Timberland nabs coach with state tourney pedigree

Former Columbia Rock Bridge soccer coach Kyle Austin has been hired to guide the boys program at Wentzville Timberland.

Austin comes to Timberland after coaching at Rock Bridge for four seasons, where he compiled a 76-30-2 record and guided the Bruins to a third place finished in the Class 3 state tournament in 2010 and 2011.

Last fall, Austin guided the Bruins to a 28-4 record capped by a 1-0 win over lee?s Summit West in the Class 3 third place game.

?Coach Austin is a great addition for us,? Timberland activities director Todd Hayes said. ?Things all just feel into place. We had an English opening, and he was looking for a job.?

Austin, who played high school soccer at William Chrisman in Independence, replaces Tim Shearin and takes over a Wolves? team that went 14-10 least season behind graduated senior Jack West (22 goals, five assists).

?My have relatives from the O?Fallon/St. Peters area, so I am familiar with a lot of the soccer programs out there,? Austin said. ?I knew that Wentzville is an up-and-coming community and that it?s growing pretty fast. I know that good soccer is played there, so I knew that this would be an amazing opportunity for me.?

Back in 2010, West and his Wolves? teammates finished 20-7-1, and made it to the Class 3 quarterfinals where a 1-0 loss to eventual state runner-up Vianney knocked the team from the tournament.

While West may be gone, Austin says that there is still plenty of talent and enthusiasm around the Timberland program as he takes over.

?There is a lot of skill there,? Austin said. ?There is a lot of skill to build from. I have been very impressed in how willing they are already to come out and get some work in. I think there is a lot of talent from the freshman on up to the varsity.?

Hayes said that he sees the hiring of Austin as a great opportunity for Timberland boys soccer.

He said that there is already a buzz around the school when it comes to the new boys soccer coach.

?He came up because he?d said he wanted to meet with the team after he got the job,? Hayes said. ?I think it was like the last day of school for us, and there were 35, 40 kids there wanting to meet the new coach. I think (the students) were impressed. Coach was impressed, and I was impressed.?

For Austin, the move to St. Louis not only gives him a fresh start in coaching soccer, but it also gives him a chance to spend a little time with his family.

Austin?s wife, Kacy, and the couple?s daughter Addison, who was born in 2010, have been in the St. Louis area since the last school year while Kyle Austin had to remain behind, as he was under contract to Rock Bridge.

?My wife moved into St. Louis because of her job,? Austin said. ?I stayed in Columbia to finish out the year. Being away from my family for the year, I decided the best thing was to be with them, and to move on into St. Louis.?

As far as his expectations for Timberland go, Austin says that it?s going to take hard work to succeed, not just a coach?s name.

?It?s all about the kids,? Austin said. ?I have told anybody that will talk to me. It (the state semifinals appearances) looks great on a resume? but that?s it. It?s going to take hard work to succeed.?

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