Michael Modesti began playing soccer at a young age. His days as a child were spent running up and down the fields at the Soccer Complex of Racine, also known as SCORe. His love for the game carried him to opportunities to play as a dual-sport athlete at Carthage College, 2001 Alford Park Drive in Kenosha, WI. Most recently, his passion for the game has scored him the job of a lifetime. Modesti has officially been appointed the next Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach at The Prairie School.
He acknowledges that becoming the Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach at The Prairie School is a dream come true. That dream became possible, for Modesti, after a lifetime commitment to soccer and the Racine community.
As A Player
Modesti was born and raised in Racine, where fittingly, he started his soccer career. After playing for the Racine Soccer Club, then transitioning to play for United FC, Modesti began to take his athletics seriously. The club took a shift and became ACE Soccer Club.
Modesti stayed with the ACE Soccer Club throughout middle school and high school. Likewise, Modesti was a member of the Boys’ Soccer team at Horlick High School. Additionally, he was a team leader and member of the Horlick High School Swimming and Diving team.
In high school, this Racine native was named the Racine County “Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year” after a sixth-place finish at the WIAA Division 1 Boys’ State Swimming & Diving Championships. In soccer, the Horlick High School grad was named first-team All-Southeast Conference. The Racine Journal-Times honored him as the first-team All-Racine Country during his junior and senior years. Modesti led the Rebels in goals for three-straight seasons. He was the star player, as he led the Rebels in assists all four years too.
Dual Athlete
After graduating from Horlick in 2014, he continued his athletic and academics at Carthage College. He says, “I wanted to stay local; Carthage was a smaller school and had the opportunity for me to be a dual athlete.”
Modesti made numerous appearances for the Men’s Soccer Team at Carthage. Carthage soccer team won three consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) championships and made three straight NCAA Tournaments while Modesti was on the team.
Modesti was named an All-Time Letterwinner from 2014 until 2016 in soccer. Likewise, from 2014 until 2015, he dove for the former Redmen, now known as the Firebirds. Carthage’s Modesti was even named the CCIW “Diver of the Week.”
Coaching Career
While enrolled at Carthage, he took on the role of Head Coach for J.I. Case High School’s Boys Swimming and Diving team in 2017. That following year, he took on the coaching position of the Horlick High School’s Swim and Dive team. Modesti also served as the Assistant Varsity Coach for the past 5 years for the Horlick Boys’ Soccer team.
Following his graduation from Carthage College, where Modesti earned his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology, he began teaching. For 2 years, he worked as a Physical Education teacher and 2nd-grade teacher at Hope Christian School in Milwaukee, Wis.
However, his plans shifted when an opening at his alma mater occurred. Modesti took a teaching position in the Physical Education Department earlier this year at Horlick. It felt right for Modesti to teach at the place where he coaches soccer.
He says, “I am proud to say that I was awarded the Assistant Coach of the Year last season” and not only that, but he adds, “we took Horlick soccer to state for the first time in 16 years.” This was an accomplishment not only he was proud of, but also the Horlick Head Coach, Galen Irish.
He says that his time coaching at Horlick allowed him to “gather some great experiences and to be a part of a change.” Now he’s taking that knowledge to The Prairie School and hopes to continue their tradition of winning.
Rebel Turned Hawk
Modesti will now lead the Hawks as the Head Coach of the Boys’ Soccer Team. The Prairie School has always been a school and athletic department that Modesti has looked up to. He states that he has always respected their winning program and applying for the position was an opportunity he hoped to have.
Numerous friends, former teammates, and other coaches support Modesti’s move. He especially is grateful to Bradford High School Boys’ Soccer Coach, Johnny Rimkus, for the encouragement in applying for the job.
Now Modesti hopes to continue the success that the Hawks have had throughout the last decade.
Some of their success includes:
- 2021: Metro Classic Conference Champions at 11-4-3 (6-0-1), Regional Champions
- 2020: WIAA D3 State Champions, Metro Classic Conference, Regional & Sectional Champs
- 2019: Regional, Conference & Sectional Champions
- 2018: Regional Champion, 2nd Conference, Sectional Semi-finalist
- 2017: D4 WIAA State Champions
- 2016: Regional Champions, Sectional Finalist
Read about more of the program’s achievements online.
He says that this time is “very exciting” and that “The Prairie School has a lot of great resources to make coaches and players successful.”
Prairie Athletic Director Jason Atanasoff said in an article by Brendan O’Brien, “We had a number of strong applicants but Coach Modesti’s high character and passion for soccer made him the clear choice. He is a high-energy guy who will set a tremendous example for our young men for years to come, both on and off the field. I am confident he will continue the tradition of soccer excellence here at Prairie.”
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