Kenny Averna saw the soccer pitch from two perspectives this past season: as a player and as a coach.
The Malibu High School (MHS) 11th-grader played on the school’s boys soccer team this past season while coaching the Squabblies in the Malibu AYSO soccer league.
Kenny said balancing the two soccer duties was hard, but worth the experience.
“I’ve always wanted to try coaching,” the AYSO volunteer said. “At the beginning of the AYSO season, I really wanted to jump on the field and play, but as the season went on, I took my enthusiasm, my drive and did my best to put it on the team.”
Kenny and his MHS teammates finished the season with a record of 1-16-1. The 16-year-old, assisted by his father, Tom, coached the U14 Squabblies to an 8-2 record in the Malibu AYSO. The Squabblies’ season concluded on Feb. 20 with a second place finish in the Bakersfield Regional Tournament.
Kenny’s team made it to the championship game in the 160-team league. The Squabblies were defeated by a team from Cutler — a city over 200 miles north and inland — in the title game.
The Squabblies won four games in the tourney. Previously, they had a successful AYSO Malibu season and placed second in an AYSO tournament in Moorpark.
Kenny said the Squabblies had an excellent season.
“Our performance level as a team rose throughout the season and each individual player raised their game also,” he said.
The coach’s father said his son shined as a coach.
“He ended up really taking to it,” Tom shared. “I wish he had done it a little sooner. He did really, really well.”
Tom said he had coached Kenny since age three or four. His presence was required on the sidelines because AYSO rules dictate that a coach has to be over the age of 18.
Tom said Kenny’s soccer knowledge was key to the Squabblies’ success.
“He knows how to tell the players where to run to, where to receive the ball,” Tom said. “He gave the type of on-the-field tips that the old guys who are coaching don’t really know how to do.”
Kenny said at the beginning of the AYSO season, he was nervous helming the 14-player squad, composed of players two years younger than him, including his younger brother Tommy.
“I think the players were shocked at the beginning of the season by having such a young coach,” Kenny said, “but throughout season, they were thrilled to have a coach they could connect with on more of a personal level.”
The former AYSO soccer player said he is a “hands-on” type of coach.
“I try my best to communicate with each player and be strategic,” Kenny said.
Kenny said he was just as active on the sidelines as he would be on the field as a player. The MHS junior said him jumping up and down in excitement was not uncommon.
Tom shared that at practices, Kenny would play with the Squabblies.
“Kenny is an incredible player,” Tom said. “To show the team how to do something, he would go in there, juke them out and score. Then, the team would say, ‘Oh, that’s how you do it.’”
Kenny shared that a big lesson he learned from coaching is that anyone can improve.
“If someone puts their mind and body into whatever they are doing they can succeed,” he said.
Kenny said he was looking forward to coaching again.
“I think it was awesome to have this opportunity to coach an amazing group of kids, especially considering how well we did,” he said. “I think it is a great opportunity.”
