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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Outstanding in His Field: Kevin McCarthy, California's Coach of the Year, has been getting all kinds of kids into the game for 15 years.
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The Coach of the Year leads special team on Glen's field
Kevin McCarthy wins the state award after 15 years of coaching kids with disabilities
By Jessica Lyons
Kevin McCarthy, the junior varsity boys soccer coach for Pioneer High School, pulls two items out of his blue sports bag. One is a tear-drop-shaped glass trophy with the words "Kevin McCarthy, State Coach of the Year 1998" engraved on it. The other is a framed photograph of McCarthy with another team that practices in Willow Glen--a mismatched group of 13 local kids, all different ages and sizes, almost all with visible disabilities.
"Andrew is the youngest, he's 6," McCarthy says, pointing to the smallest child in the photo, sitting front and center in the group. Andrew has Down's syndrome. "That's Matthew, he's been playing with the team since he was 6, for almost 12 years," McCarthy adds, pointing to a tall, smiling boy on the fringe of the group. "He's slow, but he can run and kick."
On April 6, P.O.S.H.'s (Pass On Soccer to Handi-Capables) season will start with weekly practices on Tuesdays at Raoul Wallenberg Park, located at the intersection of Curtner and Cottle Avenues.
"They're never going to achieve a position on a national team, they're never going to play on an Olympic team, but they enjoy playing," McCarthy says with a soft British accent. "They're just like any other kids, they enjoy playing, they enjoy the pizza party at the end of the season."
Last month, the California Youth Soccer Association named 64-year-old McCarthy the State Boy's Coach of the Year. He already has a place of honor for the trophy--on the bar in the family room, right next to the Valley of the Hearts award he won in '89. Presented annually by Friends of Parents Helping Parents, a resource center for children with special needs, Valley of the Hearts awards are given to individuals, institutions or organizations for their efforts on behalf of people with disabilities.
"I'm very honored and very humbled," McCarthy says of his most recent award. "It's pretty awesome--especially when you start analyzing it and thinking about being selected from more than 20,000 other coaches."
The English-born McCarthy has been a coach at Pioneer for seven years. He's been coaching P.O.S.H. for 15. He started the team after a disabled boy on the high school team asked not to be put in the game. "I said 'Why not,?'" McCarthy remembers, "And he said 'Don't put me in because I'll lose the game for the others.'"
So Mccarthy began to organize weekly practices in Willow Glen for kids with disabilities.
"There's no frustration, there's no winning or losing," says Rose, McCarthy's wife, who helps out with the team. "It's really low-key, they're there because they enjoy it."
Everyone is welcome at the Wallenberg Park practices, McCarthy says. He advises athletes to come wearing soccer cleats. That includes reporters and photographers, too.
"I've got wheelchairs, I've got walkers, you have no excuse," McCarthy shouts, running out on the field to start practice with his Pioneer team. "Remember, Wallenberg Park. Practices start after April Fool's Day, so you can't forget."
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
