Starting one program from the ground up is hard. Starting two is doubly difficult.
Stepping away may be the toughest of all.
Chuck Register, who started the boys and girls soccer programs at Helias in the late 1990s and led both to multiple Final Four appearances during his tenure, stepped down last week as head coach of the Crusaders.
"It took a lot of work to even get the idea of playing soccer off the ground," Register said.
Register is the lone head coach in the history of the boys program, which started in the fall of 1998. A 1983 graduate of Helias, Register was an assistant in girls basketball for the Lady Crusaders for three years after coming from Sedalia Sacred Heart, where he coached soccer.
"I was the only one on staff at Helias with any experience coaching soccer," Register said.
Register started the girls program in the spring of 1999. He served two stints as head coach of the Lady Crusaders, totaling 12 years, the last in 2012.
It took a lot of work from a lot of people to get the programs off the ground.
"There were donations and help from parents, help from the administration, help from my family," Register said. "It takes a lot to build a program. Going through the growing pains is something I will never forget."
The boys and girls teams play at the 179 Soccer Park. The land was donated to be used solely for soccer and through the years, Register has spearheaded improvements to Helias' home field, which is adjacent to that of Jefferson City High School.
"I will miss competing against Chuck's teams," Jefferson City Jays and Lady Jays coach Eddie Horn said Saturday afternoon. "He represented Helias in the style and tradition the school should be proud of.
"He's a great role model, a real gentlemen and always made Helias look its best in every situation. Jefferson City and Central Missouri have lost a good ambassador for soccer and a classy guy."
Both Helias programs were successful almost immediately under Register. The Lady Crusaders made Helias' first-ever trip to the Final Four in just their second season, finishing fourth in Class 1A-3A in 2000. The Crusaders then went to the Class 1A-3A Final Four that fall, also finishing fourth.
The Helias boys made five Final Four appearances under Register, with the best finish being second in 2008. The Helias girls made three Final Four trips with Register at the helm, the best finish being third in 2012.
"It wasn't just me, the assistants through the years helped so much," Register said. "It takes a lot of people to make a successful program."
But Register said more important than the wins and the trophies are the relationships with the players.
"There's a lot of memories between the boys and the girls programs," he said. "The relationships you develop with the boys and the girls. When I see them now as adults, it's great to see how they've grown and matured."
Register is among the top 35 coaches in Missouri history in victories with a career record of 256-119-18. He is in the top 30 all-time on the girls side with a mark of 177-88-15.
"I have no doubt Chuck is going to be in the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame some day," Horn said.
Helias athletic director Brad Dempsey, the current head coach of the girls soccer program, said the search for a new boys coach will begin this week.
After 17 years, the Helias soccer program will be moving in a different direction.