After being promoted from coaching the JV team, girls varsity soccer head coach Kelle Bevine has brought stability to the varsity girls team, which seeks to reclaim a DCIAA championship.
As of October 8, the Tigers sit 13-1-2, their best start to a regular season in two years.
Following the end of the 2023 season, two-year girls varsity soccer coach Masoud Montazeri left his position. Athletic Director Patrice Arrington started looking for a new coach last spring. Three final candidates made it to the final round, including initial hire Tony Howard and Bevine.
Howard was named head coach in June and soon hosted a parent meeting that outlined his expectations and plan for the 2024 season. The night before preseason was supposed to begin, Arrington received an email from Howard, sent to the team. The email announced his resignation due to a job offer in Montgomery County.
After receiving the frustrating news, Arrington knew what she needed to do. Within half an hour, she called Bevine. “I knew who I needed to call,” she said.
Bevine got the soccer bug growing up in Miami. She played four years of varsity soccer in high school and went on to play Division 3 at William Smith of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Soccer wove in and out of her life until, upon moving to DC, she joined a local women’s league. Her coaching career started alongside her daughters’ playing careers, where she coached their DC Stoddert Soccer (now DC Soccer Club)
teams.
Over the pandemic, Bevine “missed soccer.” She then decided to get serious about coaching and, in August 2022, became the head coach of the JV girls soccer team at Jackson Reed.
Bevine applied to be varsity head coach last year, following three years of successful JV seasons. When the job was given to Howard, Bevine accepted a coaching position at a different local high school.
After Arrington called with the offer, Bevine terminated her other contract and dove into the JR soccer program once again. Though the previous coaching changes had been tumultuous, the transition from Howard to Bevine was made easier due to her experience with the program. “I’m really grateful it’s Coach Kelle now because I’ve known her for so long and she knows me,” said junior Celia Joldersma, who played for Bevine on JV for two seasons.
Senior Captian Olivia Heinnman noted that Bevine’s role as head coach has led to a much stronger team culture and resulting early season success. “Last year we were placed in an environment where we felt we had to compete against one another constantly, instead of playing and working with each other,” she said. “This year is completely different. Coach Kelle communicates [with] us and makes us feel heard and appreciated on the team. Not only does that help our team’s dynamic, but it also helps us perform better in games. Everyone this year is friends and we have created such strong connections that I know will bring us far.”
The team bond led to preseason wins over Bishop McNamara and Clarksburg. Continuing into the season, the girls beat Maret, 3-2, and School Without Walls, 4-2. Winning against Walls hit close to home after the DCIAA championship loss last season.
Now, the team aims to solidify their status in the postseason. Bevine wants everyone to give maximum effort while maintaining team encouragement. “We never want to leave the field after each game saying we could have done so much better,” Bevine said. “If they give 150 percent every game, I’ll be thrilled.”
The team culture is fueled by effort. “Knowing that we have a coach now that cares about us as human beings really flips a switch in the way we as players treat each other,” said Heinemann. “We no longer see each other as competition, but as friends.” •