Lanning is new HHS boys soccer coach

One year ago, the Hastings boys soccer coaching position came available after longtime coach Jim Niemann stepped down.

Former Hastings goalkeeper and HHS graduate Shane Lanning thought long and hard about applying for the position, but with his second child on the way, the timing was anything but ideal. He decided against applying.

It turns out, he didn’t have to wait long to get his chance to lead the Raiders.

After one season with the varsity program, Marshall Morehead resigned just two weeks ago. HHS athletics director Tom Johnson posted the job, conducted a number of interviews and late last week offered Lanning the position.

“I wanted to throw my name in the hat, but it just wasn’t appropriate to do last year,” Lanning said. “Luckily, the position became available again this year. It has been a whirlwind couple of days.”

Johnson said Morehead had to resign because of issues he couldn’t resolve with his employer.

“Marshall did a fine job last year, but he was unable to work out the details with his employer that would allow him to take on this kind of responsibility and time commitment again this year,” Johnson said. “We posted the job, interviewed applicants real quickly and hired Shane.

“He has been involved in soccer his whole life, and continues to be. He’s been a coach, a trainer and he still plays. He is active in the community organization, HFC (Hastings Futbol Club). We’re talking about someone who has been involved in soccer his whole life who is a member of our community and who we are hopefully will be here a long, long time.”

Lanning will be the team’s third coach in three years. Johnson hopes that turnover will stop with Lanning’s arrival. As a player, Lanning went through the same thing, as he had three coaches in four years.

“Consistency is outstanding – when you put that with quality, that’s how you have successful experiences,” Johnson said.

Lanning hopes to have the youth programs and the varsity programs working together soon.

“The biggest disconnect I think we’ve had is the connection between the varsity programs and the youth programs,” he said. “My involvement with HFC is going to tie in very well with being at the helm of the varsity program. It’s not something we can fix overnight, but having that open line of communication, it will happen much more quickly. We’ll be back on track in terms of having our youth programs and our varsity programs working together.”

Lanning played collegiately at Viterbo College.

He is married to fellow HHS graduate Crystal Pearson and they have two children.

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