WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Otterbein University has hired
Jason Griffiths to the position of head men's soccer coach, announced Tuesday morning by
Dawn Stewart, director of athletics.
Griffiths takes over following the departure of Gerry D'Arcy, who compiled a 274-211-37 mark spanning the past 28 seasons at the helm before recently announcing his retirement.
"I am excited to welcome Jason as our new men's soccer coach," Stewart said. "His ability to connect with student-athletes and use soccer as a tool to develop each individual demonstrates his commitment to the Division III athletics model. His character, commitment to training, and competitive background are superb. Jason is a great addition to our Athletics program and I know he is ready to hit the ground running."
Griffiths, 29, arrives after three-plus years as a Senior Director of Coaching at Classics Eagles Soccer Club in Columbus, where he managed 30 coaches and teams, implemented year-round training sessions for all age groups, coached "elite teams" at regional/national events and spearheaded travel, presentation and summer camp responsibilities. He also served as an assistant coach for Otterbein from 2013-15, specializing in training and recruiting.
"It was an awesome moment when I got the news," said Griffiths, who emerged from a pool of over 100 applicants and then four on-campus finalists. "I had been anxiously waiting ever since I left from my interview. I have a lot of ties to Otterbein, so to now coach here means more than people know. This is just a great feeling."
Griffith's wife, Tara, was a graduate assistant for the women's soccer program in 2009 and 2010 during memorable postseason runs. His sister-in-law, Cristen Herold Beckett, was a three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) midfielder from 2008-10 while brother-in-law, Matt Beckett, was an All-OAC player on the men's side.
A native of Bracknell, England, Griffiths was a two-time all-conference and all-region midfielder at the University of Kentucky before being chosen by the New England Revolution with the 48th pick in the 2010 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. He played one professional season before suffering a tough injury and retiring.
"I think I coach how I used to play… and that's to lead by example," Griffiths said. "I will put trust in my players and empower them to make the right decisions, together. Our teams won't be successful unless we play as ONE unit."
Otterbein has posted an 8-7-3 overall record each of the past two years and last made the postseason in 2003, when the Cardinals earned a share of the OAC regular-season championship. The program claimed five OAC Tournament titles during a six-year span prior to that, culminating with a national-runner up finish in 2002.
"I'm ready to recreate an identity and style of play for this program," Griffiths said. "We will be a hard-working team that likes to keep the ball, protect its home field and has great chemistry. Otterbein has been good in recent years, but now it's time for a little something extra."
In addition to his experience at Classics Eagles, Griffiths briefly served as an assistant at Kentucky before moving to Ohio and beginning local stints with Locker Soccer Academy and Individual Fitness Solutions.
"I believe my vision fits perfectly with the university," Griffiths explained. "We both want to develop the complete person in the classroom and on the playing field. Every player on the team is important to me and everyone will have a big part to play. Each player is different in terms of ability and personality, but we are all fighting for the same cause… to win championships."
Griffiths holds a United States Soccer Federation National "B" License along with his NSCAA level two goalkeeping certification. He and Tara, along with their one-year old son, Blake, currently reside in Dublin.
