Ken Lolla focuses on paying forward the blessings he's had in his life. He is a published author and professional speaker, both of which emphasize the importance of putting others first. He believes that our gifts are best utilized when we are truly in service to others.

His passion for team & leadership building have enabled him to help athletic departments and businesses across the country. When Ken's not promoting positive environments and culture, he spends his time in Louisville, KY with his wife Tina and their three children.

 

  

Recipe for Success

Ken Lolla has built a career on ideologies that were ingrained at an early age for him. Ken’s success is based on the timeless principles and character-based leadership skills that he strives to represent in his daily life. Passing these principles on to inspire change, motivate growth, and encourage personal development in the lives of others has been the trademark of his career for over 25 years.

Speaking Engagements 

Ken is a frequent keynote speaker for businesses, sports team, schools, and non-profit organizations.

Some of them include:

• Adidas America

• Brown Forman

• Christian Academy of Louisville

• Evangel World Prayer Center

• North East Christian Church

• Southeast Christian Church

• The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

• Fellowship of Christian Athletes

• Home of the Innocents

• Montrose Auto Group

• Montgomery Car Dealership

• QK4 Engineering Company

• St. Anthony’s

• The Zoom Group

• University of Louisville MBA Program

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Publications

Ken Lolla is the author of Finding Your Gifts, a timeless tale of a compassionate boy and his friend that highlights the importance of finding and growing your own gifts while also recognizing and celebrating the gifts in others.  This beautifully illustrated book will inspire and captivate both children and adults.

The Blue Apple Players, a local theater group that focuses on children’s plays, created an interactive performance adapted from Ken’s book. During the show, the actors ask the audience to be as involved in the performance as they are during soccer drills. Click here to find out more about it.

Finding Your Gifts can be purchased at the following locations in Louisville, KY:

• Vermilion House 

• Carmichaels

Ken also wrote Passing It On, This informative book is written to guide and direct coaches to effectively conduct training for youth players. This is a set of two manuals that includes the philosophical basis for instructing youth players, elements of a successful training as well as exercises to bring out the best in young players. This set is a helpful tool for those who are new or recently started coaching youth teams. The YMCA uses it as a guide for their volunteer soccer coaches.

Attacking Soccer, edited by Jay Miller, is a book that emphasizes the attacking principles in training a soccer team. Ken authored the chapter, “Attacking through the Midfield”, which provides insights on how to develop and execute an effective attack through midfield play. Also includes favorite drills so that you can practice the same attacking skills used by elite players.

 

A National Powerhouse

When it comes to building a soccer program into a national powerhouse, as University of Louisville Head Coach, Ken developed a reputation as a leader in the soccer world. Just ten seasons ago, Coach Lolla inherited the U of L program’s 5-11-2 record. The team had never even been to an NCAA tournament.

Ken guided the University of Louisville men’s soccer program to three consecutive Elite 8 appearances, an NCAA College Cup Final, and a number-one national ranking. A two-time National Coach of the Year, Ken Lolla and his staff had sixteen players drafted to Major League Soccer (MLS) in six seasons, the most of any program in the country. The Cardinals recently had the number-one MLS draft pick and the MLS Rookie of the Year.

Ken’s Roots & Accolades 

Ken had much of the same results in his thirteen seasons at Akron, where he guided the Zips to a number-one national ranking, won eight conference championships, and made five straight NCAA tournament appearances. Ken is the all-time winning-est coach in the program’s history and was recently inducted into the Akron Hall of Fame. 

Ken began his coaching career at Belmont Abbey College in 1989. In just three seasons, he was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year. Ken has served as the under-fifteen National Team Coach and has coached over 30 players who went on to play professionally. As a player at Duke University, Ken was the team captain and a two-time All-American. Ken went on to play professionally for several teams, spending most of his career with the Canton Invaders, where he met his wife Tina. He holds a bachelor’s in biology from Duke University.

ACC “Game Changer” Award

The University of Louisville men’s soccer team was recognized as Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) “Game Changers.” The Game Changers initiative recognizes ACC teams' involvement with their local communities.

The U of L men’s soccer program teams up with the special-needs community to celebrate life. The team hosts an annual special-needs soccer clinic called “Kickin' it with JT & Friends,” a community event focused on creating an unforgettable experience for its participants. The clinic has grown over the years, and operates at capacity with 50 participants and over 100 volunteers.