It’s not uncommon for siblings to have a shared athletic experience in a community like Aledo. It happens with regularity.
An older sibling graduates through the athletic programs of AHS before the proverbial baton is passed on to the next in line to carry forward the mark made with the family name.
For one Aledo family, the legacy of excellence in competition didn’t end with the fifth brother concluding his soccer career on the pitch as part of the 2018 state runner-up team. Rather, that legacy continues with four brothers either coaching or getting certified to coach the game they all learned to love in this community.
Sean, Brian, Will, Collin, and Mickey Maloney each spent time under the tutelage of current Aledo head soccer coach Derek Vierling. Though they had played soccer since they were small children, it was during their high school years they developed their fiery love of competition.
“Growing up we always played soccer against each other,” said Will. “The thing we had in common was playing soccer at Aledo High School. A lot of our conversations were things that revolved around playing soccer under coach Vierling and for Aledo High School, because that was one thing we all had in common. Playing high school soccer was usually the main thing and the most fun thing we talked about.”
Each of the boys earned their own accolades during their respective years playing for the Bearcats. Sean lettered on varsity three times before graduating in 2008. Brian was a four-year varsity player before graduating two years later in 2010. Will started on varsity all four years of high school while picking up all-state honors three of those years prior to graduating in 2013.
Collin, AHS class of 2015, had an excellent career of his own on the pitch before pursuing a law degree. Meanwhile, the youngest of the crew, Mickey, capped off his career with the Bearcats as part of the state runner-up Bearcats in 2018.
“Most athletes have the goal – especially at Aledo – of playing in a state championship,” Will stated. “That’s what we all wanted. Ironically, it was my youngest brother Mickey in 2018 who went to state with the Aledo soccer team. I was fortunate enough to be a student teacher under coach Vierling, and so I got to coach as well that year, which was really fun.”
With their respective playing careers behind them, four of the brothers have turned their attention to coaching.
Sean currently leads the girls team at Fort Worth Country Day. In 2024 under his instruction, the fledgling program ended the season with a 5-5-2 overall record while going 1-3-2 in Southwest Preparatory Conference Division I.
Brian currently resides in Springtown where he is tasked with elevating the Porcupines as their head coach.
Will has experienced the greatest success from the coach’s box, thus far. After leaving Aledo in 2018, he took over as the head coach just up the road in Azle. After getting married he moved with his new bride back to the Austin area to be closer to her family.
Vierling reached out to a friend at Lake Travis to provide a reference for Will, and the rest, as they say, is history.
As an assistant coach for the boys’ team at Lake Travis in 2022, Will finally achieved the goal he and his brothers always had as players: To win the whole thing.
“We only lost one game that season heading into the playoffs,” Maloney recalled. “We beat The Woodlands 3-0 [in the semifinals]. It was just crazy in the state championship against Plano. North Texas is dominant in soccer. It was a back-and-forth match.
“There were a ton of Lake Travis fans, because the game was in Georgetown. We had a ton of support. It was so loud you couldn’t hear anything. It was just an awesome experience. It came down to a penalty shootout. Our keeper made the last save, and it was just incredible.”
Following the state championship win as an assistant coach, Will was asked to take over a highly successful girls’ team at Lake Travis – a far cry from being the captain of the ship in a program like Azle.
“It’s been a challenge,” he remarked candidly. “It’s fun though! At Lake Travis you’re expected to win, so there’s a good deal of added pressure. There’s a ton of talent in the Lake Travis area.
“They expect greatness. It’s very similar to Aledo in that respect. It’s been fun coming in with that added pressure of knowing you’re competing for a state championship every year – or at least that’s the goal.”
In his first season as the head Lady Cavalier, Will led them to a 15-5-3 record (13-1-2 in District 26-6A) in 2023, which earned a second seed in the playoffs. This past season, the Lady Cavs captured a second seed playoff berth again after going 16-7-1 (11-4-1 in District 26-6A).
Rebuilding a team mired in underperformance is one thing. A new coach tasked with continuing a high level of success in the absence of a predecessor is a completely different animal.
“What comes in on Day One are the expectations and the discipline of the program,” Will stated regarding his philosophy to meeting the expectations placed upon the program at Lake Travis. “The athletes know when they’re coming in that the expectations are here, and if you don’t meet them, then you’re probably not going to be successful in the program.
“We push every single day. They know that. They want that. So it creates a really competitive environment for everyone.”
Just like the environment he and his brothers grew up in.
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