Dear Emerald City F.C. Families,
It is an exciting time for the Club! Director Emeritus Bobby Howe is being reinstated as our Director of Coaching ("DOC").
Bobby served as the Club's prestigious DOC during its peak years as Seattle's preeminent premier youth soccer club having previously been the Director of Coaching for the US Soccer Federation. Bobby graciously stepped aside from the role so that the Club could rebuild after the separation from SYSA but he never strayed far, remaining as a coach of numerous highly successful ECFC teams. Following the "player development" philosophy so strongly espoused by Bobby and indoctrinated into all our coaching staff, the Club has regrown and Bobby's reputation and expertise as DOC now return ECFC to the elite club stature to which it belongs. And Bobby is very pleased to be back: "It is an honor to have been asked by the Emerald City F.C. Board of Directors to direct the soccer component of this club and to help maintain its tradition of excellence. I look forward to working with the players, the coaches and all our stakeholders to help them to understand and to apply our development philosophy which is the backbone of our mission statement."
At the same time, this change is bitter sweet and the Club extends its heartfelt thanks to Erik Oman who filled the role of "Interim Director of Coaching" and DOC during the past three years of regrowth. Erik's enthusiasm for the "ECFC way" is contagious and he created his own legacy as the Club's DOC. The Club has offered Erik a new role as "Technical Director" with oversight of the Development Program as well as continuing his passion for coaching youth teams. We hope he will remain with us for a long time to come.
Other changes in our 2013-14 year included Board adjustments. Steve Tanaka stepped down as president last November -- the Board and Club thanks Steve for his seemingly tireless efforts, between transcontinental flights, to make the Club bigger, better and stronger, and his ongoing volunteer contributions. We also extend many, many thanks to Bill Walsh who participated briefly as executive VP and is now leading multiple specialized marketing efforts, including uniforms, international club associations and more. We are a volunteer organization, and the contributions of people like Steve and Bill make the difference between mediocrity and supremacy. Please consider what you can offer the Club.
You are always welcome to send questions, comments, suggestions and offers to volunteer. You can direct them to
VPMembership@EmeraldCityFC.org and they will be forwarded to the appropriate contact.
Emerald City Football Club Board.
Go Emerald City FC!
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