Sports : First VS boys soccer coach brings prep honors, college experience to Vikings

The first coach of the new Vinton-Shellsburg High School boys soccer program brings college experience along with high school success to his first coaching job.

The VS School Board approved the hiring of Tim Kearney of Marion. Kearney was a four-year player and two-year starter for the Linn-Mar team which went to the State Tournament in 2008. He was named "Rookie of the Year" of his high school team in 2007, when he was named "Player of the Game" two times. He later accepted a scholarship offer to play for coach Amir Hadzic at Mount Mercy. After studying elementary education at Mount Mercy, Kearney is now studying criminal justice at Kirkwood.

Vinton-Shellsburg is the very last Wamac Conference team to add soccer. In April, soccer enthusiasts and VS students Jake Milroy and John Levis asked the board to consider creating a new program. The two helped research the cost of uniforms and related expenses; the board later approved adding the program.