Kosa So has coached on various levels of the game
Having coached various high-school basketball teams over the years, Kosa So thought his involvement on that level of the sport had ended.
Then, some players he knows encouraged So to apply for Bishop O’Connell High School head varsity girls coaching position that opened in recent weeks. So gave that some thought, applied and was chosen from 55 applicants as the Knights’ new head girls coach.
“The time was right to get back into coaching high school basketball, and the opportunity was there,” So said. “I’m super excited about this and looking forward to the challenge.”
So is confident he can build a winning program at O’Connell, saying it won’t happen at once.
“I have seen O’Connell play and I’ve watched a lot of film of them playing. There is talent there,” So said. “We will build from there. I am a firm believer that as each player improves so does the team collectively.”
So is a defense attorney and will not be a faculty member at O’Connell. He is in the process of hiring assistant coaches and organizing off-season training, workout and summer and fall-league schedules.
So grew up in Northern Virginia, graduating from Falls Church High School in 1992, where he played for the boys basketball team. He played basketball in college at the University of Mary Washington, then attended law school at American University.
So eventually began coaching high-school basketball as an assistant coach at Fairfax High, then as the head boys varsity coach at Lewis High for four seasons, then as an assistant at Bishop Ireton. So also has coached on various AAU age levels, girls and boys teams, and has owned a business training young basketball players.
“Kosa So is passionate about the game,” O’Connell athletic director Joe Wootten said. “I am confident that his experience, his leadership, player-development approach and his overall plan to build a strong girls basketball program will have us as a top 20 team in the area.”
The O’Connell girls team finished with a 13-16 record last season, going 1-1 in the Division I private-school state tournament.
The Knights’ last winning season was in the 2019-20 campaign.
