Former Yellow Jacket Grant Knight has been part of the men’s soccer staff as an assistant coach since 2011.
The Wellington, Ohio native played three seasons for Cedarville in 2003-04 and 2006 and was a two-time team captain. He appeared in 55 matches with 45 starts totaling 11 goals and six assists for 28 points.
Knight was a member of the 2006 NCCAA national runner-up squad. He was an NCCAA Midwest Region Team selection, was tabbed NCCAA All-America honorable mention, and was an NAIA and NCCAA Scholar-Athlete.
He gained three years of PDL experience playing for the Cascade Surge in Oregon, was a two-time team captain, and served as the squad’s community director.
Knight had a short stint playing professionally for SV Gerasdorf in Austria and later spent time in Amberg, Germany and in Porto Alegre, Brazil training with FC Amberg and Gremio Esportivo Sapucaiense.
He has coached at various levels with club and academy in the U.S. and in Austria. Currently, he works with Athletes in Action as their Director of Performance overseeing projects working with Grassroot Coaching and Players as well as the Professional level.
Prior to AIA, he worked with CUSA SC in Centerville, Ohio as their Director of Coaching Methodology and Outreach.
Knight travels regularly internationally using soccer as a vehicle to affect change in the community. He partners with organizations that seek to use soccer as a platform to raise awareness of current issues impacting the country.
Knight recently co-authored along with Paddy King a book entitled, ‘Alchemy Coaching: Turning training into gold. A Primer on Rondos and Positional Play.’
Knight is passionate about coaching education. He holds a USSF A coaching license along with a UEFA B coaching badge from the Irish FA. Additionally, he has earned his Master of Coaching diploma from the United Soccer Coaches, Master of High Performance from MBP (Spain), Master in Performance Director from FSI (Spain), and is undergoing studies in Tactical Periodization through the University of Porto (Portugal).
He has conducted various internships and coaching visits around the world some of which include D.C. United and the Seattle Sounders from the MLS, FC Schalke in the German Bundesliga, Red Bull Salzburg from Austria, and Boca Juniors in Argentina.
Grant is a 2006 Cedarville University graduate with a degree in psychology. He and his wife, Lisa Marie Knoetig, reside in Xenia with their two children.
