Interim Athletic Director Joshua Kemp.
It’s his dream, and he’s finally living it.
Josh Kemp has taken over as Interim Athletic Director for the Sto-Rox School District, the culmination of years of patience and perseverance.
“It’s a moment of grace when you think about the steps leading up to this,” he said. “When the opportunity came, I was all over it. I did not second guess myself.”
The opportunity to lead Sto-Rox started miles away from ‘The Rocks,’ in Washington County. A native of Westland, Kemp was brought up in the Fort Cherry School District.
Football was a fixture of Kemp’s youth. His excellent play on the field earned him a full scholarship to nearby PennWest California, formerly known as Cal U. While he made plays on the field, he also worked hard in the classroom to earn a degree in sports management. But the path back to high school athletics wasn’t a straight line. It was more like a long touchdown drive filled with a lot of positive plays - and a little negative yardage.
“That transition after college was very, very difficult. I did not know what I wanted to do so I was jumping around.”
Kemp worked in the hotel industry for several years before he transitioned to coaching and the classroom. That’s when the spark to pursue the role of athletic director developed.
“I really wanted to do it when I started coaching,” he explained. “I never would have thought of myself as being in high school (athletics), but I know God has a plan for me.”
Kemp’s faith is one the primary forces guiding him.
“This is His plan, and I love it and I’m accepting it. I’m just extremely blessed to be in this position, to impact lives.”
When it comes to working with student-athletes, trust is a word that comes up again and again.
“My goal is to continue building relationships with these kids. I think that’s - first and foremost - I want to build relationships, just to earn their trust.”
Kemp coaches defensive backs for the Sto-Rox Vikings Football Team. But he’s also a substitute life skills teacher at the Jr./Sr. High School. It’s a role he takes just as seriously as game-planning for the Vikings’ next opponent.
Coach Kemp, right, on the sidelines with the Vikings football team.
“As I started coaching here, I noticed that it was important that there were coaches in the school. Not only for the football team, but for kids nowadays, I feel like the skills that I have, I can relate to a lot of them,” he said. “It’s good to be there, be that role model that they’re looking for.”
For Kemp, coming to Sto-Rox was a move that truly felt heaven-sent.
“I feel like it was an opportunity to have a career. This is where I want to be - the only place I would want to be. I absolutely love it at this school. It’s very, very special to me.”
Kemp knows the road ahead won’t always be smooth, but he’s encouraged by the people around him.
“There are some really good people in this school. I’m just proud of the direction it’s going, and I can see the direction it’s going. And I know we’re going to do great things here. We have some great leaders.”
As for his plans for Sto-Rox Athletics, Kemp has his eye on developing Spring sports - namely softball and baseball. It makes sense, especially when you consider the past achievements like Sto-Rox’s 1989 state softball title.
“We deserve to have a softball and baseball team. The kids deserve to have a softball and baseball team,” said Kemp. “That’s one of my goals, one step at a time. We’re just trying to get some great leaders on board so we can make it happen.” Kemp and Head Football Coach Marvin Mills are also exploring a football program for younger grades, like 7th and 8th.
Another space where Kemp is already making a difference is social media. Kemp is active on Twitter, which he sees as a tool for reinforcement and recruiting.
“My whole goal is just to be positive, uplift the kids, letting them know that they’re important. You never know what coach may see my retweet and reach out. And I have - there have been plenty of coaches who have reached out.”
Kemp wants to build a community around all Sto-Rox sports. When you hear him talk, it sounds like he has visions of a powerhouse program in green and white.
“All the kids from Sto-Rox at different schools, if they were here… you see what Aliquippa is doing? All those kids stayed at Aliquippa,” he explained. “We just want ‘Rocks Kids.’” We have ‘Rocks Kids’ everywhere and we want to build it back up to where we’re keeping the kids where they’re supposed to be.
The more talent, athletically and academically, the better off Sto-Rox will be.
“I believe that with the type of leaders that we have in the school, we can get back on track.”
You can count Josh Kemp among those leaders who are making a difference, one day and one step at a time.
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We’d also like to take a moment to thank outgoing Athletic Director and Physical Education Teacher Steve Bressler, as he pursues another opportunity at Penn State-New Kensington. We wish this Sto-Rox product all the best!