Fallsburg’s Geller Soccer Coach of the Year

Mike Geller was a big soccer goal scorer in his playing days for New Paltz High School, and that type of attitude never goes away.

When Geller was working as an assistant coach at Fallsburg in 2015, he set his sights on player Kelvin Nunez in hopes of generating more offense.

So he pushed and kept asking for more, and that didn’t change when Geller took over as varsity coach this season.

Profession: Elementary school physical education teacher; took over as varsity boys coach at Fallsburg this season Highlights: Led Fallsburg to its first Section 9 championship in 24 years; served as Fallsburg varsity boys assistant for one season, and was varsity girls coach before that; was Wallkill boys junior varsity coach and varsity assistant during Final Four year of 2004; was assistant coach for Army women’s soccer team under Gene Ventriglia in 2008 Patriot League championship season; as a senior at New Paltz, he scored 40 goals and had 21 assists, earning Section 9 player of the year honors; played four years of soccer for Buffalo; played in the Empire State Games on the boys and men’s teams.

Geller scored 40 goals for New Paltz as Section 9’s top player in 1999, so naturally that was the bar he set for Nunez, who managed 39.

Geller was named the Varsity845 boys soccer coach of the year.

Geller credits former Wallkill coach Gunther Henrich for building his confidence by giving him great responsibilities with the Panther team that reached the state Final Four, learning how to take a team to the next level of play.

Geller said he learned a lot from Gene Ventriglia, who coached him in high school and club ball and hired him for his Army women’s soccer staff.

Geller established a good working relationship with his players and gained the trust of his goal scorer Nunez – they smirk when they talk about chasing down Geller’s high school mark.