Athletics

The Kenston High School Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Jonathan Kostoff as its next varsity girls soccer head coach.  The announcement was made by Athletic Director Reid Guarnieri following the approval of Kostoff’s hire by the Kenston Board of Education at Monday’s monthly meeting (March 16).

Following a thorough search, Guarnieri and high school Principal Tom Gabram recommended the hire of Kostoff to the Board of Education in March.  Guarnieri said, “We had a very impressive candidate pool for this search which included an unprecedented level of interest from some of the area’s more established head coaches.  Ultimately though, several qualities stood out to us with Coach Kostoff: an excellent structure of communication to both players and parents, a high level of awareness of the area girls soccer landscape (both at the high school and elite club levels), a commitment to growing the program from the youth levels up and clear capacity to develop the associating community interest, and a high-level game knowledge and eagerness to continue learning how to become an even better coach.” 

Following a successful soccer-playing career at local Revere High School, Kostoff attended the University of Dayton earning a degree in communication.  He then focused his attention to a career in coaching, helping to develop players in the Orange and Revere youth systems before accepting posts with Beachwood High School and such clubs as Team Challenger and Cleveland Everest FC.

“I would like to thank the Kenston High School administration and the Kenston Board of Education for welcoming me into the Bomber family. It is an honor to be chosen to lead the KHS girls soccer program. From the moment I stepped on campus for the first time, I felt at home and part of the community,” Kostoff said.

Kostoff comes directly to Kenston following two successful seasons as head coach of the nearby Beachwood High School girls soccer program.  There, he led the team to the most wins in program history over the past two seasons (24), captured the program’s first-ever sectional championship, and was named 2018 News-Herald Coach of the Year.  He inherits a Kenston squad coming off of consecutive WRC Championships and who are poised for a deep postseason run.

“It is not often you get to take over a program on the heels of back-to-back conference championships,” Kostoff continued. “The team has enjoyed quite a bit of success and we now will prepare even harder to take the next step to compete for a district championship.  It is an exciting time here in Bomber Country and we are going to put a product on the field that the entire Kenston-area community can rally around.”

Though he is clearly excited at the prospects for the varsity team’s success on the field, Kostoff realizes there is more to his new role, “I have high expectations for the girls soccer program and will work tirelessly to develop every one of our student-athletes in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. Our players will be set up for success both in the short term and long term.  There is a passion for soccer in this community at KFC and KCE. Our high school staff and players will all play a role in helping grow the game for all ages and prepare them to be great. It will be a group effort just as the motto goes, Bombers Fly Together!”

Kenston will open its 2020 regular season at home as part of a boys and girls Friday Night Fútbol varsity doubleheader facing St. Vincent-St. Mary on August 21.