Introducing the newest coach for UTM men’s soccer: Kevin Iyamabo
The former UTM star will be assistant coaching alongside head coach, Szabolcs-Zoltán Bozsoky.
In January 2022, Kevin Iyamabo made his University of Toronto Mississauga men’s soccer debut in a 1-1 draw against Scarborough. He’d play an integral role for the Eagles that season, helping them to their first finals appearance since the pandemic cancelled all Tri-Campus sports programs.
Unfortunately, Iyamabo and the Eagles were never able to replicate the same successes, crashing out in the semi-finals in four consecutive indoor and outdoor soccer seasons.
Now graduated, Iyamabo has returned to UTM men’s soccer, but this time he’ll be using his talents off the pitch.
“Firstly, we have a great head coach in Szabi Bozosky,” said Todd Erskine, Supervisor for Sports Programs at UTM. “In working with Szabi, we felt that Kevin would be a great fit to join the team as an assistant coach. When possible, we appreciate the opportunity to hire a former UTM athlete to transition into coaching.”
“Kevin’s playing background, professionalism, and familiarity with the team made it a great fit for us,” Erskine concluded.
Coach Iyamabo also believes that he’s the right man for the job and is confident he has what it takes to lead UTM to their first post-pandemic championship.
“I expect this team to challenge for the championship, if not win it,” said Iyamabo. “We have a fantastic group of returning players with a lot more experience under their belt and now feels like the time to finally get over the hump and win it all.”
There may, however, be some doubt as to Iyamabo’s ability to remain impartial and push relationships aside, given his history playing alongside many of the returning players.
“I expect that we’ll be mature about it and we’ll be able to separate our coach-to-player relationship from our friend-to-friend relationship,” stated Iyamabo, shutting down the rumors. “As a former student athlete, I learned that having open communication is super important. For Coach Szabi and myself, we must be honest and forward with what we expect of our guys on the field while still making ourselves as approachable as possible off it.”
Iyamabo did also acknowledge one of the biggest battles teams often face – filling the shoes of graduating students. “There’s some huge holes in the squad, for sure,” stated Iyamabo. “A few key players have graduated, including myself and Lucas Liu, our starting goalkeeper over the last three years, and not to mention a leader and former MVP, Joseph Falzata. Those guys are tough to replace, but I’m confident our squad still has the quality and depth to win this league.”
UTM men’s soccer plays their first game against St. George Red on Sunday, September 15th at 2:00 p.m. at UTM’s South Field. Though the team has struggled to pull in supporters over recent years, Iyamabo urges fellow students to support their campus athletes.
“People might not understand how far a little support and cheering can go in boosting a team’s morale. I’m hoping to see full stands at our home games this season, and in return, trust me, we’ll put on a show for you.”
Sports & Health Editor (Volume 51) — Joseph is a recent graduate from UTM, having double-majored in Professional Writing & Communication and Political Science. During his time at UTM, he played on the men’s hockey and soccer teams and was actively involved in the campus’ sports community. Joseph is a strong advocate for a healthy lifestyle, and hopes that as Sports & Health Editor he can encourage students to get involved in campus sports and activities.