HASTINGS, Mich. — A beloved soccer coach in Hastings is battling ALS in the hospital, and his community did not miss a beat rallying behind him.
In many ways, you could say Doug Mepham is Hastings Saxons soccer. He's the one who started the program at the high school back in 1985.
Scott Schoessel and Mark Carlson were some of Coach Mepham's first players.
"[It was] '85 to '88," remembers Carlson.
Nearly four decades later, they still carry the lessons Mepham taught them.
"I think he just gave us confidence that if you put in the work, you're not gonna win every time, but great things are gonna happen," says Schoessel.
Tuesday night, they returned the favor. The two were joined by several other former athletes that Mepham coached, honoring him before the Hastings boys' soccer match.
"He was so committed and so excited around the dinner table every night telling us all these different things about the beginning of the soccer team," recalls Sarah Mepham, Doug's daughter.
She also played for her dad, who coached the girls' team as well.
"He could find the thing that sparked you and got you pumped up and ready to get in there and play," she says.
The night was special not only for the ceremony, but because it's Mepham's 75th birthday. The crowd sang to him through a live stream of the event.
He also had a message for the team, recorded the night before and shown on the scoreboard.
"Show no mercy!" Coach Mepham said, still coaching from his hospital bed.
"He had the ability to see where everyone should be out and how they could gel together," says his daughter.
Just as he taught his players to gel together, the area is now doing the same for him.
"He's being surrounded by love with this community," says Sarah. "I've never been more proud to be from Hastings and see this community and how they come together. It's beautiful."
The team put on a show for Coach Mepham, winning the game 5-1 over Battle Creek Pennfield.
There is a GoFundMe set up to raise money for ALS research in Mepham's name. To donate, click here.
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