U.S. Soccer Legend Steps Down as Boston Breakers Head Coach
09/15/2011 - 11:43 a.m.
Norwood, MA (Sept. 14, 2011) - Former U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Tony DiCicco has formerly announced his retirement as Boston Breakers head coach effective immediately. Head coaching duties will be passed to former Associate Head Coach Lisa Cole. DiCicco will remain with the organization in an advisory role.
DiCicco, best known for guiding the United States to gold medals at both the 1996 Olympic Games and 1999 FIFA World Cup has accumulated an international record of 103-8-8, making him the all time wins leader in U.S. National Soccer Team history. Prior to taking the head coaching position with the Breakers, DiCicco led the U20 USA Women to a World Cup Championship in 2008 in Chile.
DiCicco took over as Breakers head coach prior to the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPS) inaugural season in 2008. DiCicco finished his three-year coaching tenure with a 23-26-16 record, bringing the Breakers just one game shy of the WPS championship game in 2010.
“Tony is one of the most accomplished coaches in American soccer history, and it’s been a true honor to have him lead the Breakers for the past three seasons,” said Boston Breakers Board Governor Michael Stoller. “Tony’s dedication to the Breakers, the sport of soccer, and the city of Boston has established the Breakers as one of the premier franchises in the WPS, and we look forward to his continued involvement with the organization.”
New Head Coach Lisa Cole has spent the past three seasons working under DiCicco as Breakers Associate Head Coach. Cole is coming into an ideal situation, inheriting a team with the highest season ticket sales in the league and eight players who competed in this past summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
"Lisa Cole is an outstanding coach with a great soccer mind," DiCicco said. "She is excellent at managing players and staff, and she is ready to lead the Breakers. I have enjoyed working with Lisa over the past three seasons, and I think I learned as more from her than she did from me."
Cole brings over a decade of coaching experience at both the collegiate and semi-professional level, along with experience in soccer operations and management to the Boston Breakers. Prior to joining the Breakers, Cole was the President and Assistant Coach of SoccerPlus Connecticut Reds, a Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) team coached by DiCicco. The team played its inaugural season in 2007, capped with a USASA U-23 National Title, a USASA Bronze in the Open Cup, and a WPSL playoff run. In addition, Cole is the Director for the SoccerPlus Education Center, a non-profit organization that provides and participates in educational programs, seminars, community outreach events and individual mentoring on and off the soccer field.
Cole’s collegiate coaching experience includes a year at Florida State, where she served as Assistant Coach under renowned Head Coach Mark Krikorian in 2005. Prior to that, she served as Head Coach of the University of Rhode Island (2003 and 2004), where she compiled a 19-18-4 record and a 13-6-3 record in Atlantic 10 play.
The Breakers look forward to resuming play in early April as the WPS kicks off for its fourth season. All home games are played at Harvard Stadium in Allston, Mass.
09/15/2011 - 11:43 a.m.
Norwood, MA (Sept. 14, 2011) - Former U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Tony DiCicco has formerly announced his retirement as Boston Breakers head coach effective immediately. Head coaching duties will be passed to former Associate Head Coach Lisa Cole. DiCicco will remain with the organization in an advisory role.
DiCicco, best known for guiding the United States to gold medals at both the 1996 Olympic Games and 1999 FIFA World Cup has accumulated an international record of 103-8-8, making him the all time wins leader in U.S. National Soccer Team history. Prior to taking the head coaching position with the Breakers, DiCicco led the U20 USA Women to a World Cup Championship in 2008 in Chile.
DiCicco took over as Breakers head coach prior to the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPS) inaugural season in 2008. DiCicco finished his three-year coaching tenure with a 23-26-16 record, bringing the Breakers just one game shy of the WPS championship game in 2010.
“Tony is one of the most accomplished coaches in American soccer history, and it’s been a true honor to have him lead the Breakers for the past three seasons,” said Boston Breakers Board Governor Michael Stoller. “Tony’s dedication to the Breakers, the sport of soccer, and the city of Boston has established the Breakers as one of the premier franchises in the WPS, and we look forward to his continued involvement with the organization.”
New Head Coach Lisa Cole has spent the past three seasons working under DiCicco as Breakers Associate Head Coach. Cole is coming into an ideal situation, inheriting a team with the highest season ticket sales in the league and eight players who competed in this past summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
"Lisa Cole is an outstanding coach with a great soccer mind," DiCicco said. "She is excellent at managing players and staff, and she is ready to lead the Breakers. I have enjoyed working with Lisa over the past three seasons, and I think I learned as more from her than she did from me."
Cole brings over a decade of coaching experience at both the collegiate and semi-professional level, along with experience in soccer operations and management to the Boston Breakers. Prior to joining the Breakers, Cole was the President and Assistant Coach of SoccerPlus Connecticut Reds, a Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) team coached by DiCicco. The team played its inaugural season in 2007, capped with a USASA U-23 National Title, a USASA Bronze in the Open Cup, and a WPSL playoff run. In addition, Cole is the Director for the SoccerPlus Education Center, a non-profit organization that provides and participates in educational programs, seminars, community outreach events and individual mentoring on and off the soccer field.
Cole’s collegiate coaching experience includes a year at Florida State, where she served as Assistant Coach under renowned Head Coach Mark Krikorian in 2005. Prior to that, she served as Head Coach of the University of Rhode Island (2003 and 2004), where she compiled a 19-18-4 record and a 13-6-3 record in Atlantic 10 play.
The Breakers look forward to resuming play in early April as the WPS kicks off for its fourth season. All home games are played at Harvard Stadium in Allston, Mass.
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