Cullina (Reg-I), Sweeney (Reg-II) re-elected to US Club Soccer Board
(Via US Club Soccer) – Mike Cullina (Region I) and Mike Sweeney (Region II) have been re-elected to the US Club Soccer Board of Directors. In addition, K.C. Crabb (Region III) and Eddie Henderson (Region IV) were elected as new members, and all four will serve two-year terms.
Unique to soccer organizations is that US Club Soccer bylaws stipulate that only individuals with significant, competitive soccer experience can qualify for a board seat. Members must have at least five years of coaching experience at a competitive level and at least a USSF “B” coaching license or its NSCAA or international equivalent.
The nine-member US Club Soccer Board of Directors is made up of a chairman and two representatives from each region. The board plays a vital role in developing US Club Soccer’s vision and initiatives and making policy decisions to better serve its members.
The complete list of Board of Directors members with term expirations in parentheses:
-Region I: Jason Dewhurst (2018), Mike Cullina (2019)
-Region II: Tim Lesiak (2018), Mike Sweeney (2019)
-Region III: Gary Buete (2018), K.C. Crabb (2019)
-Region IV: Shawn Blakeman (2018), Eddie Henderson (2019)
-At-large member: John Rennie (annual term)
Region I – Mike Cullina:
Cullina, the Executive Director of Prince William Soccer, also serves as President of the Virginia NPL and Academy Director of the Virginia Development Academy. Additionally, he is a staff coach within the id2 Program and serves a representative on the U.S. Soccer Youth Member Technical Committee. Cullina holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” license.
“I am looking forward to a second term on the US Club Soccer Board of Directors,” Cullina said. “Given the dynamics in the game right now, it’s important to have some consistency within the board, as well as some balance regarding our involvement in the game at different levels and leagues. I look forward to welcoming our new board members, who bring additional experiences and points of view. US Club Soccer has always been a pro-active organization and must continue to work with other youth members, as well as the Federation for the good of the game.”
Region II – Mike Sweeney:
Sweeney, the President of Cleveland Whitecaps SC, ran unopposed in Region II and retains his long-time position on the US Club Soccer Board of Directors. During his 15-year professional playing career, he earned more than 100 caps with the Canadian National Team, including appearances during the 1984 Olympics and 1986 World Cup Finals.
“It is always an honor to be placed in a position of responsibility by one’s peers,” Sweeney said. “At US Club Soccer, we have worked hard for many years to improve the environment our young athletes grow up in. We’ve had some important successes, but there is still much work to be done in the ever-changing world of youth sports. I look forward to doing everything we can to represent the interests of clubs and their members at each step along the way.”
Region III – K.C. Crabb:
Crabb is the Director of Coaching of the Lonestar Juniors Program in Austin, Texas. He has more than 20 years of club coaching experience and 10 years of collegiate coaching experience. Crabb has also served as a coaching course instructor in Texas. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” license.
“Soccer has always been such a true passion in my life. I have dedicated my adult life to teaching the sport to others, and it has always been my goal to instill the passion I have for soccer in others,” Crabb said. “I would like to thank all the member clubs within US Club Soccer for their support. I am humbled by your vote, as I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting a lot of you. It will be an honor to serve in this position. The landscape of soccer is changing rapidly, and I will work diligently on behalf of Region III to ensure the high-standards our members expect are maintained and built upon. I will proudly represent the member clubs to ensure the organization meets all their needs, and continues to provide the professional competitive platform I know the member clubs expect. Finally, I would like to thank George Fotopoulos for his service in this role, and I hope to represent the region as well as he did. Thanks again for your vote, and for giving me this honor to represent you on the board of directors of US Club Soccer.”
Region IV – Eddie Henderson:
Henderson, the Technical Director of ISC Gunners, also serves as a scout for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Since 2009, he frequents id² Training Camps as a staff coach. Henderson has about 20 years of coaching experience, including roles as director of coaching, head coach and scout. He played professionally in the NPSL, APSL and MSL from 1988 to 1999. Prior to that, he appeared on the 17-U, 18-U and 20-U U.S. Soccer youth national teams, including the 1987 20-U World Cup. Henderson played collegiately for the University of Washington and holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” license.
“I am very excited to join the US Club Soccer Board of Directors,” Henderson said. “As a US Club Soccer member since 2009, my first involvement with US Club Soccer was as a scout for the ECNL and then later as a staff coach for the id2 Program. These are two programs that I feel really separated US Club Soccer from the competition. Both programs have flourished very well, and I was fortunate enough to be involved from the outside as a coach. Now as we move into the future, I look forward to being a part of the organization on the inside as a Board of Directors member to continue the work that has been started on previous programming and new and future programing like the Players First initiative, the LaLiga partnership and the new EPNL to name a few. I look forward to helping US Club Soccer continue to grow as an organization and serving on the Board of Directors.”
