Head Coach: PepeJon Chavez
Coach Chavez enters his seventh season as a coach with the Royals, and third as head coach, after leading the 2001 and 2002 teams as a player with two of the most prolific individual seasons in Royals men's soccer history. With long playing and coaching backgrounds with elite teams on the west coast, Peru, and Mexico, Chavez provides the Royals with tactical and technical training as well as conditioning.
Last season, Chavez led Bethel to its most successful season in the team's history, helping make the Royals a highly competitive team in a very tough conference.
In two short years as a player/coach at Bethel, Chavez earned All-Region honors, was a two-time All-MIAC selection, and in 2002 became Bethel’s first-ever MIAC most valuable player. He finished his two-year career fifth on Bethel’s all-time scoring list with 55 points (20 goals, 15 assists).
Chavez is the owner and director of Pepe Jon’s “Happy Feet” Complete Soccer Education, a company specializing in soccer instruction. He and Rachael, his wife, have three daughters, Arabella, Arria, and Amira. They live in Plymouth, Minn.
Assistant Head Coach: Rachael Chavez
Coach Rachael Chavez (formerly Rachael Roth) is in her fifth year with the Royals coaching staff this season. Rachael brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to Bethel. She holds scoring records at both Wayzata High School where she was the leading goal scorer as well as at the University of Minnesota. While playing at the U of M, she earned All-Big Ten honors and was second in goals scored in the Big Ten conference for the 2002 season, for which she was named the Gophers M.V.P. She most recently played with the Minnesota Lightning, members of the women's division of the United Soccer Leagues (USL), during summer 2009.
Rachael has been coaching players of all ages and skill levels for the past eight years and prior to Bethel she served for two years as the assistant varsity coach at Wayzata High School. She also has trained and coached the Wayzata U-17 state championship team. Rachael is the assistant director of Pepe Jon’s “Happy Feet” Complete Soccer Education, a company specializing in soccer instruction. She and Pepe Jon, her husband, have three daughters, Arabella, Arria, and Amira. They live in Plymouth, Minn.
Assistant Coach: Jessie Halverson
Jessie Halverson (formerly Jessie Tschetter) is a new addition to the Royals women’s soccer coaching staff. A 2008 graduate of Bethel University with a degree in International Relations, Halverson was a four-year starter and a two-time captain for the Royals. During her career at Bethel, Halverson was awarded All-MIAC Honorable Mention in 2005 and was named to the 2007 All-MIAC team. In 2007 she was the team’s leading scorer with 12 goals, and set a school record for points in a season with 33. Halverson is tied for third in Bethel history for overall career points with 67, ranks second in assists with 15, and fourth in goals with 21.
Jessie has coached for Pepe Jon’s “Happy Feet” Complete Soccer Education and most recently coached with Heritage Christian Academy. She lives in Wayzata, Minn., with her husband Peter (also a Bethel soccer alum), and is currently pursuing a master's degree in education at Bethel.
Assistant Coach: Eric Berg
Coach Berg returns to the program this fall for his second season as a coach. Berg played goalkeeper from 2001-04 and holds the school record for most shutouts in a season with six in 2001. He was also a key player on the 2004 team that earned a berth in the MIAC playoffs, and was recognized as an all-conference goalie as a result. Berg's responsibility will be working with the goalkeepers, focusing on fundamentals and technique. Last season, he coached Charli Sorensen, who recorded three shutouts and set Bethel's all-time saves record.
Berg currently lives in Oakdale, Minn., with his wife Melinda and works for the Mounds View school district.
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Rick Meyer
Coach Rick Meyer is in his fifth year at Bethel. He is responsible for helping create and maintain workout programs for each of Bethel's 18 varsity intercollegiate sports. Meyer worked as a defensive assistant on the Bethel football staff while completing his degree and becoming a certified athletic trainer. Meyer was a two-time All-MIAC defensive end for the Royals in 2000 and 2001.
Rick and his wife Tara live in Mahtomedi with their daughters Annika and Nakari. In addition to his duties as strength and conditioning coordinator, he also manages the weight and equipment rooms while also teaching Physical Education/Athletic Training courses at Bethel.
