maniac.”

BOB CONN is The Times Record sports editor. He can be reached at bconn@timesrecord.com.