THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: Ridgewell: Pushing pause for the moment

Braden Ridgewell is used to being on the run.

Whether that be as a soccer player at Coeur d’Alene High, to later studying to become a pastor, while balancing marriage and later coaching the game he loves at his alma mater.

But in a sport that doesn’t call timeouts, Ridgewell has now found a way to take one.

RIDGEWELL, WHO coached the Coeur d’Alene boys soccer team to the state 5A play-in match last October, resigned in December following eight seasons with the program, six as head coach.

“I could return potentially in another role, because I love the game,” Ridgewell said. “But I just thought about it and wondered what a pause might look like.”

Ridgewell, 28, didn’t think he’d be coaching the sport of soccer at the varsity level so quickly out of North Idaho College.

But, when the alma mater calls, you tend to listen.

“I kind of jumped right back into it,” said Ridgewell, a 2014 graduate of Coeur d’Alene High, who started coaching the JV boys after his time at NIC ended. “Eight years later, all within my 20s, I figured a little break could be good.”

After graduation from Coeur d’Alene, Ridgewell continued his playing career at NIC, where he was a midfielder on the 2014 and 2015 teams.

Ridgewell was the Viking JV coach for three years under coach Jeff Lake, who stepped down prior to the 2018 season after eight years as head coach. Russ Carder was named to replace Lake, but stepped down shortly thereafter when a teaching job opened in the Spokane area.

With a little encouragement, Ridgewell put his name into the mix to be the coach.

“I didn’t apply for the first round because I was really happy at the JV level after going undefeated (in 2017),” Ridgewell said. “But I was approached and encouraged by the parents to apply. It wasn’t my first choice and decision, but I’m glad that I took the job when I did.”

Ridgewell is also a youth pastor at Compel Church in Coeur d’Alene, in addition to other interests.

“My wife (Kinzie) and I owned Cornerstone Coffee & Sweets in midtown for a few years before selling it within the last year,” Ridgewell said. “Part of my mentality is to come in, try to make it better and work myself out of a job. What I took from something and what I left behind are going to be leaving it in a better place than I found it.”

RIDGEWELL WENT 62-21-5 as Viking coach, appearing at state three times, including a pair of consolation championships in 2021 and 2019.

But the wins and losses were just part of it.

“I’ve seen so much growth in those players, both inside and outside of high school,” Ridgewell said. “I talk to players that I’ve coached, and some of them are community leaders and sacrifice their time for other people. And a lot of them come back and help the younger kids grow. Some of them are coming back as volunteer coaches.”

Coeur d’Alene was 8-5-0 last season, advancing to the state play-in match with a group of 12 first-year lettermen.

“I hope the next coach feels that energy of these kids too,” Ridgewell said. “The program has never been in a better place either. The first year I was here, we had two lettermen back, and to end with a rebuilding year, it was good.”

“His teams were always competitive,” said Lake City boys soccer coach Kevin Jump, who resigned after two seasons in December. “Our teams looked forward to playing Coeur d’Alene because they were our in-town rival and it was always going to be a competitive match.

AS THE classification cycles change starting next fall, Coeur d’Alene and Lake City will compete in the new 6A classification, with Post Falls dropping in soccer only to 5A alongside Moscow, Lewiston (which is dropping in all sports) and Lakeland.

This fall, only the regional champion between Coeur d’Alene and Lake City will advance to state.

“I really like the challenge of what’s going to happen next year,” Ridgewell said. “It’s crazy, but also would be fun to navigate. It’s going to be harder, but if you come out on top, how much sweeter would it be to win at state?”

If that happens, Ridgewell won’t be too far away.

“I’d love to still support the boys any way I can, whether it’s as an assistant or coming by practice,” Ridgewell said. “If nothing else, I’ll be there whenever I can.”

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.