Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday that assistant coach John Pascarella has left the club to become the head coach of the Des Moines Menace in the Premier Development League (PDL).
“After the season, John and I had a discussion around his coaching future,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “He has high aspirations in the coaching realm, and I'm extremely supportive of that. We appreciate everything he has done for our club, and on behalf of the entire Sporting KC organization, we wish him nothing but the best.”
"I would like to thank Peter and the entire Sporting Kansas City organization for the past eight years," Pascarella said. "I have grown a lot in my role and I owe much of that to Peter's mentorship. The memories I've made with this club will never be forgotten. I look forward to embarking on the next chapter of my career with the Des Moines Menace."
Pascarella begins his head coaching tenure in Des Moines after spending each of the last eight seasons with Sporting Kansas City. He joined the club’s technical staff in 2009 and was a goalkeeper and fitness coach until 2011, when he became an assistant coach.
During his stint as an assistant, Pascarella helped guide Sporting Kansas City to a club-record six straight playoff appearances — a highly successful period that included the 2013 MLS Cup championship as well as the 2012 and 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles.
Pascarella played professional soccer for nine seasons — including spells in the U.S. and Peru — before beginning his coaching career in 1998 at the University of Maryland. He then moved into Virginia youth soccer circles, coaching at the high school level and within the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program.
Prior to his arrival in Kansas City, Pascarella was the head coach and technical director of the Northern Virginia Royals in the USL Premier Development League from 2007-2008.
