Story courtesy of KWUCoyotes.com
Cody Bartlow has been named men’s soccer coach at Kansas Wesleyan.
Bartlow comes to KWU from Central Christian College in McPherson where he was Director of Soccer and head coach for the men’s and women’s teams.
“I’m incredibly honored to be trusted with such a position at such a highly prestigious school that has a history of excellence in the athletics program,” Bartlow said. “I’m really excited to get started and build on what’s already there.”
Bartlow spent three seasons as head women’s coach at Midland University (Neb.) before going to Central Christian. He was assistant women’s coach and recruiting coordinator at Southwestern Christian University (Okla.) from 2020-21.
Bartlow has extensive experience with club soccer and is currently head coach of Sporting Wichita’s UPSL team which consists of college athletes, semi-pro soccer players and high-aged academy players. He also coaches Sporting Wichita’s 08/07 MLS Next team.
Bartlow was Athletic Director and Head Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Coram Deo Academy in Flower Mound, Texas from 2015-20, Assistant Women’s Coach at Northwood University (Texas) from 2012-13 and Women’s Soccer Assistant at Dallas Baptist in 2011. He is a graduate of and has a master’s degree from Dallas Baptist.
“Knowing what he’s done in the past he was a perfect fit for our men and I’m really excited to have Cody get here and hit the ground running,” Athletic Director Miguel Paredes said. “I believe that Cody has the knowledge and is very analytical about the game. He’s coached at Midland in the GPAC (Great Plains Athletic Conference) which is one of the toughest soccer conferences in the NAIA, and he understands it. His Central Christian teams played everybody tough.”
KWU defeated Bartlow’s team 2-1 last fall, scoring the game-winning goal in the 87th minute at JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex.
Bartlow said several factors attracted him to KWU.
“Definitely the culture and focus on developing young men and a competitive environment with high academic standards as well the overall college experience that you would sell to potential student athletes,” he said. “All of that leads into what I think is going to be a great job.”
Bartlow said his team’s playing style is based on control.
“We want to be a team that controls the ball, controls the tempo of how the game is played whether that’s a breakneck pace being very aggressive or the times when we decide to slow it down and establish dominance and field position through a possession-based game,” he said.
“Soccer is a very chaotic game – no timeouts, very limited stoppages – so it’s really hard to exhibit control out there. But I believe in a style of play that mimics life and like life, is very uncontrollable for us as well. So, we try to control our control as much as we possibly can.”
Bartlow said he is familiar with the Kansas Conference after Central Christian played several league schools each of his two seasons.
‘We’re surrounded by the KCAC,” he said. “I feel like I’m more a part of the KCAC than I am the Sooner (Athletic Conference) so absolutely have a good viewpoint on what I’m coming into.”
Bartlow says the KCAC compares favorably to the GPAC.
“Like the GPAC there’s a lot of really good teams in the KCAC, but you obviously have the elephant in the room in (Oklahoma Wesleyan),” he said. “For some teams it’s kind of that David versus Goliath matchup, but I don’t think that will be for us. I think we’ll match up with them very evenly.”
Bartlow puts special emphasis on recruiting.
“When Cody accepted the position his first thing was, ‘when can I get my Kansas Wesleyan email?’” Paredes said. “I asked, ‘why?’ and he said, ‘because I’ve got a lot of recruiting to do.’ That excites me.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do here in the next couple of months and especially going into the fall season as well.”
