Kazbour Finds Success In First Year at Jenkins

THE LEDGER

LAKELAND | Following a coach that's had the kind of success Joe Lenard had at George Jenkins would be tough for anyone. Lenard helped turn Jenkins into a national power in girls soccer, with two state championship appearances and one title.

 

For a typical first-year head coach, filling those shoes would seem to be impossible.

 

But Marissa Kazbour is not your typical first-year coach. She only believes in the possibilities that hard work can achieve. Because of that, Kazbour never tried to fill Lenard's shoes. She's more than comfortable wearing her own size 8s.

 

Kazbour has George Jenkins undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the nation, according to ESPN's Fab 50 rankings. More importantly, Jenkins is playing for the Class 4A state title on Saturday when it takes on Ida S. Baker.

 

"Input equals output," she said. "(Success) depends on how much work I'm willing to put into it and learn from and get better and I think that's how much I'll get out of it.

 

"Even though it's my first year, I've been around a lot of soccer," the 22-year-old Kazbour said. "It's about winning. Jenkins has had a lot of good coaches before and (Lenard) did a really great job with the program. You always give credit to the coaches before. It's kinda like walking in and tweaking a couple of things and hoping luck is on your side, really."

 

There was no doubt in Kaz- bour's mind that her team would continue to be successful. That's how she is wired. Her confidence comes not from cockiness, but from preparation, determination and hard work.

 

A former All-American and Hillsborough County Player of the Year at Bloomingdale High School, Kazbour never was the biggest soccer player, and she often wasn't the fastest. Even now, when she stands in the middle of the Jenkins girls soccer team, it would be hard to differentiate the petite 5-foot-5 coach from one of her players.

 

But what Kazbour lacked in pure physical ability, she made up for with preparation, knowledge and pure desire. She wants to be the best in everything she does and she's willing to work to achieve it.

 

"Marissa was a coach's dream," said Florida State coach Mark Krikorian, who coached Kazbour for three seasons and talks to her at least two times a month. "She worked hard every single day and always wanted to know what it took to get better."

 

Krikorian said while Kazbour was at FSU, she went to the team's national championship-winning track and field coaches and asked for assistance with her speed and quickness for soccer.

 

"She had such a passion for the game," said Krikorian, who plans on being at Saturday's state final. "She has a drive. She really wants excellence and she's willing to work really hard to accomplish those goals."

 

Kazbour graduated from FSU in 3½ years with a degree in sports management. She could have gone to graduate school at FSU, gone overseas and played. or transferred to another college.

 

After talking it over with Krikorian, Kazbour decided to transfer to Rutgers for grad school. But she played in one game before deciding to leave, returning to Valrico to help with her family's restaurant business before applying for the Jenkins' job. It opened up after Lenard was forced to step down because of his affiliation with a club team that could have affected Florida High School Athletic Association rules about transfers.

 

Kazbour has been preparing to coach her entire life. She trained 16-year-old soccer players. When she played, she kept a binder of training and activities, and a record of motivational tactics.

 

"I didn't know it would come so soon but I knew I would definitely get back into soccer," she said.

 

The Jenkins' girls, apprehensive at first, adopted their coach's desire and intensity.

 

"You could see right away she had a lot of energy," said senior Tori Abnathy. "And she always seems to know what to do to get us going."

 

Kacy Scarpa agreed.

 

"A lot of people were concerned if we were going to like our new coach," said Scarpa, a senior. "There was a lot of unknown with the change. But obviously when she started coaching, everyone grew to love her."

 

They love her because the self-proclaimed "Southern girl" is easy to relate to. She loves country music (Jake Owen is her favorite artist) and loves being outdoors. She would love to be on the cover of Southern Living just as much as ESPN the Magazine or Women's Health.

 

"I don't mind getting dirty," Kazbour said. "I don't mind taking the fish off the hook."

 

Kazbour's easy-going nature helped the girls adjust.

 

"And the fact that she's young and she's a girl and she can relate to us very well," Scarpa said. "She was in our shoes not too long ago so she understands what we're going through and she understands like how we think.

 

"When we have to get things done, she's on top of it," Scarpa said. "She's fun, but when it's time to get serious, she's serious. It's a perfect balance."

 

Kazbour's Bloomingdale team got to the state championship in 2006 only to lose in the finals. This time, she wants the title for her team.

 

"I don't know if it's hit me yet," she said. "As a player I have always been very, very competitive. To me, it's like we've got to win. We've got to win this one and the next one and the next one. I don't think it's like we've got to win because it's the state championship. I say it, but in here (points to heart), it's just another game that we've got to win."