MA's Kohn enjoying busy summer, prepping for All-Star Week
Alex Kohn has been busy this summer thanks to his exploits in both football and soccer. He will be a part of the All-Star Sports week later this month. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Alex Kohn has to balance two sports during the summer and it’s difficult to prioritize one over the other.
In football, Kohn serves as a starting wide receiver and as an all-state placekicker who led his team to the 3A state semifinals. In soccer, Kohn was the team’s leading scorer as he led his team to the 3A state semifinals.
“Our school definitely focuses on football more,” he said. “Almost everybody at school calls me ‘kicker.’ They’re definitely crazy about soccer games, too, but more for football.”
He’s been playing soccer since he was five and football since the seventh grade. This fall, he’ll be playing football for Montgomery Academy but in three weeks he’ll be playing for the South all-stars in the 2021 Alabama All-Star Sports Week.
“He’s sensational in both,” said his football coach, Robert Johnson. “He’s an all-state kicker. He has a college leg, there’s no doubt. He doesn’t let anything rattle him. He also plays receiver for us. I think he’ll be more involved this year because he’s a two-year receiver. But kicking wise, he’s got the whole package.”
While many of his teammates are working out at school, Kohn is working out on his own while he serves as a counselor at Camp Lacey in Mentone, just north of DeSoto State Park.
“My dad went to camp here and worked here when he was a kid and I went to camp here all my life so I just came back to be a counselor,” he explained. “It’s been pretty fun.”
Kohn is pulling double duty at the camp, taking what little free time he can manage each day and working out in preparation for the upcoming season.
“One day I’ll run three miles, so I guess that’ll be for soccer, to stay in shape,” he said, “and I’ll work out every other day (in the weight room) for football.”
“He’s got a weight room where he is and he took some footballs and tees, so he’ll work on those things,” Johnson said. “He’s getting his work in. He’s not around the team but he’ll be back in July and August.”
This past spring, he had a breakout year for the Eagles in soccer with 37 goals and 16 assists to help Montgomery Academy to the 4A-5A state tournament, where they lost to Indian Springs 2-0 in the semifinals.
Playing on the South all-star team will reunite Kohn with teammate Will Berenger, the Eagles’ goalkeeper, and Auburn High’s Josh Fain, a teammate in club soccer.
“I was really hoping I would get to play another game (after the semifinal loss) this season,” he said, “so I’m very excited about it. I played club season in the fall and I have a couple of friends playing on the same team as I am.”
Most of the juniors on the all-star team hope to generate some interest among college coaches with their performance in All-Stars Sports Week. Kohn is no different, but he has another purpose in mind when the two teams meet on July 21 at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex.
“I definitely want to get some interest from (college) coaches,” Kohn said, “but the North team has players from the team we lost to in the state tournament and I definitely want to get back at them and try and beat them this time. Sort of a redemption game, I guess.”