Illinois Piasa Hires Jerry Lakin as Head Coach

October 15, 2010 - Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL)
Illinois Piasa News Release


Illinois Piasa has hired Jerry Lakin and Vince Darnell, both local soccer standouts and coaches from Granite City, to coach Illinois Piasa and Piasa FC, respectively. Jerry has been with Piasa FC as a goalkeeper and assistant coach since it was founded in 2007, and Vince joined the organization several months ago as the Director of Marketing and Sales.

"Jerry has been a big part of our club from the beginning. We are very happy to have hired him as the Head Coach of the pro franchise," said Matt Williams, Owner and General Manager. "Vince made an immediate impact in the front office and is the perfect guy to coach our premier team. They are both great players and coaches."

Jerry holds a USSF National Coaching License and currently coaches the Metro East Lutheran high school girl's team. He coached the Grissom High School girls to a state championship in 1999 and was subsequently named Alabama Coach of the Year. He has over fifteen years of coaching experience at the club, high school, and college levels, not to mention the past three years with Piasa FC. Jerry played in the EISL with the Columbus Comets and the Huntsville Fire, the NPSL with the Wichita Wings, Canton Invaders, and Dayton Dynamo, and in the USISL with the St. Louis Knights, Austin Sockadillos, Chattanooga Rail Roaders and the Wichita Aviators, and he has played with Piasa FC for the past three seasons.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge of bringing a championship team to Granite City," said Jerry Lakin, Head Coach. "I'm anxious to start signing local talent which will be the foundation of our team."

Vince is a member of the NSCAA, a lifetime member of the USSF, and holds his national "C" and "D" coaching licenses. He has played for Kilmarnock Jr. Football Club (Scotland), Chelmsford City Football Club (England, Vauxhall League), Jacksonville Cyclones (Jacksonville, FL, A-League), and the Tallahassee Scorpions (Tallahassee, FL, EISL). He has coached at Columbia College, Columbia MO, NAIA (1988-1992), First Coast KYX Soccer Club, Club Trainer & Coach, 1997-2001, and University of Missouri-Rolla, Head Men's Soccer Coach, 2002-2007.

Illinois Piasa will play in the PASL-Pro Frontier Division (schedule to be released next week). Pro Frontier teams will play a 12-game schedule, while the other divisions will play 16 games. Pro Frontier teams will be evaluated by the league throughout the season with the expectation of becoming a fully vested league member for the 2011-2012 seasons. Piasa FC plays in the PASL-Premier Midwest Division and should begin play in early December (schedule to be announced). Both teams will play their home games at SFF Arena in Pontoon Beach, IL.

Open Tryouts for both teams will be held Tuesday, October 12 from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm, and Wednesday, October 13 from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm at SFF Arena, 4141 State Route 111, Pontoon Beach, IL 62040. The cost is $10 per player. Please show up early to register.

A new website is being developed at www.illinoispiasa.com, which will have schedule and ticket information.

Additional Illinois Piasa sites are: www.facebook.com/illinoispiasa www.facebook.com/piasasoccer



Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from October 15, 2010


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