An internationally-capped senior women’s player for the Czech Republic, a club head coach in Australia, and the most recent USWNT U20 Head Coach, Jitka Klimkova has seen more places, than many footballers will even dream of in their careers. Also having previously serving as the U19 Head Coach, Klimkova has been at the helm for plenty of international matches, including the 2018 U20 World Cup in France, for the red, white, and blue. Now, she will be joining Internationals Soccer Club, located in Medina, Ohio, adding to their already impressive stable of coaches.
Zdravko Popovic, founder of Internationals, gave a brief origin story, “It started back in 1976…I came to the United States to the University of Akron, one reason led to another and I ended up staying in the area.” Hailing from Serbia, Klimkova highlighted how, hailing from a similar region of the world in Europe, she shares many cultural similarities with the founder. To Popovic, Klimkova is another stellar coach in what already ranks as an outstanding cast of brilliant minds of the sport. He states, “To me, our coaching staff is not only [the] most knowledgeable, but they are most passionate and caring towards the athletes as a human being.” Additionally, he highlights their teaching ability, saying, “You’re not going to win each and every event, but in every event, there is a life lesson.”
The connections made with ISC stem from another well-known name in the youth ranks of U.S. Soccer, already established Internationals coach Keri Sarver. Klimkova herself stated that Sarver is “probably the first reason” why she linked up with Internationals. Sarver, who serves as the Director of Coaching at ISC, established a connection with Klimkova when working together with USSF. Sarver, herself, would even take over the mantle of the Under-19 Head Coach position after Klimkova was given the U20 job.
When discussing their relationship, Sarver says, “We connected instantly and shared a similar philosophy for the game and for teaching the game. We also have very similar personal values as well so it was easy to work together, collaborate and challenge each other.” Based upon spending long hours of coaching and preparation together, Sarver stated, “I knew that she was the perfect fit for the Internationals based on her coaching style, values, beliefs and the amazing way she connects with people.” Given her ability as a coach and as a personal-connection maker, it seems clear as to why Sarver considered her friend and colleague a perfect fit.
While her knowledge of Sarver was a driving force, it was not the only one. For the newest member of the coaching staff, it was a “no-brainer” to join Internationals because, as she put it, “I want to work [with] such a great club and I want to be around such great people.” Of course, the soccer itself was a key reason for joining the club in its own right. She said, “I saw the Internationals teams playing at many, many events, and I really liked the style of play and I understood that [we] had very similar styles of play, we have very similar values for the players – how to coach them and how to develop them.”
Popovic takes pride in the approach to coaching his staff has top-to-bottom. He would state, “The habits, the culture, that we respect and nourish. The discipline that we have, the respect that we have, it is instilled at a young age.” He compared it to building a house, in which the base foundation is the fundamentals of the young athlete. With an emphasis on that, the players learning under the tutelage of expert coaches can continue to grow and improve off that understanding.
When asked about what about the younger athletes is so endearing, Klimkova highlighted the different skill set as a coach that the position takes. “It’s a different approach,” she said. “You have to really focus a little bit on different topics. It’s not much about tactics but more about how we can make them better technical players and making better decisions more…in [a] small field.” In what she called “a lot of fun,” she enjoys helping develop the players of tomorrow, today. Popovic made sure to emphasize he feels the kids that work with coaches like Klimkova and Sarver, among others at Internationals are, as he put it, more blessed than they may currently comprehend.
As an ex-international player, Klimkova understands just how key that has been to her understanding of coaching as a whole. “It’s a big advantage,” she said of her playing days at such a high level. “You play soccer, you understand, you have a passion there…Soccer is my passion and I just wanted to be involved in soccer for the rest of my life.” With such dedication, and a work ethic that Sarver described as “incredible” with her ability to prioritize and plan for the long-term, success stems not just from being a player for her, but from working hard in every facet of her career.
When talking to those who know her best, there is nothing but praise when speaking about Klimkova. April Henrichs, one of the most decorated figures as a player, coach, and technical director in the history of U.S. Soccer, said, “Jitka is a great hire for the Internationals – she brings a wealth of experience working with players from her club in the Czech Republic to coaching the U17s in New Zealand, the U13 to U20 national-caliber players in the U.S. national team system and coaching professional players in Australia.”
As so many have spoken of, Henrichs also highlighted the personal fit, saying, “She also shares the same cultural values as the Internationals – develop individual players to player together for the team – truly teaching the game and most importantly prioritizing player’s development over climbing the coaching ladder.” Sarver, too, highlighted this, saying, “She cares deeply about the players she coaches – not only on the field, but on a personal level as well.”
A love for the game and a love for those she is helping push along to be the best they can be has been crucial in her development as a coach. When all is said and done, Popovic described having a coach like Klimkova involved with Internationals as “priceless”.
Not simply for the players, but for the club itself.
