A new school year is upon us, which means mens soccer season.

This group of players worked all summer preparing for competition and was ready to take on the new season. A combination of eight experienced seniors and several new faces make this season an interesting mix.

Captain senior Fernando De La Rosa said, “I’m really excited to play with all my friends that I’ve been with since freshman year. I’m just excited to be [in my] final year, I’m ready to see us all ball out.” 

But despite having a lot of seniors, this group was chalked full of new faces on the varsity side. With players moving up from the JV team this year as well as some talented freshmen, this squad will have some growing to do as they learn to play with each other. 

But the new faces don’t stop at the players, the mens soccer team brought in a whole new coaching staff, bringing in new ideas, coaching philosophies and wins.

Meet some of these new coaches below:

Varsity head coach Zac Kernell:

Kernell was named the new head coach of the mens soccer team starting the 2024 season. Kernell comes to the head coach position from two years as an assistant at Oak Park.

Before OP, Kernell was a coach and teacher at his alma mater, Liberty North High School, where he also played soccer before going to college. 

“I look forward to spending time with our team. I think we’ve got a solid group of kids who really enjoy the game and enjoy being around each other, so seeing that growth and development,” Kernell said, “And obviously we want to win.”

Varsity assistant coach Samuel Salgado:

This is not Salgado’s first go around with the mens soccer program at OP, as he played all four years and graduated in 2021.

After high school, Salgado moved on in his soccer career playing two years at Kansas City Kansas Community College. At the end of those two years Salgado had the opportunity to continue his playing career at a four-year college, but ultimately decided to focus on his education, continuing his degree at UMKC.

This is Salgado’s first coaching job and he will primarily focus on the JV and C team, as well as helping out with varsity.

“It’s a pretty strange feeling being a coach and watching the students go through the same program as I did,” Salgado continued, “makes me reminisce about the times I had at OP and watching the kids enjoy their time here doing the same thing is a great feeling.”