Joe Kersting (born c. 1955) is a former American football coach. He served two stints at head football coach at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona from 1987 to 1996 and 2001 to 2007. He led the Glendale Gauchos to two NJCAA National Football Championship, in 1988 and 2005.

Joe Kersting
Biographical details
Bornc. 1955
Playing career
1973–1974Northwest Missouri State
1976–1977Northern Arizona
Position(s)Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1978Cascia Hall Prep (OK) (assistant)
1979–1980Northern Arizona (GA)
1981–1982Glendale (AZ) (DB)
1983Glendale (AZ) (DC)
1984–1985Northern Arizona (DB)
1986Arizona (volunteer GA)
1987–1996Glendale (AZ)
1997Northern Arizona (DB/STC)
2000Glendale (AZ) (OC)
2001–2006Glendale (AZ)
2010–2011Deer Valley HS (AZ)
2014–2016Arizona Christian (DC)
2019Prescott HS (AZ) (OC/QB)
2021Sandra Day O'Connor HS (AZ) (AHC/STC)
Head coaching record
Overall115–45–2 (junior college)
Bowls7–4 (junior college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 NJCAA National (1988, 2005)
5 WSFL (1988, 1990–1991, 2005–2006)

Kersting played played football at Northwest Missouri State University in 1973 and 1974 before transferring to Northern Arizona University, where he played in 1976 and 1977 under head coach Joe Salem.[1] He began his coaching career in 1978 as an assistant at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[2] Kersting was a graduate assistant at Northern Arizona from 1979 to 1980.[3]

Kersting was an assistant coach at Glendale under head coach Chuck Zontanos from 1981 to 1983, first as a defensive backs coach for two seasons, before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1983. In 1984, he was hired as defensive backs coach at his alma mater, Northern Arizona, where he remained until the spring of 1986. Kersting spent the 1986 season at the University of Arizona as a volunteer graduate assistant. He returned to Glendale as head football coach in 1987, succeeding Fred Haeger.[4] In 1997, Kersting went back to Northern Arizona for a third time, as defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator under head coach Steve Axman.[3]

Kersting resigned as head football coach at Glendale in early 2007, and was succeeding by defensive assistant, Mickey Bell.[5]

From 2010 to 2011, Kersting was the head football coach at Deer Valley High School in Glendale. He led the Deer Valley Skyhawks to a 10–2 record and the state quarterfinals in 2011 before resigning. He was hired as the defensive coordinator for the new football program at Arizona Christian University under head coach Donnie Yantis in 2014 and retained in 2016 when Jeff Bowen look over the program as head coach. In 2019, Kersting went back to high school coaching as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Prescott High in Prescott, Arizona under head coach Cody Collett.[6] In 2021, Kersting joined the football coaching staff at Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix, Arizona as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator under head coach Brian Cole. Cole had played high school football for Kersting's father, Jack, who coached the team, and alongside his brother, Kerry.[7]

Head coaching record

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Junior college

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Glendale Gauchos (Western States Football League) (1987–1996)
1987 Glendale 3–6 3–6 7th
1988 Glendale 10–0 8–0 1st W Valley of the Sun Bowl
1989 Glendale 4–3–1 4–3–1 T–4th
1990 Glendale 7–3 6–2 T–1st L Valley of the Sun Bowl
1991 Glendale 8–2 7–1 1st L Valley of the Sun Bowl
1992 Glendale 7–3 5–3 T–3rd W Valley of the Sun Bowl
1993 Glendale 8–2 7–2 2nd W Valley of the Sun Bowl
1994 Glendale 4–4–1 3–4–1 T–5th
1995 Glendale 7–4 6–3 4th L Valley of the Sun Bowl
1996 Glendale 8–3 5–3 T–3rd W Valley of the Sun Bowl
Glendale Gauchos (Western States Football League) (2001–2006)
2001 Glendale 5–5 5–5 T–5th
2002 Glendale 9–2 7–2 T–2nd W Valley of the Sun Bowl
2003 Glendale 9–2 7–2 3rd W Valley of the Sun Bowl
2004 Glendale 6–4 6–3 T–3rd
2005 Glendale 11–0 9–0 1st W Valley of the Sun Bowl
2006 Glendale 9–2 7–2 T–1st L Valley of the Sun Bowl
Glendale: 115–45–2 95–41–2
Total: 115–45–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Meet the Lumberjacks". Arizona Daily Sun. Flagstaff, Arizona. August 24, 1977. p. 8. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ "District 2A-5 Football Prospectus". Tulsa World. Tulsa, Oklahoma. August 20, 1978. p. 8E. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  3. ^ a b "Kersting rejoins NAU staff". Billings Gazette. Billings, Montana. Associated Press. February 4, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  4. ^ Bowers, Kent (February 4, 1987). "Former GCC football assistant happy with chance to be in charge". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. EXTRA7. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  5. ^ Tyers, Tim (January 11, 2007). "GCC's Kersting taking break from coaching". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. C2. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  6. ^ Obert, Richard (January 7, 2019). "Joe Kersting joins Brian Cole's football staff at Sandra Day O'Connor as assistant head coach". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Obert, Richard (February 23, 2021). "Joe Kersting joins Brian Cole's football staff at Sandra Day O'Connor as assistant head coach". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.