head coach bill schaefer

After serving as the interim head coach for one year and as an assistant for one year, Bill Schaefer officially had the interim tag removed and was named the head coach on January 9, 2024.

• On January 9, 2024, Schaefer had the interim tag removed and was selected to become the head coach on a non-interim basis.
• Schaefer served as interim head coach for the entirety of the 2023 season.
• Bill Schaefer was initially hired as the assistant soccer coach/assistant athletic communications director at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology on March 7, 2022.
• Schaefer has served with the local club team, the Black Hills Rapids since 2019. During his time there he has been a Pre-Select Director, Director of Recreational Soccer, and Director of the Center of Excellence. In these roles, his duties have ranged from producing curriculum, training coaches, focusing on tactical training of players, recruiting coaches and players, as well as other duties.
• Prior to those roles with the Black Hills Rapids, Schaefer worked as the President of the Board of Directors for Sturgis Soccer from Oct. 2017-June 2019.
• Since 2015, Schaefer has also served as a head coach for both the Sturgis Soccer and Black Hills Rapids organizations, coaching ages from under-5 up to under-19, producing several high-performing teams including #1 ranked in the State of South Dakota and nationally ranked teams.
• Schaefer graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Sociology in 2005.