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Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference "To be Canada's premiere collegiate athletic conference by developing and inspiring leadership through excellence in academics, sport and citizenship"
Posted: May 13, 2017

ACAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Alvin Tietz

ACAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Alvin Tietz

For nearly 60 years, the name of Alvin Tietz has held prominence within the Lethbridge,Alberta soccer community. Tietz has enjoyed a rich and successful soccer career, first as a player in the 1960’s and 70’s and then as a coach in the 1980’sand 90’s.

Three times a Lethbridge Sports Hall of Famer, Tietz was first inducted in 1989 as an athlete (soccer and broom ball), where he was known for his “banana kick”. His 1997 induction as a coach was the result of the 1994 Lethbridge College (LCC) Kodiak women’s CCAA National Championship soccer team, and again in 2016 as a member the 1963 Western Canadian soccer champions Lethbridge Hungaria.

Tietz coached ACAC soccer for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks from 1985 – 1996 with the first eight years guiding the men’s team and after a one-year hiatus, three years with the women’s side. During his 11-year tenure with the Kodiaks, he would be named ACAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year twice and ACAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year once.

In 1994-95 the Kodiaks women’s soccer team would win ACAC gold by defeating the MacEwan Griffins 4-0. It was the Kodiaks first year in ACAC women’s soccer with the conference having expanded from four to seven participating schools. Kodiaks would advance to the 1994-1995 CCAA Women’s Soccer national championships held in Abbotsford, British Columbia and won gold by shutting out Langara College 1-0. To date, it is the Kodiaks, men or women, only CCAA soccer gold.

Alvin Tietz with team manager, assistant coach and past players

For several years following 1994 and into his retirement from coaching at Lethbridge College, Tietz gave freely of his time travelling the country and at personal expense, to attend the CCAA Soccer National Championships and serve on the women’s soccer All-Star selection committee.

Passionate about sport Tietz continues to give back to future student athletes as the co-sponsor of a scholarship fund at Lethbridge College which annually rewards members of both the Kodiak women and men’s soccer program as well as the Kodiak Cross Country team.

About his ACAC Hall of Fame recognition Tietz replied: “It is awesome. I really didn’t know that the (ACAC) had a Hall of Fame. But to be honoured like this is just amazing. I grew up with this game of soccer and to be recognized for something you love is amazing.”