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NASL North Carolina FC

Colin Clark Announces 2016 Technical Staff

April 5, 2016 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
North Carolina FC News Release


Carolina RailHawks Staff and Players
Carolina RailHawks Staff and Players
(North Carolina FC)

CARY, NC - Since the off-season began, the RailHawks have been making waves in the NASL with key additions to the team and organization. From the announcement of new, local owner, Steve Malik, to the re-signing of Connor Tobin, Tiyi Shipalane, and Nazmi Albadawi, to the addition of new talented players, such as Matt Watson, James Marcelin, and Marvin Ceballos, expectations are high this year.

Another key addition to the technical side of the organization is the hiring of Dewan Bader as the full-time Assistant Coach with the RailHawks senior team. Bader will also fill another important role as Head Coach of the RailHawks National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) team (formerly known as RailHawks U-23s).

Clarke said he is delighted to work more with Bader, and called the addition a great step forward for the RailHawks.

"Dewan is someone who has had a long and successful history in the game, particularly in this area, all the way back to his playing days for N.C. State," Clarke said. "He's been heavily involved with the youth side of soccer in the community, and he has been a huge part of the success of our championship winning U-23s. His role is an important one, as he will work extensively with the senior team, in addition to leading the RailHawks NPSL team. He will also spend important time scouting youth and college players and connecting the dots with our youth development initiatives, partnerships, and the senior team. This is a major step forward as we look to identify, develop, sign and win with significant North-Carolina-based players."

Bader enters his seventh year as Assistant Coach (formerly a part-time assistant) for the RailHawks, and will now serve his ninth year in charge of the RailHawks NPSL team (formerly the U-23s). In his time with the RailHawks U-23s, Bader has led the team to two United States Amateur Soccer Association (USASA) National Championships and assisted in the development of dozens of local college soccer stars, RailHawks players, and other future professional players. Bader recently resigned his post as Director of Coaching for Triangle Futbol Club after serving the organization successfully for 11 years.

On the chance to play a leading role with the RailHawks, Bader said he is thankful and also excited for the opportunity.

"It's essentially what I've been doing for the majority of the last six to seven years, but now I get to do it better," Bader said. "I get to be more committed to it, spending more time doing match analysis for the pro team, spending more time thinking about the training sessions, and providing feedback, identifying and developing players."

A major driver of the development of youth soccer in the state of North Carolina, Bader credits his time with the Triangle Futbol Club Alliance for helping teach him the necessary skill set to transition to coaching for a professional team.

"It's been huge," Bader said. "I had been coaching for a while, but it definitely made me see the game differently from a business standpoint, from a leadership standpoint, and from a development standpoint across all ages."

As for 2016 expectations, Bader only has one goal in mind for both the RailHawks senior team and the NPSL team.

"Expectations are to win all the time," he said. "I think the roster that we've put together in the off-season with the pro team puts us in a really good spot to win the league with the resources we've been provided with this year. With the NPSL team, I think this year we need to make the playoffs. That's the first goal."

In addition to Bader, Clarke will also have Nic Platter and Greg Shields as key assets. Platter, a former RailHawks goalkeeper, will serve as RailHawks Goalkeeper Coach and Director of Team Operations, while Shields, also a former RailHawks right back, will serve as Clarke's assistant coach, in addition to being the Head Coach of the U-16 Capital Area RailHawks Academy team.

Platter joined the RailHawks as a player in 2010 and as a goalkeeper coach in 2012. He now works with the senior team, as well as with the goalkeepers of the NPSL team. In his professional playing career, Platter also spent time with the Sacramento Knights, Minnesota Thunder and the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers after playing collegiate soccer at the University of California, Davis.

Shields, who played his final professional season with the RailHawks in 2012, will be entering his fourth season as an assistant coach. He joined the team in May 2009 as a player, amassing 3,688 minutes in 44 matches.

Prior to his RailHawks career, Shields played for teams including Glasgow Rangers, Walsall FC, Partick Thistle, and Dunfermline Athletic. The Scottish defender also represented Scotland twice, with two national team appearances for the country's U-21 team.

The coaching staff and the RailHawks will travel to Oklahoma City to take on Rayo OKC this Saturday at 8:00pm (EST).

For more ticket and game information, visit CarolinaRailHawks.com/STH. To order, tickets for future home games, visit CarolinaRailHawks.com or call the RailHawks Box Office at 919-459-8144.

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Carolina RailHawks Staff and Players
Carolina RailHawks Staff and Players
   



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