Kerekes steps down as BV soccer coach
Thanks to the resignation of John Kerekes earlier this week, the Belle Vernon boys soccer program is in need of a new head coach.
Kerekes, who led the Leopards to a Section 3-AAA title this season, is a middle school science teacher in the Belle Vernon Area School District and plans to do more work with his students.
“Although I am stepping away, I know that I will be at a lot of games and might show up at a practice or two,” said Kerekes. “With my free time I plan on trying to start up a few initiatives in my classroom.”
He’s got some other plans, as well. Kerekes and some high school friends made up the group “Super 71,” named after the old Belle Vernon Drive-In.
“This year, I started taking students to an engineering competition and I would like to spend more time on that,” he said. “I want to finish my Master’s. I also want to convince my old bandmates to go on a reunion tour.”
The 33-year-old Kerekes has been around Belle Vernon soccer for nearly 20 years. Not being a part of it will be difficult.
“I was ready,” he said. “But it still wasn’t an easy decision.”
A three-year starter at midfield, Kerekes was a captain as a junior but decided not to play his senior year.
“I started playing in seventh grade and played through 11th grade,” he said. “I have been a part of Belle Vernon soccer for 17 years, and that’s more than half of my life.
“I didn’t play my senior year because I didn’t want to get injured for cross country and track. I did get a track scholarship to Cal U, but I really regret not playing my senior year.”
Kerekes joined Chris Stasicha’s staff in 2005 and when Stasicha resigned after the 2010 season, Kerekes took over.
As head coach, Kerekes led his teams to an 64-31-2 record with a section title. When he was an assistant to Stasicha, the team went 81-25-6 with two section crowns.
During his 12 years as a part of the staff, the team had 13 playoffs wins and three trips to the state playoffs including a quarterfinal berth in 2011.
“He is a community guy that is from Belle Vernon and is part of the family,” Belle Vernon athletic director Matt Humbert said. “It is a loss for us because be brought a youthful energy to the program and he is a good role model for the kids.”
Kerekes pointed out his rec league coach, Tom Mattey, for leaving an impression on how to relate to players, and also mentioned former coaches Stasicha, Dave Colditz, Brad Martin, Bob Broadwater, Garrett Gillie and Alan Puglia as lifelong friends.
“I will miss the relationships,” he said.
Kerekes, who coached swimming previously for three years, will still coach track and field with Stasicha.
“We have four section titles in 11 years, 10 Mon Valley championships, a few WPIAL champions and a state champion,” Kerekes said of his work in track. “Chris and I work so well together than maybe we should take the show to the college ranks.”