Kevin Mahlan is Tri-County’s New Men’s Soccer Coach
July 25, 2011
By Lisa Garrett
PENDLETON, SC – July 25, 2011 – Three weeks ago Kevin Mahlan moved to the area from Florida to prepare for his new job as the men’s soccer coach at Tri-County Technical College. Since then, he has spent his days making phone calls, getting to know prospective athletes and preparing for tryouts on August 9 to assemble a team for the new season that begins August 22.
“We have only two returning players so I’m putting together an entirely new team. The interest is great, and it’s exciting,” said Mahlan, who, in 2009, was named Coach of the Year while serving as boy’s varsity soccer team coach and teacher at Winter Haven High School in Winter Haven, Florida. He taught and coached at the school from 2006 – 2010.
“We were the District champs in 2009 for the first time ever. It was a big deal because the team never had made a playoff until 2009. Five players signed scholarships that year, also,” he said. That same year he was named Coach of the Year by the local paper, The News Chief. The next year he received the Polk County All Sports Award.
The Tri-County Hawks begin their season with a scrimmage game against Anderson University. “We’ll prepare for the season through practice (three times a day in the beginning weeks) and discipline,” said Mahlan.
Although this is his first foray into collegiate coaching, Mahlan spent the last 15 years coaching career leading high school and competitive teams.
He also was a competitive club coach and player for Lakeland Football (Soccer) Club from 2000 – 2011 while at Winter Haven. Prior to that he was a boy’s varsity soccer team coach and teacher at Haines City High School and at Tavares High School. He began his career as a police officer at the Lakeland Police Department. He also worked at the Orlando and the Leesburg Police Departments. After 22 years, he retired and in 1999, became a ninth-grade science teacher.
Mahlan holds an A.S. in Criminal Justice from Farmingdale University, a B.S. in LaSalle University in Criminal Justice Management and a master’s in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction from the American College of Educators in Chicago. Currently, he is working toward his doctorate of education in Sports Management through Northcentral University.
He says he was looking for a collegiate coaching job when he ran across the men’s soccer coach job posting on Tri-County’s website. “I had a fantastic interview. The campus is so beautiful, and there are so many opportunities here for students. The varied majors and the large enrollment – it impressed me,” he said.
Tri-County Technical College’s athletics programs include varsity-level women’s basketball, women’s and men’s soccer and men’s golf.
Teams are sanctioned by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and compete within Region 10 at the Division I level.
