This year’s Coaches’ Workshop will feature hands-on instruction from some of the region’s top clinicians:
MARK EDWARDS
Manchester City Academy Coach
A former professional player and four-time winner of England’s Northern Premier League, Mark Edwards has established himself as one of the world’s top youth instructors.
Edwards served 12 seasons as the U16 Academy coach with the largest club in the world, Manchester United, before moving across town in 2007 to direct the U14 Academy for rival Manchester City. Edwards, who holds a UEFA “A’ License and is a Level 1 and Level 2 FA Coach Educator, has also coached in England’s Premiership for Bolton Wanderers (U15 Academy).
He will conduct a Special Topics Session on Fri., Nov. 16 (see page five for details), and will direct a field session entitled "Transitioning to Attack" on Sat., Nov. 17.
TONY WAITERS
Former Canadian National Team
head coach
Former England international goalkeeper and Canadian national soccer team head coach Tony Waiters will be a featured clinician at this year’s Coaches’ Workshop, where he will direct a field session entitled "Integrating the Goalkeeper."
Waiters, who managed the Vancouver Whitecaps to an NASL championship, led Canada in 1986 to its first and only appearance in the World Cup finals, and guided the national team to the quarterfinals at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.
Waiters led England’s national youth side to a European championship in 1973, and guided England’s Plymouth Argyle to a Third Division championship in 1975. He took over the Whitecaps midway through the 1977 season and led them to an upset of the famed New York Cosmos en route to the 1979 Soccer Bowl NASL championship.
Waiters has since written books on soccer skills and coaching, and continues to coach children and young adults, helping them pursue their soccer goals and molding players for the future.
Waiters was honored with induction into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001, and was appointed the first Director of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s (NSCAA) Goalkeeping Institute before stepping down in 2006. He remains a National Staff Coach of the NSCAA and U.S. Soccer.
GLEN BUCKLEY
NYW Director of Coaching
A former professional player from England, Glen Buckley has been the Director of Coaching for New York West since 1999, and has earned great respect as a national leader in emphasizing small-sided games for younger players. Buckley will lead a field session called “Defending Is Fun” at the Coaches’ Workshop on Sat., Nov. 17, emphasizing defending activities in small and large groups.
Buckley has attained the highest credentials a soccer coach can earn — he holds a UEFA ‘A’ license, a USSF ‘A’ license, a USSF Youth License and an NSCAA Premier Diploma, and is recognized as a U.S. Youth Soccer National Staff Instructor and a USSF National Staff Instructor.
Buckley has also worked extensively for the English Football Association Coach Education and Elite Player Programs and was a monitor in the FA Centre of Excellence Program, which identified young players for the FA National School and England National Youth Teams.
MAUREEN DRACUP
NYSW Associate Director of Coaching
Maureen Dracup will be leading a clinic called “Finishing Games” on Sat., Nov. 17. Dracup, who holds a USSF National “B” License and an NSCAA National Youth Diploma, is the NY West Associate Director of Coaching for Binghamton, Twin Tiers and Southwest Syracuse. In addition to her work as an ADOC, she serves as coach of the TC United U13G and is the Director/Founder of the TC United Youth Development program. She is also the head coach for the NYW ‘93G ODP team.
PAUL HALFORD
PA West Director of Coaching
Paul Halford, Director of Coaching and Player Development for PA West, joins this year’s Coaches’ Workshop as a clinician, leading the "Competitive Games" session on Sat., Nov. 17.
He holds both USSF ‘A’ and National Youth Licenses, has been PA West’s Director of Coaching and Player Development since April 2003, and is a member of the Region 1 Girls ODP senior staff.
Halford originally hails from Gloucestershire, England where he played local amateur soccer. He formerly lived in Connecticut, where he was a part of the World Class Soccer club, and was a member of Connecticut’s licensing staff and ODP program.
Halford holds a bachelor’s of science degree in physical education and athletic training from Central Connecticut University.
