McVeigh father-daughter duo cherish soccer time together

PERKINS TWP. — Sometimes, it's the simple moments that are most memorable. Maggie McVeigh won't forget the times she has nutmegged her father, Scott, during Perkins soccer practices. Scott, the head coach, often takes to the field with his players. Now a senior, Maggie relishes the chance to dribble the ball straight through her dad's legs. Per team rules, each time dad is nutmegged, he has to do push-ups. "He's the best coach," Maggie said after laughing about her on-field triumphs. "Playing under him is a blessing." Those days have just about wrapped up for father and daughter. Perkins plays its postseason opener at powerful Lexington on Tuesday. There've been plenty of memories made beyond just those on the practice field. The Pirates had never won a girls soccer league championship before the McVeigh tandem arrived. But in both 2021 and 2022, they won the SBC Lake Division. "He knows what's best for you," Maggie said. "He really does everything for the team." Maggie will finish her career as Perkins' all-time assists leader. "To me, that speaks volumes about the way she plays the game," Scott said. "She could have more goals, but she'd rather have an assist and give it to a teammate and share in the joy." This has been a journey Scott and Maggie have taken together. The head coach position came open four years ago, right before Scott's youngest child was going to be a freshman. Scott, who played soccer growing up in North Ridgeville and had assisted the team at Perkins, jumped at the chance to lead his daughter and her friends. "That was a big factor," he said. "... With Maggie becoming a freshman, the timing was just kind of perfect." Maggie was a bit intimidated by the arrangement at first, but soon realized she wouldn't have it any other way. "It was hard at first, just as a freshman," she said. "The more I played for him, the more I realized it's the best situation." That first, weird COVID season together was a learning experience, with Perkins showing promise amidst a 9-8 record. It all came together the next fall, in part because of Sophia Ralofsky's entrance into high school. She and Maggie had already played together for a few years, and their on-field connection was immediately evident. With Maggie usually the passer and Ralofsky usually the scorer — although they could flip it around occasionally — Perkins scored 80 goals and then 57 more in those two league title seasons. "We've played soccer together so long," Maggie said. "She's like a sister to me." Senior year for Maggie ended with an 11-5-1 regular season record as the Pirates contended in a juiced-up, one-division SBC. She and Scott got to watch as a promising freshman class took to the varsity fields for the first time. Scott plans on coaching the girls soccer team for at least a few more years, hoping to see the current freshmen realize their full potential. "I'm enjoying it," he said. "It's fun to come out here every day. It keeps you young. It keeps you involved. We've got a great group of kids." Scott is also heading toward his calmest winter in a long time. After the former Perkins boys basketball coach spent last season as an assistant for Bobby James at Huron, Scott has no gig this winter. "I am going to enjoy watching some of my friends coach and watching games I want to go to," Scott said. "It'll be the first winter in 29 years." Maggie isn't sure she'll follow the coaching shoes of her dad. She's been around sports, including countless hours in gyms, for most of her life. Her older brother, Drew, is coaching cross country and middle school basketball at Buckeye Valley. Mollie, the middle child, is in college at Louisville. "Seeing Drew do all his sports and then Mollie was the best thing for me," Maggie said. "When it was finally my turn, I'd watched it for so long, I just picked it up like that." Scott got to coach Drew in basketball and now Maggie on the soccer pitch. "It's easy to coach them, because they're hard workers, great teammates, team first," Scott said. "Everything about my philosophy and what I really believe in, they echo that." Soon, Scott will be the only McVeigh left roaming the halls at Perkins. Maggie still has a final track season in the spring before she goes off to the next steps in her life. But father and daughter certainly won't take for granted the nights they've enjoyed together with the Perkins soccer program, no matter how cold or wet or windy the occasions were. "I'm just proud of her as a dad, just the way she tackles things and approaches things," Scott said. "It's a blessing to have kids that are great teammates."