Dean of Students and girls varsity soccer Head Coach Krista Sahrbeck is one of the many new faces on campus this year. Coach Sahrbeck came to KO this year from Kent Denver School in Englewood, Colo.
Coach Sahrbeck had been at Kent Denver for 15 years and felt that it was time for a change. “I was either looking to either move east of the Mississippi or abroad,” Coach Sahrbeck said. “COVID made abroad unfeasible, and KO being only 90 minutes from one of my brothers and three hours from the rest of my family made sense.” She ultimately chose Kingswood Oxford because the environment when she visited was so welcoming. “Everyone I met, faculty and students, were warm, welcoming, friendly, and seemed really down to earth,” Coach Sahrbeck said.
In addition to being the Dean of Students, Coach Sahrbeck is the girls varsity soccer coach. With the uncertainty of the pandemic situation, the team was unsure of how many official games they would play this season. To keep her team’s spirits high, Coach Sahrbeck has made sure to keep things interesting at practice. “I have hopefully kept the team’s spirits high through a lot of different competitive games, contests, and humor,” Coach Sahrbeck said. “We have crossbar contests, color wars, small-sided scrimmages, obstacle course races.”
At the same time, Coach Sahrbeck understands the importance of teamwork and sticking together. “We have done some team building activities,” she said. “I got the players a special t-shirt which represents who we are and why we show up every day. While I love being a dean, soccer practices and games are my favorite part of the day!”
To prepare for games, Coach Sahrbeck has had the team working on fitness, skill work, tactical understanding of their system of play (which is a 4-3-3) and defense. “I have been very thankful for their focus, dedication, and hard work,” Coach Sahrbeck said. “Ninety minutes for practice isn’t massively long, and they have really been able to progress at a quick pace.”
Coach Sahrbeck also had a big motivator to make the most of whatever season the team was able to play. “I missed my last soccer season this past spring in Colorado and that was very hard to say goodbye to the team without playing a single game,” she said. “Now with KO, it is my second season in a row with no season. I could easily have a pity party, but what good does that do?”
One thing Coach Sahrbeck has made sure to emphasize to seniors especially is that while many things are out of their control, they can control how they spend their time together. “We can get out there and maximize 90 minutes, or we can goof around and waste it on what could have or should have been,” she said. “It isn’t always easy to find the silver lining in things, but the girls, especially the seniors, have had the best attitudes and outlook that they have benefited from each other’s wisdom as much as from the coaches.”
The team has played two games this season, with a record of 1-0-1. Coach Sahrbeck, with the help of Assistant Coach Katie McCarthy, was able to lead the team with confidence during their games. “There is no way I could do any of this without the support, knowledge, and sense of humor of my assistant coach, Coach McCarthy,” Coach Sahrbeck said. “The girls love and respect her, and she relays to me what the players need to get the best out of the day in and day out. She is truly an asset to the program, and I am grateful for her coaching experience and friendship.”
Coach Sahrbeck and the team are already working towards next season and looking forward to a (hopefully) normal year.
