West Region ODP coaching staff announced for 2019-2020

The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP) has announced the West Region coaching assignments for the 2019-20 season.

This June and July in McMinnville, Oregon, the 2002-07 Boys and Girls age groups will convene for a five-day ID camp. From here, the West Region coaching staff will select players to compete in the ODP Girls Thanksgiving Interregional in Boca Raton, Florida, and ODP Boys Interregional in Bradenton, Florida.

ODP Girls ID Camp

June 28 – July 2, 2019 | 2007, 2006, 2005
July 3 – July 7, 2019 | 2004, 2003, 2002

ODP Boys ID Camp

July 8 – July 12, 2019 | 2004, 2003, 2002
July 13 – July 17, 2019 | 2007, 2006, 2005

West Region Boys Coaches 

Liam Connors will serve as the 2002 Boys Head Coach. He just completed his tenth season on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Men’s Soccer coaching staff. In 2014, Connors received the Glenn “Mooch” Myernick NSCAA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year honor after helping UNLV win the WAC Championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. He holds his USSF National “A” License and has worked with US Youth Soccer ODP since 2009.

William “BJ” Noble brings 28 years worth of experience to the 2002 Boys as an assistant coach. He has coached on the club side, where he won a US Youth Soccer National Championship in 2001, high school, semi-pro level, and college. At the collegiate level, Noble has won more than 100 matches since taking over as Director of Soccer at Notre Dame De Namur in 2009.

Eddie Soto is the 2003 Boys Head Coach. In the fall of 2019, Soto will be taking over as the Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills after serving as the Men’s Soccer Head Coach at the University of San Francisco from 2014-18. Soto was also an assistant coach at UCLA for eight years.

Morgan Cathey will serve as an assistant coach for the 2003 Boys. He will be entering his seventh season as Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Whitworth University in the fall of 2019. In his previous six seasons, he has guided the Pirates to a 70-30-15 record and three consecutive Northwest Conference titles (2014-16). Cathey played professionally in South Africa for Ajax Cape Town and Ikapa Sporting.

Brandon McNeil is the 2004 Boys Head Coach. He holds a USSF National “A” License and USSF National Youth License. He previously served as an assistant coach at the University of Portland from 2008-16.

Rob Baarts will work with the 2004 Boys as an assistant coach. This fall, Baarts will be entering his second season as the Women’s Soccer Head Coach at New Mexico State. Previously, he served as an assistant coach for San Jose State and the University of Portland. In Portland, Baarts worked with both the men’s and women’s soccer teams and over a dozen players that played under Baarts went on to play professionally – including Megan Rapinoe and Christine Sinclair.

Bill Irwin brings a wealth of experience to the 2005 Boys as its head coach. He has been involved in coaching numerous age groups for both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Youth National Teams since 1996. He served as the University of Portland Men’s Soccer Head Coach from 2003-15 after previously serving as an assistant coach from 1986-2003. Irwin appeared in 180 matches for English club Cardiff City and played in the North American Soccer League from 1978-84. He is currently a USSF Coaching School Instructor and holds his USSF National “A” License.

David Belfort is the 2005 Boys Assistant Coach. He has served as a US Youth Soccer ODP coach at the state and regional level for more than 15 years. He holds his USSF National “A” License and USSF National Youth License.

Andy Machin is the 2006 Boys Head Coach. He enters his ninth season on the West Region coaching staff and he holds his USSF National “A” License. He is currently a Director of Coaching for a Washington club and an assistant coach for the Seattle Pacific University Men’s Soccer team.

Tom Poole will serve as the 2006 Boys Assistant Coach. Poole is currently the Youth Boys Director of Coaching at the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club. He holds his UEFA “A” and “B” Licenses.

Mark Biagi is the 2007 Boys Head Coach. He is currently a U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy Scout and he has been a part of the Arizona ODP since 2008.

Josh Groves is the 2007 Boys Assistant Coach. He currently serves as the Director of Soccer Development for the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association. He holds his USSF National “A” License and is a U.S. Soccer Grassroots Instructor.

Greg Maas will oversee the West Region Boys. He is currently the Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Utah Valley University where he has amassed 44 wins, one Western Athletic Conference title, and one NCAA Tournament appearance over the programs five seasons of existence. He has been a US Youth Soccer ODP West Region Staff Coach for more than 10 years and he holds his USSF National “A” License and USSF National Goalkeeping License.

Adam Pearce will work with the Boys’ Goalkeepers. In February, Northwest Nazarene University named him Men’s Soccer Head Coach. Prior to taking on the new role, Pearce as an assistant coach at Duquesne University and Ohio State University. From 2013-16, he was the Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Vito Higgins will work with the Boys’ Goalkeepers. He just wrapped up his 11th season as an assistant coach at Gonzaga University.

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West Region Girls Coaches 

Karley Nelson will serve as the 2002 Girls Head Coach. She is currently the Women’s Soccer Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of New Mexico. In her four seasons with UNM, the Lobos have won 44 matches and this past season the Lobos grabbed a share of the Mountain West Regular Season Championship.

Rafa Amaya is the 2002 Girls Assistant Coach. He is currently an Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach at the University of Incarnate Word.

Sian Hudson is the 2003 Girls Head Coach. In 2017, Hudson was named the  Women’s Soccer Head Coach at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. In her first two seasons, she has guided the Clyde’s to two-straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances including a Final Four appearance in 2017. Hudson made three appearances for the Wales National Team from 1997-99 and was the youngest full international player on the team at the time at age 16.

Laura Kane will serve as the 2003 Girls Assistant Coach. She is currently the Women’s Soccer Head Coach at Jacksonville University. Kane has prior experience with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Bucknell University, and Purdue University.

Malia Arrant is the 2004 Girls Head Coach. She is currently the Girls ODP Director of Coaching for Washington Youth Soccer. She holds her USSF National “A” License and a US Youth Soccer National Youth License.

Lyndsey Patterson will serve at the 2004 Girls Assistant Coach. Patterson played professionally in the Women’s Professional Soccer league and National Women’s Soccer League for the Los Angeles Sol, Philadelphia Independence, Atlanta Beat, and Seattle Reign FC.

Kelly Labor is the 2005 Girls Head Coach. Labor will be entering her third season this fall as the Coordinator of Performance Analysis and Camp Coordinator at the University of Colorado. Prior to joining the University of Colorado, she spent four seasons at Colorado State and three seasons at Regis University as an assistant coach.

Fields Brown is the 2005 Girls Assistant Coach. He is currently an Assistant Director of Coaching for a club in Colorado after previously serving as an assistant coach for Georgia State University and Wofford College.

Rochelle Hearns will serve as the 2006 Girls Head Coach. She has extensive experience at the college level serving as an assistant coach at Portland State University and Pacific University and as a head coach at Clark College and Warner Pacific College. She holds her USSF National “A” License and has been a member of Oregon’s ODP staff for more than seven years.

Melanie Langley is the 2006 Girls Assistant Coach. Langley holds her USSF National “A” License and was previously an assistant coach at Portland State University for eight years.

Kate Norton is the 2007 Girls Head Coach. Norton is currently U.S. Soccer Federation Talent Identification Scout and was previously an assistant coach at the University of Arizona. She played professionally in the Czech Republic for FC Slovacko from 2007-08.

Mack German will serve as the 2007 Girls Assistant Coach. In the fall of 2019, German will be entering her first season as an Assistant Coach at Eastern Washing University.

Scott Newman brings a wealth of experience to the US Youth Soccer ODP West Region staff. He will be sharing more than 26 years worth of ODP coaching knowledge as one of the Girls’ Goalkeeper coaches. He is currently a Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach at Seattle University and he holds his USSF National “A” License.

Molly Poletto will be coaching the Girls’ Goalkeepers. She is currently a Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach at the University of Missouri.