Photo by Grace Goldman
As soon as the bell rings at 9:25 a.m. and mens’ choir is dismissed, choir teacher Ken Foley returns to the back double doors of Room 211 — waiting to welcome the ladies of womens’ choir with his signature routine: a handshake and a smile. This is his unique way of creating a teacher-to-student bond with each and every one of his 350 students.
Not only does Foley display his signature move in the choir room, but on the field as well, as he is an adult league recreational soccer player. After hours of standing in the center of the goalie box and after the last save has been made, Foley is back to shaking hands. No matter the outcome, Foley walks down the line of his opponents and shakes everyone’s hand — just like in his choir classes.
Every Wednesday and Friday night, his favorite nights of the week, he changes out of his t-shirt and pair of jeans into his signature worn out sweatshirt and sweatpants to play with “old guys who want to keep playing” according to Foley.
Although he played on a division one team at the University of Cincinnati, most of his competitive nature is gone. Now, he plays for the love of the game on his recreational soccer team. While a loss when he was a UC Bearcat would have bothered him for days, now the disappointment lasts for “maybe a minute.”
Throughout his soccer career, Foley had one job on the field — don’t let the ball into the net. His teammates could always find him protecting the goal, and that’s still the case today. Since goalies are scarce, when Foley’s now teammate, Jason Ford, heard that Foley was a college goalie, he recruited him to join his men’s team. When Foley arrived for practice without any of the typical goalie attire, the players were skeptical about his skill level — until they started shooting on him.
“He showed up in an old sweatshirt and without any goalie gloves,” Ford said. “He plays a lot better than he dresses.”
Foley has played on teams with players who range in experience from college athletes to adults who had never kicked a soccer ball in their life. He created friendships with teammates of all skill levels. Relationships like these and his friendship with Ford make sharing his success with the rest of the team that much better. One of his greatest achievements on the field occurred during college when he blocked some close goals and his team beat the #19 team in the country 1-0.
“The best moments I’ve had on the field were when the team really came together and had a good win or just did something cool together,” Foley said.
Foley’s overwhelming passion for soccer has not only influenced his life but also his daughters’. Bria, a sophomore at the University of Nebraska, and Jilli, a sophomore here at East, both play. Since a young age, they watched Foley’s games and cheered him on after every blocked goal from the sidelines.
“Both [of my daughters] grew into loving the game. Which is great because then I could tell them everything I know about it and help them love it even more,” Foley said.
Besides showing them how to match pitch and read complicated lines of music, he’s been able to transfer his love for soccer to them as well. When his daughters were in elementary school, Foley happily volunteered to coach each of their grade’s recreational soccer teams. His love for teaching and soccer made coaching a natural fit for him. By coaching their teams, Foley got the opportunity to help them understand the game through his personal experience and teach them how to dribble, pass, and kick their best.
Even though he’s not one of Jilli’s official coaches anymore, he has taken on the role of a supportive parent and fan who gives her tips at her KC Athletico and varsity soccer games. Foley has helped motivate Jilli to continue lacing up her cleats and pulling up her socks — even when she didn’t feel like playing.
“There was one year where I was on the verge of quitting. It was his influence that pushed me to keep going and thankfully he did because now I love it,” Jilli said.
Whether Foley is passing around the soccer ball with Ford and his other teammates during an adult league game or preparing his kids for soccer tryouts, Foley’s passion for soccer is always fueled by a ball at his feet. Even though his passion for the game can sometimes lead to him to being critical of Jilli’s performance during a game, he still loves supporting her and seeing her enjoy the game.
Although Foley’s main priority is music, he loves the opportunity that soccer gives him to build friendships and work with his daughters. Ultimately, he’s just a self-proclaimed choir nerd with a lifelong passion for soccer.
“My goal is to play until I just can’t anymore because I know I will never get tired of it,” Foley said.