PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. - The Pali Blues Soccer Club of the USL W-League proudly announced today that Walid and Ziad Khoury have came aboard as assistant coaches. The two nationally acclaimed coaches of the Slammers FC youth soccer program will join Head Coach Charlie Naimo on the sidelines when the 2008 season opens.

“Having Ziad and Walid on board is a blessing,” Naimo commented. “Not only do they have absolute integrity, but they also have a great passion, work ethic and knowledge of this game.”

Naimo, who has compiled an overall 53-3 regular season record over the past four seasons, also made note of previous conversations with the Khoury brothers.

“We have always talked about working together, and now we finally get that opportunity,” he said. “It is always more meaningful to do special projects with friends and great people.”

The Khoury brothers are licensed professional coaches, and they have seen inarguable success with Slammers FC. The club has remained one of Soccer ’s top ten clubs in the nation over the past five years, and the Khoury brothers have been selected as Cal South Coaches of the Year in both 2003 and 2005. Nike presented Ziad with Girls Competitive Coach of the Year accolades at the 2006 Soccer Nation awards banquet.

"I love my players,” Ziad affectionately stated. “I believe that God put me on this planet to teach kids."

In the past eight years, Slammers FC has played in six national championships, winning three. The club has also seen international success in winning three World Titles, four U.S. Club Soccer national championships and three Manchester United Cup titles. On the regional level, they have won ten Far West Regional championships, 19 Cal South National State Cup titles and over 40 Surf Cup championships. The two brothers have placed numerous players in every major Division-1 conference, and over 15 players have participated in the national team system.

Under the tutelage of the Khoury brothers, Alexa Orand was named the 2004 National Player of the Year and Denisha Adams was selected the 2006 U.S. Soccer Federation Youth Player of the Year.

Slammers FC maintains a mission to create a challenging and positive environment in which the development of the physical, intellectual and psychological elements necessary for soccer excellence are maximized.

“Skills and teamwork are everything,” Walid remarked. “You train hard, learn the game, love your teammates and success will naturally follow."

The USL W-League played its inaugural season in 1995, and it is recognized as the premiere development league for female players in North America . The schedule is set to open next May and commence in August. The Pali Blues have secured the newly-renovated Palisades High School field as their home venue in their inaugural 2008 season.