In talking to Flatt, it’s easy to see the position was about more than just wins.

“Obviously winning titles are great memories; such as, having an undefeated season during COVID, when we thought our season would be canceled,” said Flatt. “Unfortunately, vivid memories are not always pleasant. Experiencing losses in the playoffs and saying goodbye to our seniors, those are tear-jerking moments. Plenty of happy memories, such as witnessing a player score their first high school goal and watching players celebrate after winning an intense match.

“One good memory came during a playoff game against Cathedral Prep,” added Flatt. “We were getting badly beaten. One of my bench players said, ‘Hey coach!’ I impatiently responded, ‘what?’ He replied, ‘they look tired, I think we got them right where we want them.’ I looked at him, cracked a smile, and started laughing to myself. The rest of the team saw me smile and, despite the obvious outcome, we were still having fun.

“Having the opportunity to coach my son was extremely important to me, although I think I enjoyed it more than he did,” Flatt continued. “Simply watching boys come into the program and witnessing them develop into men is probably my best memory.

Photo submitted to Times Observer Denny Flatt coaches freshman Quinn Norris during a Warren boys soccer match this fall season.

“We strived to apply positive traits such as hard work and integrity into our coaching philosophy,” said Flatt, whose Dragons finished 13-6 in his final fall season as head coach. “Lessons learned from a high school sport can be applied to life. High schoolers experience a lot of challenges and choices. Structure and respect help them to stay on course. My players were told, you earn the Dragon uniform; it is not given to them. Players had to achieve standards to take the field, which ensured they put in the work and gained self-confidence. We tell our players you are students first and athletes second. Warren has always had a proud soccer tradition. My predecessors, Mark Evans and Tom Harrington, built a very solid program and I was determined to continue their legacy.”

After 30 years in law enforcement — almost 25 at a federal prison, Flatt said “coaching allowed me the opportunity to renew my faith in people. I love talking to WAHS alumni and hearing about their endeavors. I also forged some great friendships with my coaches and parents.”

While the players may have softened the head coach, his coaching style brought out the best in his players.

“My coaching style can be best defined as demanding and committed,” said Flatt. “I have zero tolerance for laziness at practices or matches. When players perform well, I let them know. If players are not playing to their potential or making tactical errors, I would certainly inform them of my unhappiness. Every player responds differently to criticism and suggestions and coaches must recognize that. I have never believed in rewarding mediocre play and do not want excuses. When teams win, it is great; losses have to be managed appropriately. Regardless of the outcome, it is imperative to identify and address weaknesses and strengths. Although hard work and dedication is stressed, it is equally important that the players have fun. When you enjoy doing something, you are willing to practice and skill levels improve. I definitely stressed conditioning; we won a lot of evenly-matched games due to our physical conditioning. There are two 40-minute halves in soccer, no timeouts, and usually no clock stoppage. My players will attest to my belief in conditioning and the importance of physical play.

“Coaching styles change from season to season, based on player experience, skill level, and leadership,” he said. “Coaches then must develop a plan to enhance team building, individual skills, and team play.

“I started coaching my son, Ryon, in the YMCA program, which evolved into travel, indoor, and tournament soccer,” said Flatt. “Before I knew it, I was coaching 12 months a year for many years. I was blessed to be surrounded by great people to assist me. Bob Gustafson and I coached for many years, and I thank him for his hard work. Mike Kiehl dedicated countless hours, and always provided valuable feedback. Others include Mike Lindell and Jim Seyler. I am proud of the high school program’s success and direction it is headed. This would not have been possible without my assistant coach, Chris Darling. The time and effort he put into the all facets of Warren soccer needs to be recognized and commended. The success of the program is directly attributed to his efforts. I could not have asked for a better, more dedicated assistant. He consistently developed players and prepared them for varsity play. Chris has a knack of turning a negative thing into a positive spin. For the past few years, Steffen Blair has volunteered his services as a volunteer coach. His knowledge and insight of the game has resulted in both player and team improvement. Justin Norris served this year as volunteer coach. His coaching experience and competitiveness provided a positive impact to the team. I was also fortunate to have Mark Evans help out this year. His experience and knowledge of the game is phenomenal. Despite the success of both the boys and girls high school soccer programs, Beaty does not have a middle school soccer program. Most of our competition have them, which is very advantageous. Not having a program requires the players and coaches to be even more committed and dedicated.

“I was fortunate to retire early, and was able to dedicate time to the program, and never really had an ending date,” said Flatt. “A friend of mine from the YMCA, Mike Decker, who coached a very successful Eisenhower program for many years, once told me you know when it is time to step down. He was spot on. My decision was based on conversations with Coach Darling, who is also stepping down, and the commitment I have seen from Coaches Blair and Norris. I also want to give credit to my wife, Kim; it is not easy being a spouse of a coach. She put up with countless hours of me rambling about soccer and rehashing matches.”