This is the time of year when all of the positive thoughts and wonderful feelings are that much stronger.

It’s funny- when I stop and think about how I arrived where I am today, it takes a while to figure it out. I was a pretty good ice hockey player that was also a decent soccer player, and I ended up playing at great universities with a year or two in the USISL. I always wanted to be an architect but, as fate would have it, I developed a passion for coaching.

I knew that I always loved competition and I love winning, but that is not the reason why I am still here today. After a while, I realized that I have another addiction. It is the players. What has come to mean most to me is all the amazing people that I have had the chance to coach in my 12-year career.

From day one, I have been very lucky to be involved with the best, starting when I had the chance to work for Frank Shillig and the NJ Strikers. That turned into other great opportunities such as becoming the first coach at PDA (NJ), getting the chance to renovate the New Jersey Wildcats and helping get the New Jersey pro franchise, Sky Blue. Those great people are now off the ground and building what I think will be the strongest club in North America. I am truly blessed.

In the begining, it was all about winning the championships. Don’t get me wrong- it is still a major goal, but a new focus developed over the years. The main focus now is success through the accomplishments of the players. The charge of seeing them play in the World Cup or the Olympics, getting invited to a national camp for the first time, getting into a college they dreamed about, the smile to put on a medal and all the accomplishments in their life off the field is what it is all about.

To any coach that reads this, I hope you are lucky enough to share these sentiments.

To all the players out there that have made be a better coach and, most importantly, a better person, I want to thank you and wish you all the best with all your future endeavors.

2008 is shaping up to be amazing. The Pali Blues organization is working on some major projects, and we are very excited about the staff and players we have on board. I am very confident that we will be a positive fixture in the SoCal landscape as we begin the quest of bringing home the W-League trophy in our inaugural season.

See you on the pitch,
Charlie