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USL Richmond Kickers

Kickers Academy Staff Announced

August 16, 2012 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, VA - (Thursday, August 16, 2012) - The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the 2012-13 Academy Coaching Staff. Technical Director, Ihor Dotsenko, will once again oversee the U18 team, assisted by Virginia Commonwealth University assistant coach, Matt Cannady. The U16 team will be led by newly appointed technical staff member, Mark Stollsteimer, who teams up with Virginia Commonwealth University's number one Assistant Coach Brett Teach.

Additionally, Kickers pro legend, Ronnie Pascale, will maintain his duties as Goalkeeper Coach while Director of Soccer, Leigh Cowlishaw, will continue to oversee the program while taking charge as Interim Head Coach of the University of Richmond men's soccer team.

The Academy preseason began last week for the Kickers 40 Academy players with an intense schedule of exhibition games against D.C. United, CASL and South Carolina United slated. The 10-month regular season schedule kicks off on Saturday, September 15 when the Kickers face cross-town rivals, Richmond Strikers.

Meet the Coaches

Ihor Dotsenko, U18 Academy Head Coach

Holding a USSF "A" License and a UEFA "A" License, Dotsenko has been involved with the Richmond Kickers organization at all levels, from youth to the professional ranks since 1998. A professional soccer player for seven years, including four seasons with the Richmond Kickers (1998, 2002-03, 2006), his career included stints with the Lehigh Valley Steam (USL-1), Raleigh Capital Express (USL-1), Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1), Sporting Kansas City (MLS) and Philadelphia KiXX (NPSL), amassing a total of 41 career goals and 10 assists.

Acting as the club's Technical Director since 2003, Dotsenko oversees the Kickers youth soccer programs, ensuring proper player development, recruiting and hiring coaches, managing training schedules and curriculum, coordinating tryouts and evaluating teams, while coaching a Kickers U-13 Boys Elite and a U-17 Girls Elite team. A 1997 Wake Forest University graduate and Scholar Athlete, the Kiev, Ukraine native holds career records in points (46) and goals (18).

Matt Cannady, U18 Academy Assistant Coach

Cannady joined the VCU men's soccer program as Volunteer Assistant prior to the 2011 season after spending the 2010 campaign as the team's graduate assistant while earning his master's degree at the VCU Center for Sport Leadership.

Mark Fowler, U18 Academy Assistant Coach

Coaching with the Kickers for the past five years, Fowler brings thirty years of coaching experience to the Kickers Academy program and holds a FAW Intermediate Coaching Badge. He has been the coach of Thomas Dale High school for the past fourteen years, leading Thomas Dale to twelve district, three region and two state titles.

Mark Stollsteimer, U16 Academy Head Coach

Joining the Kickers full-time staff in June 2012 as an Assistant Technical Director, Stollsteimer is integrated across all levels of programming, working closely alongside the Kickers technical staff to guide the strategic direction of the club. With 14 years of experience as a head coach at the NCAA Division II and III levels, Stollsteimer spent 12 years as head coach at Davis and Elkins College and two years at Millikin University. He brings over 10 years of experience as President, Technical Director and Director of Coaching for three different soccer clubs, serving most recently as Director of Coaching at the Bolton Wanderers Futbol Club of Illinois.

Brett Teach, U16 Academy Assistant Coach

Teach is in his second season as Assistant Coach at Virginia Commonwealth University, bringing 25 years of collegiate coaching experience to Richmond. His resume includes men's and women's head coaching positions at Tusculum College, Auburn University at Montgomery, George State University and Oglethorpe University, compiling an overall record of 375-208-28. During his successful career, Teach has been named Conference Coach of the Year nine times. He has also received NAIA Region XII Coach of the Year and NAIA South Region Coach of the Year on four occasions, while earning NSCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors in 2008 and NAIA National Coach of the Year accolades in 2000.

Ronnie Pascale, Goalkeeper Coach

Pascale is a 13-year veteran with the Richmond Kickers pro team and has made over 300 appearances in a Kickers uniform since becoming the club's starting goalkeeper in 2002. Backstopping the team to six Championship appearances and two league titles, the franchise player has posted seven shutouts so far in 2012.

Leigh Cowlishaw, Director of Soccer

An integral member of the Kickers franchise since the club's inception in 1993, Cowlishaw has compiled an overall record 204-103-73 over 13 seasons as head coach of the Richmond Kickers professional team. Under his guidance, the Kickers have qualified for postseason play 11 of the past 12 seasons, reaching the league title match six times (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010) and claiming the USL crown twice (2006 and 2009).

As Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer, Cowlishaw provides technical direction and guidance for all levels of the Kickers organization and serves on the Richmond Kickers Board of Directors. Integral in establishing the Richmond Kickers youth club in 2000, he now works closely with the technical staff to oversee nearly 8,000 youth soccer players in programs sponsored by the Kickers and partner clubs.

Cowlishaw also acts as interim head coach of the University of Richmond men's soccer team.

About the Richmond Kickers Cost-Free U.S. Soccer Development Academy

Designed for the serious soccer player born 1994-2000, seeking to reach his full potential by playing and training at the highest level, the Richmond Kickers Cost-Free Academy is committed to excellence on and off the field, playing with and against the best that U.S. Soccer offers.

Through the support of partnerships with The Computer Solution Company, Proseal America, Inc. and multiple donors, the Richmond Kickers U16 and U18 Academy players are not required to pay traditional player fees, and all hotel, flight and ground transportation expenses associated with league travel are covered by the club. Valued at nearly $20,000 for a four-year player, the Kickers cost-free Academy eliminates the most significant barrier for talented soccer players to compete in U.S. Soccer's world-class program. Unprecedented in the state of Virginia, the Kickers join 17 other Academy clubs who offer fully funded programs, including the majority of professional clubs in Major League Soccer.

Established in 2007, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy strives to improve the everyday environment for the elite youth player. The Development Academy is a partnership between U.S. Soccer and the top youth clubs around the country to provide the best youth players in the U.S. with an everyday environment designed to produce the next generation of National Team players.

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