PITTSBURGH (March 1, 2024) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Riverhounds Academy have added to the Academy’s leadership with the hiring of Joenal Castma as the club’s Director of Satellite Locations and Partner Programming.
Castma is a recognizable name to longtime Riverhounds fans, as he played for the club in its first three seasons from 1999-2001. In addition to his leadership role, Castma will be coaching RDA girls teams beginning in the 2024-25 competitive year.
Since concluding his playing career, Castma has been steadily active as a coach in the Pittsburgh area, including three years as an assistant with the Pitt women’s soccer team, 10 years as the Director of Coaching and Player Development for Allegheny Force SC, and most recently, six years with Beading SC, where he was their Executive Director of Coaching.
“It’s great to welcome Joenal back to the Riverhounds organization,” Riverhounds Sporting Director Dan Visser said. “He’s one of the region’s top coaches with a proven track record of success, both on the field and in club leadership roles. We’re excited for him to help us expand our reach and maximize the positive impact we have on kids in Pittsburgh and beyond.”
As a player, the Uniondale, N.Y. native had a successful college career playing two seasons at St. John’s, where he was the 1995 Big East Tournament MVP in a winning performance, and two more at UMass, where he completed his undergraduate degree in sociology.
Castma turned professional and played in the USL A-League with the Worcester Wildfire and Minnesota Thunder before coming to Pittsburgh. He also made one appearance for Polish club Lechia Gdańsk and played for the Haitian National Team, receiving his first call-up to the country of his parents’ birth in 2000 while with the Hounds.
Castma holds an “A” Coaching License from the U.S. Soccer Federation, and he also completed his degree in mathematics at Pitt after his playing career. He resides in the Penn-Trafford area with his sons, Ethan and Christian, and his partner, Kelly.
