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Lehi head boys soccer coach Michael Chesler directs his team during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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A photo illustration shows Mountain View keeper Michael Chesler, the All-Valley Boys Soccer MVP, covering all the angles. The photos were taken on Friday, May 30, 2008.

Craig Dilger, Daily Herald

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Mountain View goalie Michael Chesler jumps over Bonneville's Josh Guymon (7) and teammate Junior Lartey (13) to grab the ball during their game Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at Woods Cross High School in Woods Cross, Utah. 

Nick Short, Standard-Examiner

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A Lehi defender kicks the ball away during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi senior keeper Kaleb Cowley throws the ball down the field during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi junior Rajid Abdu kicks the ball up the field during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi junior Rajid Abdu (left) battles for the ball during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi senior Rhett Heubner takes a free kick during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi junior Jesse Baker battles for a loose ball during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Lehi players celebrate with senior Rhett Huebner (left) after he scored a goal during the non-region game against Uintah in Lehi on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Sixteen years after finishing his high school soccer career, Michael Chesler’s life has kind of come full circle.

The 2008 Daily Herald Boys Soccer Player of the Year at Mountain View is now coaching prep players as the head coach at Lehi.

“The opportunity presented itself and it seemed like something that I was excited about,” Chesler said after Friday’s 2-0 Pioneer home win over Uintah. “I’ve sent a lot of boys and girls through Lehi through my club team in the last few years. I don’t really have a bunch of them out here now but it just seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’m excited to get back into the game a little bit.”

As noted during his time at UVU, it’s been a winding road for Chesler since his days playing for the Bruins. He played college soccer at High Point in North Carolina, then had some pro experience with Real Salt Lake and the Carolina Railhawks.

Soccer became a lesser part of his life, however, until then-Wolverine head coach Greg Maas gave him an opportunity to be part of the UVU staff in 2014.

He stayed with the Wolverines until 2022, a year after current head coach Kyle Beckerman took over. Chesler said that working with college athletes and high school athletes isn’t that different.

“There are academic issues just like you have in college,” Chesler said. “You deal with behavior issues. You deal with personalities that are super-strong or super-timid. For me, I like being around the guys and trying to help as much as I can to improve, from the soccer standpoint and then ultimately, hopefully, contribute in life. That’s the ultimate goal.”

Now he is working to make Lehi the best team it can be. Pioneer senior Rhett Huebner said Chesler has been his club coach, so he knows how he does things.

“I love every minute with him,” Huebner said. “He’s a great coach who really gets the best out of us. I can see myself becoming better as I’m working under his leadership. He is very professional and keeps things organized. He pushes us at training as well.”

It’s been a good start to the season for Lehi, which knocked of Salt Lake Academy (formerly RSL Academy), 4-3, in its opener and then defeated a scrappy Utes team on Friday.

“In our first game, we were super sporadic and weren’t in control,” Chesler said. “We really focused on being in control and dictating how we wanted to play versus letting just the game do that or the opponent do that. I felt like up until the red card, we dictated the game and had good control, good rhythm.”

In the matchup with Uintah, the Utes had a solid amount of possession but the Pioneer defense kept them from getting a lot of good looks.

“We were calm on the ball and worked it around,” Huebner said. “We got our opportunities and finished them. It was a great result for us.”

The tone of the match changed in the 38th minute when Lehi sent the ball all the way across the goal to junior Jesse Baker, who then sent a perfect cross to where Huebner was all alone in front of the net.

“It was a great cross from Jesse, so it was just an easy tap-in,” Huebner said. “Having that wide open net there is one of the best feelings in the world.”

The Pioneers doubled the lead when senior striker Brayden Ikeme got free behind the Uintah defense and slotted a shot just inside the far post.

Things got dicey for the home team, however, when a Lehi player was red-carded for grabbing a Ute player who was charging toward the Pioneer net. That meant Lehi played the final 22 minutes with 10 players.

Uintah took advantage and got a number of good looks off of corner kicks and in the run of play, but the Lehi defense stood tall and kept the visitors from scoring.

Chesler said he likes how the Pioneers have started the season but knows there is still plenty to work on.

“I think this group has a lot to learn but we have a lot of talent,” Chesler said. “We are young but we have an exciting group, a dynamic group. I think it’s going to take some time to get them together, but I do think this team’s capable of a lot. We’ll see if we can live up to our potential.”

Lehi (2-0) next plays at Murray on March 22 at 3:30 p.m.

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