A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Burrell’s Billy Kowalkowski

By: Ted Sarneso
Monday, September 9, 2024 | 11:45 AM

Coming into the 2024 season, the Burrell boys soccer team was going to be young.

After last season, the Bucs saw eight seniors graduate from a roster that had 18 total players. They came into this season with only four seniors on the roster.

But thanks to the efforts of those four seniors, specifically defender/midfielder Billy Kowalkowski, the roster boasts 10 seniors and has enough players (28) for Burrell to field a JV team.

“My freshman year was the last time the school was able to field a JV team,” Kowalkowski said. “I hated seeing kids sitting around and only seeing action in practice. I knew I could recruit at least four or five kids to get us to the required 24 players for a JV team.”

Said coach Andrew Kariotis: “Part of that was because of Billy’s recruiting. People just gravitate towards him.”

Said Kowalkowski: “It wasn’t too hard to get the kids to come out. I stuck to the perks of it being a fall sport that can keep you in shape for the winter or spring sports that they normally played. I brought in eight players, and half have played soccer before at some point.”

An all-section and all-WPIAL selection last season, Kowalkowski is also a captain this year for the first time and organizes a lot of activities for the team to participate in together that don’t involve soccer.

“He’s been sort of a leader in a lot of ways since his freshman year. He’s hosted and organizing team-bonding activities outside of school,” Kariotis said.

Said Kowalkowski: “We’re all good friends, and we really like to hang out. It’s like a family. It creates a better team connection, and that translates to the field.”

The connection helped Burrell to a great start to the year. The Bucs started 2-0 overall and in Section 1-2A play after the first week of the season. Kowalkowski scored two goals and dished out six assists.

In his previous three years, Kowalkowski scored eight goals and compiled 13 assists.

Kowalkowski will be a midfielder during the early part of the year and is comfortable in that position having played it for Steel City FC. He will switch to defender once the Bucs hit their tougher section schedule later on in the year.

When he’s not on the field, Kowalkowski is president of the student council and volunteers at Knead Community Cafe. He is the valedictorian of his class and will hope to have his pilot’s license by mid-January.

Which do you like better, playing defender or midfielder?

For my club team, and really my entire life, I’ve played forward, but in high school, I don’t mind playing back.

How will the team try and repeat last year’s performance, which ended with two WPIAL playoff wins and a state playoff win?

It’s going to take a lot, especially since we’re playing up in 2A. We just have to be coachable. It’s going to take a lot of hard work. We still have a great amount of talent; we just have to find ways to deploy it.

What are your thoughts moving up and playing in Class 2A this year?

Class A was still pretty competitive. I think it’s better just in the fact that some of the fields we played on in Class A were pretty bad. We don’t have to drive as far and will get to play on more turf fields.

What are your goals for the season?

I want to beat my stats from the previous three years, double my assists from last year or at least double my goal totals.

What part of your game are you looking to improve on this season?

Since I’m a captain this year, just working on my coaching both on and off the field. Do more while doing less on the field.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Off the field, I try to be as informative and helpful as I can. On the field, I’m very structured and very vocal. I have a high standard on the field, and I want my teammates to have that same standard.

What are your post-high school plans?

I’m looking into Arizona State, Utah State and Purdue for flight school.

Favorite high school memory so far?

Getting the experience to be emcee for last year’s graduation. I’m not the best public speaker, so that was a learning experience for me.

What’s one piece of advice you’d want to leave your teammates?

Stay consistent and positive in everything you do.

Tags: Burrell