“That was an extremely difficult meeting to have, because high school sports is all about the kids,” Berkely said in a release. “But I know the girls soccer program will be in good hands moving forward because the Badin administration does a great job making sure they bring in the right people.”
Badin is posting the job this week. Interested candidates should check the requirements and application opportunities on the Badin website (badinhs.org) or the Ohio High School Athletic Association website (ohsaa.org).
Berkely, married with three children, will have two daughters playing college soccer in 2019 and conceded that family commitments had to take precedence.
Berkely’s older daughter Malia is a 2016 Badin graduate who was a two-time Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year. A redshirt sophomore defender at Florida State University, she helped lead the Seminoles to the NCAA Division I national championship in 2018.
Berkely’s younger daughter Lexi will graduate from Badin this year and has recently committed to play at Indiana University East in Richmond.
“I absolutely loved every aspect of coaching,” said Todd Berkely, an assistant coach at Fairfield for three seasons before coming to Badin. “But family is a delicate balance. It’s hard enough to give 100 percent of your attention to coaching when you’ve got one daughter playing in college, let alone two.”
Badin won the Division III state title in 2013 and 2014. The Rams earned five district titles and one Greater Catholic League Coed Division championship during the Berkely era.
“The thing about Badin girls soccer is that anything’s possible,” Berkely said. “The girls understand that. There’s not one goal that’s not realistic, not one goal that’s not possible, as soon as you walk in the door. It’s all about the tradition. The girls have been able to take that and carry it forward. Right now, there’s a solid foundation in place for the future. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of it.”
Other recent Badin grads who have been college soccer commits under Berkely include Gabby Geigle ’16, University of Akron; Macy Harper ’19, Xavier University; Michelle Hessling ’14, Mount St. Joseph University; Madi Kah ’15, Ohio University; Marissa Kah ’19, Thomas More University; Abby Lampe ’17, Ashland University; Morgan Langhammer ’15, University of Evansville; Jamie Lehker ’19, Northern Kentucky University; Annika Pater ’15, Eastern Kentucky University; Maddie Smith ‘17, DePauw University; and Nicole Visse ’17, Indiana University East.
Badin is looking for just its fifth girls soccer coach this century following Katy Brennan (two seasons), Keith Harring (eight seasons, including the 2005 Division II state title), Steve Tabar (three seasons) and Berkely.
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