Late coach Gene Klein’s long list of accomplishments won’t soon be forgotten at Quaker Valley

By: Ray Fisher
Saturday, August 5, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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It was a no-brainer when former boys soccer coach Gene Klein was inducted into the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Not only did Klein, who died July 24 from brain cancer at age 71, eclipse 500 wins in his remarkable QV coaching career, he was one of the most influential soccer coaches ever in western Pennsylvania.

Klein led the Quaker Valley boys soccer team from 1981-2005 and again from 2010-2015, reaching 500 career wins in 2015. He taught social studies at QV for 33 years.

One of his favorite projects was marshaling the sports hall of fame at Quaker Valley.

QV athletic director Mike Mastroianni, former coach Jerry Veshio and girls basketball coach Ken Johns make up the Quakers’ hall of fame selection committee.

“Mike, Gene and Jerry have been the driving force of the hall of fame for some time,” Johns said.

Klein’s passion for maintaining the hall of fame was visible in the early days of the “QV honor roll,” as well as later in his life.

“Gene was a very good friend, mentor and colleague for many years. His leadership, influence and guidance touched so many,” Mastroianni said. “His last years before his retirement, he served as the assistant athletic director and, along with Jerry Veshio, we restarted the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame. He took so much pride in making it a special event for our inductees.”

Klein as inducted into the QV Hall of Fame 25 years ago along with athletes Ken Alvania (football), Kevin Carpenter (track), Jenise Lockhart (track) and Bruno Raso (football), coach/athletes Vince Cortese, Dr. Robert McNamara and Johns and contributor Joe “Blackie” Belcastro.

Klein also is a two-time inductee into the WPIAL Hall of Fame, both as an individual and as coach of the undefeated 1996 Quakers team. He was voted individually into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2020.

J.J. Veshio competed in soccer at QV from 1999-2002 with Klein as his coach. After his playing career, Veshio was a QV assistant from 2008-2019 and took over as head coach in 2020.

“Gene was an upstanding mentor that was always willing to help,” J.J. Veshio said. “He held himself to a high standard, and that was reflected in his quality of work in both soccer and teaching.

“We will continue to uphold his legacy within QV athletics and keep a high level of integrity with what we do here.”

Klein finished with a state record six PIAA championships. He also won seven WPIAL titles, advanced to the PIAA finals 10 times and ended up with a 505-139-38 career mark.

The 1996 team was Klein’s best. QV went 26-0, outscored opponents 169-7, logged 21 shutouts and won WPIAL and PIAA titles.

The Quakers were ranked No. 1 nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and Klein was honored as NSCAA national coach of the year.

QV was inducted as a team into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2013.

Klein’s coaching resume also includes four state championships in a six-year span and a 40-7-1 state playoff record. In 29 years. His players accounted for 23 all-state selections and five national All-Americans.

“Our program and soccer in western Pennsylvania is not what it is without him,” J.J. Veshio said, “and I am so deeply saddened that he is gone. This is going to be a difficult season for me without Gene around, but I know he taught me enough to help move QV soccer forward. Our players have a high level of character, and he is a reason for that.

“This man worked at a national and even international level, yet we were privileged to have him as our coach in our small public high school.”

Klein was inducted into the Riverhounds Hall of Fame in 2022.

Not only did he coach with the Riverhounds, Klein later served as the team’s general manager and television broadcaster.

Tags: Quaker Valley