Kirk Harwat, who grew up in North Royalton, and graduated from North Royalton High School, has been named as the new Head Coach of the Men’s Soccer team at Cleveland State University.
Harwat was an assistant coach at Cleveland State for the last five years under Ali Kazemaini. Before the 2016 season began, Coach Kazemaini announced that he would step down at the end of the season to spend more time with his family and concentrate on personal business.
Harwat traces his love of soccer to growing up in North Royalton in the Cedar Estates and Timber Ridge neighborhoods. “It seems that I was always kicking the soccer ball around,” said Kirk. When he was 4 or 5 years old, Kirk started playing organized soccer. “The youth leagues taught me the grass roots, how to kick, how to dribble, individual ball control. You know the very basics. And learn how to be part of a team.”
By the time he was about eight years old, Kirk went from the Rec Leagues, to Travel Soccer and eventually to Club Soccer. Back in the day, Kirk played club soccer with Ohio Premier and Cleveland United.
“My first coach was my dad Harry. He never played soccer, but he taught me how to be in control, how to win,” said Kirk.
An early sign that Kirk had a future in soccer came in his freshman year at North Royalton High School.
“I was playing on the freshman team in 1997 when, along with two teammates, Eric Cox and Joe Westfall, I was promoted to the varsity,” said Kirk.
Kirk Harwat remained on the North Royalton Boys varsity soccer team until he graduated in 2000.
From North Royalton High School it was on to college. Kirk played college soccer at Ashland University and the University of Akron. The 19 goals Kirk scored as a freshman at Ashland still stands as a school record. Kirk went on to tally 15 goals as a sophomore at Ashland and 18 goals at Akron in his final two college seasons.
Kirk was one of 50 players invited the Major League Soccer combine. Eventually, Kirk signed a professional contract to play with Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany. Kirk played with the German club for three years.
Harwat was an assistant coach on the collegiate level at Louisville and Richmond. In addition, Kirk was an assistant at the Internationals Soccer Academy where he helped with the U-16 and U-18 teams.
Kirk views his chance to Coach at Cleveland State as a “special opportunity in a special city.”
Kirk has big plans for the Vikings. “I have good contacts within the Cleveland Soccer Community. I hope they consider Cleveland State. I would like to bring two-to-three Cleveland kids to the team next year.” Plus, Kirk wants to keep the international connections that the CSU Soccer team has established.
While Kirk Harwat takes over a Division 1 Soccer Program at Cleveland State, he remembers it all started with kicking a soccer ball at Heasley Fields in North Royalton.

By JOE JASTRZEMSKI
Contributing Writer