By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Several high school soccer teams in Northern Kentucky have new head coaches for the 2015 season, but Russell Noss is the only one with the title of “Reverend” before his name.
Noss, the pastor of Highland Hills Church in Fort Thomas, is taking charge of the Scott girls’ soccer program. He coached high school soccer teams in New Mexico and Indiana before moving here three years ago to continue his ministry.
His wife works at Scott High School. When she found out the girls’ soccer team needed a new head coach this season, she knew her husband would be interested in the job.
Scott girls’ soccer coach Russell Noss is pastor of Highland Hills Church in Fort Thomas. (Photo by Terry Boehmker)
“Ministry is obviously what I do with my life full-time,” Noss said. “But I’ve played and coached soccer my whole life and love the sport. I just enjoy it for fun and as a hobby.”
The 41-year-old pastor grew up in Tennessee where he played soccer in high school and college. He was a pre-med major when he attended Cumberland University in Tennessee, but he did not enroll in medical school after graduation.
“I had done part-time ministry as I was in college and felt when it was time to go to med school that God was leading me to go into the ministry full-time,” he said.
After attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Noss worked for churches in New Mexico and Indiana while also coaching high school soccer. When he became pastor at the church in Fort Thomas three years ago, he joined the Northern Kentucky Soccer Officials Association to stay connected with his favorite sport.
Now he’s returning to coaching with a Scott girls’ team that hasn’t had a winning season in more than five years. Last season, the Eagles finished with a 6-13-1 record.
When the team’s returning players got together for summer practice, Noss didn’t take into account where any of them played last year. The new coach accessed everyone’s skills and then assigned positions.
“We’ve got a lot of senior leadership in our defense and we’re hoping that pays off,” Noss said. “We’ve been working hard on that and on possessing the ball and working it down the field.”
Scott won a pre-season scrimmage game against Richmond Model last week. The Eagles will play Conner at 10 a.m. Saturday in another scrimmage game that’s part of the two-day Soccerama schedule at Boone County High School.
When the regular season begins next week, the Scott girls will have a new mindset thanks to their new head coach.
“I really believe it’s going to be a good year,” said senior defender Hannah Walters. “I feel like he’s pushing us and giving us motivation, and that’s what we wanted. We’re actually working together as a team now.”
Whether he leads the Eagles to a winning record or not, Noss will do whatever he can to make this season a worthwhile experience for the players.
“My hope is that what we instill here helps them become great women in life,” he said. “ I don’t push my beliefs or anything like that, but I hope they see in me that love and caring for other people is exactly what God wants us to do.”
2015 Girls Soccerama at Boone County High School
Friday
Covington Latin vs. Calvary Christian, 5 p.m.
Ludlow vs. Dayton, 6:30 p.m.
Boone County vs. Beechwood, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Cooper vs. Villa Madonna, 8:30 a.m.
Conner vs. Scott, 10 a.m.
Ryle vs. Holy Cross, 11:30 a.m.
Newport Central Catholic vs. Simon Kenton, 5 p.m.
Campbell County vs. Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m.
Brossart vs. Highlands, 8 p.m.
