Kevin Kerr takes the long outlet pass near midfield and has room to work.
He charges into the attacking zone, now near the right corner, and sends a cross into the center of the penalty box, where Robbie Mertz heads it into the bottom-right corner. The goal from Mertz gives Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead over Birmingham Legion FC in the first 25 minutes, and the helper from Kerr cements his spot in the record books, as he becomes the all-time leader in assists for the Riverhounds.
This record-breaking assist, the first of Kerr’s two assists on the day, helped lead the Hounds to a 4-1 victory over Birmingham on June 29, 2019.
From the beginning of his career to the announcement of his retirement this past January, Kerr always held a high standard for himself on the pitch.
“My first day here was during offseason training,” Kerr said. “I think the biggest thing for me, coming from Europe, was being surprised by the level of play and athleticism here in the United States.”
Despite the high level of competition, Kerr adjusted quickly. He broke out by his third season in the USL Championship, scoring 10 goals and dishing out nine assists. He also unleashed a career-high 50 shots in 2015.
Known for being a hard worker, Kerr averaged more than a point per game in 2015 and had several seasons where he uncorked more than 30 shots.
With more opportunities to score came more opportunities to celebrate. And he soon became known for his “Archer” goal celebration, where the midfielder would shoot an “air” bow and arrow after he scored a goal.
This celebration was on full display in the 2015 season opener against the Harrisburg City Islanders. Kerr would score a hat trick in the contest, and teammate Rob Vincent added two goals of his own.
“During that 2015 season, [Kevin and I] were put into leadership roles, with Danny [Earls] and a few other guys,” Vincent said. “As we went through the preseason, we were playing well, scoring goals, and we started to create a bond. At the time, I don’t think we realized how well-connected we were; there are a lot of good memories when looking back on that season.”
Their chemistry on the pitch was undeniable. The Riverhounds finished second in the USL Championship in goals scored that year with 53, 18 of which came from the lethal right foot of Vincent. Kerr added a team-high nine assists, and the Riverhounds reached the playoffs after an 11-9-8 season.
Kerr also led the team in minutes that season, with 2,330 minutes played in 26 games, averaging out to about 89 minutes per match. And he would later finish his professional career as the club’s all-time minutes leader, proving true an old adage of sports: that the best ability is availability.
What might be Kerr’s best attribute, in that season and others, was his ability to create opportunities for others. Even if his play didn’t directly lead to goals, Kerr was a gritty, hard-working player who pressured opposing defenses.
“I think one of the things that gets overlooked a little when talking about Kevin is his ability to create chances and score goals,” Vincent said. “I think everyone looks at him as a hard worker, but if you look back at some of the goals he scored, the assists he had, there’s a lot of quality there.”
ACADEMY REUNION
Upon announcing his retirement from playing professional soccer this past January, another beginning for the York, England native was around the corner.
Kevin Kerr scores a hat trick in 2015 season opener
Staying in the Riverhounds family, Kerr is now the Director of Fundamentals and Position-Specific Training with the Riverhounds Academy on a full-time basis. He also rejoins his former playing teammate Vincent, who is the Director of Private and Small Group Training with the Academy.
“He can offer a whole lot of experience to the younger players,” Vincent said. “These players have looked up to him and watched him for several years, so I think Kevin will have a lot of credibility right off the bat.
“He has a good mind as well. I’ve spent a lot of time talking to him, talking about the game in general. We have our own specific way of how we see the game, but I know he has a good philosophy about how to go about playing the game. I have no doubt he’ll be able to get that message across, especially because he can relate to a lot of the younger players.”
Saying goodbye to his playing career wasn’t easy for Kerr. His seven seasons with the Riverhounds contained numerous highlights, which helped cement his name in the record books. He ranks third all-time in goals scored for the Riverhounds and second in appearances.
“I think as you get older, you know the time is ticking,” Kerr said. “You know, obviously, there’s a piece of me that felt I could still do my job in the league, that I still had something left to offer. But for the last few years, the Riverhounds Academy has always been a realistic option.
“I’m excited to begin full-time work with the Riverhounds Academy and dive into the youth side of things. I’m proud to have played for this organization for the past seven years, and it’s special to continue to be a part of it moving forward.”
Being a part of one organization for his entire career was something Kerr wanted to achieve, and now he has the opportunity to bestow his knowledge to the next wave of young players.
“It was something I was always looking for,” Kerr said. “I never wanted to be the guy that bounced around from team to team and never really have a connection anywhere. I look back with pride, the fact that I stayed here, the fact that I played a role for so many years. To continue that with the Academy is special to me, personally.”