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USL Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

James Chambers Named Switchbacks FC Assistant Coach

March 4, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release


Colorado Springs, CO - The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC announced today that James Chambers will join the club as an Assistant Coach. Chambers will work with Head Coach Brendan Burke and Assistant Coach Stephen Hogan as part of the Switchbacks FC technical staff.

Chambers joins the Switchbacks after a storied career as a player and one season coaching with the Philadelphia Union Academy.

"Big thank you to the Ragain family, Dean Weidner, and Brendan Burke for the opportunity to be a part of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC organization," said Chambers. "This is a really exciting time for the club with the opening of the new stadium. I'm looking forward to joining the staff and working with the players to bring success to the organization."

As a player, Chambers began working in the Philadelphia Union pre-academy on a part-time basis while still playing for the Bethlehem Steel FC. After retiring as a player in 2019, he continued his post-playing career rise as a coach with being named a full time coach for the Philadelphia Union Academy. The Union Academy is known for producing some of the most promising young talent in the United States recently with players like Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty, Matt Real, Matt Freese, and many more.

Chambers' playing career lasted 16 years with stints at clubs across Ireland, England, Scotland, and the United States. The Dublin, Ireland native played with Bethlehem Steel FC for four seasons, becoming a mainstay in the starting lineup making 126 appearances and scoring 18 goals in the USL Championship.

"James had a phenomenal career as a player and I was lucky enough to work with him as he captained two playoff teams at Bethlehem Steel," said Switchbacks FC Head Coach, Brendan Burke. "I watched him lead, teach, and compete in a very intense way every day in training. The development of so many of our MLS and now European alumn in Philadelphia will surely share my sentiment that his addition will add a great deal of technical and experiential value to the individual progression of all of our players here in Colorado Springs."

Chambers sits atop nearly every statistical category in the Bethlehem Steel record books. He was also named captain of the Bethlehem steel under current Switchbacks' Head Coach, Brendan Burke, because of his professionalism and leadership qualities with one of the younger teams in the USL Championship.

"I look forward to working alongside James in this new capacity as I have seen first hand early on in his coaching career at the academy level in Philadelphia that he will be every bit as successful a coach as he was a player," added Burke.

The former midfielder tasted some success during his spells with Rovers and The Saints winning a Premier Division title, FAI Cup, two EA Sports Cups, a Setanta Sports Cup and a President's Cup. He also made the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Team of the Year in 2012 and 2015.

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