Antigonish, NS— Director of Athletics and Recreational Services Leo MacPherson is pleased to welcome Graham Kennedy as the new head coach for the X-Men soccer team. Kennedy takes over from 39-year veteran coach Lou Bilek who recently announced his retirement.
 
“I am delighted to have someone of Graham Kennedy’s caliber join our team of coaches here at StFX,” comments MacPherson. “I have known Graham for many years and he is a very capable, competent and resourceful coach. He made a significant contribution to our men’s soccer program this past season as an Associate Coach under Lou Bilek, and I am confident that Graham is the person to lead the program beginning with the 2009 season.”
 
Kennedy is no stranger to the StFX soccer scene. He is an X-Men soccer alumnus, having played at X from 1985-86 to culminate as Assistant Coach for the 1989-90 season before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education degree in 1990. Graham went on to play senior soccer in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Alberta throughout the 1990s before retiring from premier and major level play in 1996, the same year he graduated from the University of Victoria with a Master of Education degree in Coaching.
 
For seven of the past nine years, Kennedy was the Technical Director of the Calgary Foothills Soccer club, one of Canada’s top youth clubs. During a two-year hiatus that began in 2005, he was the Director of Soccer at the Edge School for Athletes, pioneering a successful junior and senior high soccer program. During this period Graham also was the head coach for national silver medalist Calgary Foothills B18, North American Super-Y finalists, FC Calgary, and Calgary Villains Elite of the Alberta Major League. In 2009, Kennedy coached the Calgary Foothills G18 to a national championship.

In 2005 Kennedy received his Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) B coaching license while working in association with the youth academy at Birmingham City Football Club. He served as Canadian scout for BCFC during this period and placed several players into overseas trials. Kennedy has coached almost 100 players who have gone on to collegiate levels of play in Canada and the USA over the past decade including several All-Canadians, two academic All-Americans, and four professionals. “There is nothing that brings me greater satisfaction than seeing patient, methodical player development that works,” states Kennedy. “I really enjoy seeing the accomplishments of players as they mature and steadily improve.”

Graham has coached for more than 25 years and he is delighted at the opportunity to further build a university level program. “StFX is recognized as perhaps the finest undergraduate university in the country and I am thrilled with the opportunity to further build on a respected men’s soccer program,” comments Coach Kennedy.

“My goal is to help X-Men soccer become a perennial CIS contender based on a philosophy of recruiting and developing players of outstanding character and capability. I expect us to be competitive in 2009 based on the quality of our returning players and the quality of our recruiting efforts over the past six months. We have assembled a coaching and support staff that is talented and committed and I am very excited about working with them.”

Kennedy takes on the head coaching reins after spending the 2008 season as an Associate Coach with the X-Men. Joining him as Assistant Coaches for the 2009 campaign will be Rob Canning and Justin MacKenzie along with Brandon Dort as a Graduate Assistant Coach. All three are X-Men alumni.

Further to his coaching qualifications, Kennedy has professional experience as a junior and senior high school teacher, along with a background in information systems and management consulting. He and his wife and two children now reside in Antigonish. Graham joins the StFX coaching staff in a part-time capacity and has already commenced employment.