Mr. 100: Petite wins 100th game as Callaway soccer coach

Published 8:00 am Saturday, February 10, 2024

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A hundred wins and counting. On Thursday, Callaway’s head soccer coach registered his 99th and 100th win as a Cavalier head coach when the girls team beat Creekside 5-0 and the boys won 3-0. It took almost no time from the blow of the final whistle to the boys soccer team surrounding Petite to celebrate his milestone.

“The players said before the game that they wanted to win one for me,” Petite said. “You could have a bunch of guys that shrug their shoulders and say whatever, but seeing them get that excited for this accomplishment is pretty cool. It’s them that helped make this happen. I just stand on the sidelines and make a bunch of noise.”

Notching 100 wins speaks to the longevity and commitment Petite has given to Callaway since taking over the boys program in 2017.

With two daughters still in school and his hands full with the boys team, Petite did not have to take over the girls head coaching position in 2022. But he felt drawn to the position and has never looked back since taking over.

“I have coached a lot of girls athletics over the years, “ Petite said. “Every chance I’ve had to be involved with female athletics, I want to make sure they have the same opportunities the boys have.”

If anybody doubted whether Petite could keep up the same energy all the time managing two teams, he proved them wrong immediately. In his first year in charge of the girls program in 2022 he set the single-season win record with 16 while simultaneously breaking the win record with the boys team with 15 wins.

“I have coached boys programs and girls programs before, but never at the same time,” Petite said. “For both programs to be as successful as they were that year was gratifying and a relief to me.”

Despite being in charge of the girls team for just 39 games, Petite has already racked up 31 wins. Petite’s 69 wins on the boys side come as he is kicking off his eighth season as head coach. He likely would have hit 100 wins last season if not for the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020.

Never one to take the limelight, Petite is quick to credit the talented players he has seen come through the program as well as his assistant coaches, Hunter Lee and Jeff McGuffin.

“My assistant coaches do just as much for the program, if not more, than I do,” Petite said. “Jeff has probably won more games than I have as an assistant coach here and Hunter has probably won more than me as a player and assistant coach combined here. I have been the beneficiary of being around some good coaches.”

The first win took a little time. The Cavaliers went winless in Petite’s first four games in charge before beating Kendrick 4-1 on Feb. 26, 2017.

A hundred wins is impressive, but Petite takes it a game at a time. That is why it is a hundred wins AND counting, he is far from done winning at Callaway High.