Sporting Kansas City announced Monday that the club’s youth development academy has added Tommy Howe to the Juniors coaching staff for the 2012-2013 season. Howe, the Executive Director of Player Development at Woodson City Rangers in St. Louis, will serve as the head coach for the Under-12 Juniors and will assist Sporting Kansas City Juniors Director of Coaching Jon Parry with the Under-16 and Under-18 academy teams.
“We’re excited to bring Tommy to Sporting Kansas City,” Parry said. “His emphasis and expertise in the area of player development will be a valuable asset for us as we strive to produce the next generation of elite-level players.”
Howe has established himself as one of the country’s top club coaches since founding Scott Gallagher Soccer Club in 1976, Metro FC in the 1980’s and Woodson City Rangers in 2010. He has directed teams to seven national championships and 14 regional titles while producing professional players that include Tim Ream, Brad Davis and Pat Noonan.
He holds a USSF A Coaching License and played professionally in the North American Soccer League following an All-American collegiate career at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
Sporting Kansas City Juniors under-13 head coach Matt Trumpp and Juniors goalkeeper coach Boris Pardo will complete the 2012-2013 coaching staff, alongside Parry and Howe.
Current Sporting Kansas City Juniors coaches Paul Rideout and Dustin Ottesen have opted not to return to the club following the conclusion of the 2011-12 seasons to pursue other opportunities. Rideout has served on the coaching staff for more than five years and was aformer player for the club, while Ottesen has spent the last two seasons as a head coach for Under-13 and Under-14 pre-academy teams.
Rideout and Ottesen will both stay involved with soccer at the local level and will continue coaching at Blue Valley Soccer Club, a Sporting Club Network affiliate.
“We want to thank Paul and Dustin for their years of service to the club,” Parry said. “We’re appreciative of all their hard work and dedication in building an academy we can all be proud of. We wish them both the best of luck.”
The Under-16 and Under-18 Juniors will continue to play in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, while the Under-12 and Under-14 Juniors will play in the U.S. Club Soccer National Premier League.
All Sporting Kansas City Juniors teams train three or more times a week at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park, where they also host all home matches.
Sporting Kansas City Juniors 2012-13 Coaching Staff:
Under-18: Head Coach Jon Parry, assisted by Tommy Howe and Boris Pardo
Under-16: Head Coach Jon Parry, assisted by Tommy Howe and Boris Pardo
Under-14: Head Coach Matt Trumpp
Under-12: Head Coach Tommy Howe
Goalkeeper Coach: Boris Pardo
