Gilbert hires soccer coach who was seeking a fresh start

After a successful interim stint at Brookland-Cayce, Robby Setzler has earned a full-time coaching job.

Setzler was introduced as boys’ soccer coach at Gilbert on Thursday. It is his first full-time coaching job. He replaces Austin White, who left to take an assistant football coaching job in Laurens.

"This is a new and exciting opportunity and I’m thrilled," Setzler said. "Gilbert felt like the place for me. I was welcomed with open arms by athletic director Chad Leaphart and by principal O’Cain. I knew it was the right place for me."

Setzler played soccer at B-C for his future brother-in-law Kevin Heise and was an all-region performer at USC Sumter before joining the coaching staff at his alma mater in 2009.

Setzler was named interim coach when Heise, now the coach at Gray Collegiate, was placed on administrative leave Feb. 10. The Bearcats went 15-7 and won the Region 5-3A title and Setzler was named the region’s coach of the year.

"I will always love the B-C community but what transpired this spring I didn’t want to be a part of," Setzler said. "But I hope I can take things I learned from this year and working with Kevin and Kyle Heise over the years and build a strong program at Gilbert."

“We are very excited about getting coach Setzler to lead our kids and build our soccer program,” Gilbert athletic director Chad Leaphart said. “He really proved himself in a tough situation this past season.”

Setzler will get a chance to play B-C twice since the two schools are in the same region. He also said he plans to play Gray Collegiate.

Gilbert went 11-8 and finished second in Region 5-3A before losing to May River in the first round of the playoffs. The Indians graduate six seniors, including all-state performer Matt Crews.

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 6:12 PM with the headline "Gilbert hires soccer coach who was seeking a fresh start."