By Jenny Kapcio | Bomber Media
New girls soccer coach Jonathan Kostoff plans to take Kenston girls soccer to the next level, but believes strong relationships will be important for the team to have success.
Kostoff believes there is more to being a successful program than just practicing and playing the game and that success starts with building a team. Kostoff wants to create a strong bond among teammates and coaches. He wants to give the team an experience where they grow as players, but more importantly, as individuals.
Kostoff comes to Kenston after having two successful seasons coaching the Beachwood High School girls soccer team. Kostoff led Beachwood to their first sectional championship and was named the 2018 News-Herald Coach of the Year.
“The teams I have been around are very tight-knit and have a strong bond, on and off the field. When you have that, wins and losses will take care of itself,” said Kostoff.
In Kostoff’s soccer career, he has met and worked with many different people. Kostoff still keeps in touch with some of his past coaches who have taught him and helped him grow. Kostoff’s goal is to create those meaningful relationships that make each season even more memorable.
“The one thing I enjoy more than anything else is building individual relationships. I love getting to know each and every player — who they are on the field, what position they play, what they like about the game, so forth and so on. But also learning about them. What are their hobbies? What is their family like? What do they like doing outside of soccer?” said Kostoff.
Kostoff’s passion for soccer started as early as kindergarten with the Revere youth system, and it carried through high school, club soccer in college, and all the way into coaching. However, the reason soccer has had such an impact his life is because of the memories he has made.
“The memories that I keep forever are the ones of the great times we had off the field getting ready for games. It’s the bonding, it’s the being together, it’s the friendships that I still have ten years later. If I can create that, then I feel I have done my job,” said Kostoff.
Kostoff’s goal is to give each individual player an opportunity to grow and learn. He wants everyone to have an unforgettable experience, whether it may be life lessons they acquire or the friends they can have well after their high school careers end.