North Park has named Kris Grahn C’11 G’13 as head coach of the North Park Vikings Men’s Soccer Team. A former Viking soccer player himself, Coach Grahn joined the coaching staff in 2011 as a graduate assistant coach, and later was named the associate head coach in 2012.
Grahn, a native of Sweden who comes from a family of soccer players, began playing when he was just five years old.
“We had a little soccer field behind my house,” says Grahn. “Pretty much every day after school I would go out by myself, and I played, and I played. I commentated my own plays and only needed one toy: a ball.”
Grahn came to North Park in 2008 as an undergraduate international business student, then went on to complete an MBA.
Former Head Coach and current Assistant Vice President for Athletics and Sports Management John Born praises Grahn, saying “he was the only person for this job.”
“Kris is the embodiment of North Park,” Born says of the former All-American. “Much of the recent success of the soccer program is directly attributed to Kris, his recruiting, and his work with the team. We look forward to the excellence that he will bring to the role of head coach.”
We sat down with Coach Grahn during a brief break in his busy schedule and asked him a few questions:
Q: Why did you choose North Park?
A: When looking for a college I had three criteria: a good soccer program, small classroom size because, as an international student, English is my second language, and I wanted to be in a big city. North Park not only met but exceeded what I wanted in a college. Even though I’m Swedish, that wasn’t one of the draws. I was surprised when I arrived and saw Swedish stores across the street from campus. I thought I left Sweden, but it was great to see a bit of home right here in Chicago.
Q: What are your goals for your players?
A: Doing well on the field is good, but we want to make sure these guys graduate and have a great future. Something that is very important is to set these young men up for life. After graduating from North Park, they will be able to get a job, they will have good values, and will know how to work in a group using good communication principles.
Q: How did North Park prepare you for your career?
A: What I really like about North Park is the diversity. When I recruit students today, if you go to an all-white, all-black or all-Hispanic school, that is not the world. You are going to work with people from all over the world so the diversity that North Park offers is a huge advantage. If I were to do it all over, I would 100% pick North Park, and I am proud to be a Viking Coach.