MONROE — The Monroe High School boys soccer program has a new leader.
Billy Gronostaj was announced on Wednesday as the boys varsity soccer coach, pending approval by the Monroe Local Schools Board of Education.
”Coach Gronostaj has a proven track record of being a player-centered coach who focuses on building relationships with student-athletes to maximize their success both on and off the soccer field,” Monroe athletic director Eric Silverman said. “He places an immense amount of value on holding students accountable to the core values of the program and I believe that his background, knowledge and experience as both a player and a coach are the perfect combination to ensure our boys soccer program continues to be recognized as one of the premier programs in Southwest Ohio.”
Gronostaj previously served the last two seasons as a varsity assistant coach and technical director to former head coach Michael Oster.
A 1998 Lakota West graduate, Gronostaj was a three-year All-Greater Miami Conference player who was named All-State during his senior season.
Gronostaj went on to play four years at Wilmington College where he graduated with a degree in business administration. While at Wilmington, Gronostaj was a four-year starting goalkeeper and senior captain for the Quakers, earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) honors three times, was named OAC Goalkeeper of the Year, and named to the NSCAA Region I Team in 2001.
He still holds Wilmington College’s career shutout record 21 years later.
Following his playing career, Gronostaj served four years as the club goalkeeper coach and more than 18 years as a club soccer coach for Cincinnati United Premier (CUP). Additionally, he spent two years as a regional director at GK1 Goalkeeper Academy, where he mentored many athletes who went on to play at the collegiate level.
