Coach, mentor, friend: Quaker Valley, Riverhounds remember Gene Klein

LEETSDALE – Those who follow, know and appreciate soccer in western Pennsylvania mourn the death of Gene Klein. But they also celebrate his life, which sadly ended way too soon.

One of the sport’s most iconic personalities in the Pittsburgh area for almost 50 years, Klein died Sunday at the age of 71. He had battled an incurable brain cancer — glioblastoma — the past two years.

“It is a sad and difficult day for the Quaker Valley community and QV athletics,” said Mike Mastroiani, the athletic director at Quaker Valley where Klein established himself as one of the top soccer high school coaches in the WPIAL and the entire state.

“Quite simply, what Gene did at Quaker Valley as an educator and soccer coach is hard to match. His leadership, influence and guidance touched so many.”

“The impact Gene had at our high school is maybe beyond description,” said Jerry Veshio, a former track and football coach and athletic director at QV. “He was so influential to so many people.”

Klein, a 1970 graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, played soccer at the University of Pittsburgh. After graduating from Pitt in 1974 with a degree in history, he served as an assistant coach at Bethel Park High School in 1976. A year later, he was named head coach of the Carnegie Mellon University men's soccer team. He coached soccer at CMU for four years and even coached the Tartans’ women’s basketball team in 1980-1981.

Then in 1981 he landed his dream job as a history teacher and boys soccer coach at Quaker Valley.

Klein coached the QV boys soccer team from 1981-2005 and again from 2010-2015. In those two stints, his teams compiled an overall record of 505-139-38, winning seven WPIAL championships and a record six state titles. He took the Quakers to the state final 10 times.

He was WPIAL Coach of the Year five times and PIAA Coach of the Year twice.

His teams won WPIAL titles in 1985, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2012. His teams won PIAA titles in 1985, ‘91, ‘93, ’95 and ‘96 and then shared the championship in 2000 when it tied Fleetwood after four overtimes, 1-1.

His best team was obviously in 1996, an undefeated 26-0 squad that won WPIAL and PIAA titles. That year the Quakers were ranked No. 1 nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and Klein was named as the NSCAA national Coach of the Year. The team outscored opponents 169-7 and recorded shutouts in 21 games.

In 2013, that team was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame. Klein was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2021.

In his 29 years at QV, his players accounted for 23 all-state selections and five national All-American honors.

Klein’s first and last state titles came 15 years apart, displaying the winning consistency he maintained in his program.

“He’s one of those coaches who in his particular sport in Western Pennsylvania and the state of Pennsylvania will be remembered for a very long time,” Mastroianni said after Klein retired from QV in 2015. “The amount of success he’s had and as many kids as he’s influenced over the years is remarkable. He’s the best soccer coach in the country in my opinion.”

J.J. Veshio, who’s now the boys soccer coach at Quaker Valley, agrees.

A 2003 QV grad, J.J. Veshio has a unique perspective on Klein’s impact. He played for Klein for four seasons and experienced the thrill of winning a WPIAL and PIAA title. He then served as a QV assistant from 2008-2019 under Klein and Andrew Marshall. Then in 2020, J.J. Veshio became the Quakers’ head coach and led QV to a WPIAL title in 2021.

“There are a million things to say about Gene, but let me put it this way: there’s an old adage that you have to put in 10,000 hours to become and expert, but I would argue that that spending five minutes learning with Gene, he gets you those 10,000 hours,” J.J. Veshio said. “He didn’t try to be a wealth of knowledge but he was a wealth of knowledge, and not only in soccer. He was a great history teacher. He was just a great person. He was always willing to help you in every way possible.

“The biggest thing I learned from playing under Gene was not how to be a better player, it was how to be a better person.

“As a player, he was very stern and hard on us, but not in a bad way. He demanded a lot from us because he knew we had potential. I learned of his expectations when I first met him in eighth grade. I knew what the expectation was for a high school soccer player at QV. From then on, we worked our butts off, non-stop. But not in a bad way. He made you a better person.”

“I would introduce Gene as the best soccer coach in Pennsylvania,” Mastroiani said. “But a vast majority of QV grads would tell you he was the best teacher, as well.

“He put QV soccer on the map with all those WPIAL and state championships, and his influence is still prevalent today in our soccer program. His influence on QV athletics was more than just soccer. In my opinion, he was the foundation behind the many years of QV athletic success. He set the standard that Quaker Valley could win championships in team sports on a consistent basis and compete at the highest level.”

Kleins’ impact on Western Pennsylvania soccer stretched well beyond the high school level.

After leading Quaker Valley to the state finals in 2005, Klein resigned to become head coach of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, a professional team in the United Soccer League. He served as coach through the 2009 season. Klein also served as the team’s general manager during that period.

Under his leadership, the Riverhounds established the Riverhounds Academy which forged a relationship with England’s Everton FC and brought the “Everton Way” training methods to the club in the Academy’s early years.

After his coaching tenure with the Riverhounds ended, Klein remained with the club in various roles. From 2014-2019, he and longtime coaching colleague Paul Child moved into the broadcast booth, providing analysis on TV telecasts of Riverhounds games.

“Today we mourn the loss of a Pittsburgh soccer legend,” the Riverhounds said in a statement. “Gene Klein played an irreplaceable role for the Hounds as a coach, GM and more. He impacted the lives of so many, and his legacy will live on forever. Our thoughts are with Gene's loved ones during this difficult time.”

Last fall, Klein became the sixth inductee into the Riverhounds’ Hall of Fame. He was inducted during halftime of a game at Highmark Stadium.

In honoring Klein’s passing, the Riverhounds hailed him as “Our coach, our mentor, our friend.”

Funeral arrangements for Klein will be announced by his family in the next day or so.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Coach, mentor, friend: Quaker Valley, Riverhounds remember Gene Klein