VSI Tampa Bay FC is announced Wednesday that George Fotopoulos will be its 2013 W-League head coach. Fotopoulos comes to VSI with a wealth of soccer-specific knowledge and experience.
The VSI W-League team will play all of its home games during the 2013 season at Plant City Stadium.
“We are thrilled to have George Fotopoulos as the head coach for our W-League team. George is not only a proven player and coach on the field, but his professionalism off the field mirrors the success he has had on the field,” said director of soccer Clay Roberts. “His passion for the game and for his players reflects the values that VSI is all about. I know we are in for an exciting season.”
The University of Tampa graduate began his coaching career in 1995 as the director of coaching for the Heather Soccer Club and as a member of the Florida Olympic Development Program staff.
In his first year, Fotopoulos directed the Tampa Bay Heather to the USYSA National Championship.
Fotopoulos quickly found his way to the college game. In 1997 he would take the lead for the University of Tampa women’s program.
The University of Tampa women’s soccer program broke into the NSCAA national rankings in the 1999 season; which propelled Fotopoulos’ career into the women’s head coaching role at Louisiana State University.
Under Fotopoulos’ direction, the LSU Tigers received the Most Improved Team in the Country award in 2000. During his time at LSU, from 1999-2004, the Tigers earned the NSCAA/Soccer Times Top 25 award, and were SEC tournament finalists in both 2000 and 2001.
Fotopoulos made the move back to Tampa in 2008 where he stepped into the head coaching position of the W-League’s, Tampa Bay Hellenic. In 2009, Fotopoulos was a W-League National Coach of the Year Finalist.
Fotopoulos’ success in coaching was highlighted again when he was chosen to evaluate as a USL W-League combine coach and United Soccer Leagues National ODP staff coach.
Currently, Fotopoulos works as the Director of Coaching for the Tampa Bay United youth soccer club and as a United States Soccer National Center staff coach.
George holds the USSF “A” License, NSCAA Premier Diploma, and USSF National Goalkeeper License.
“I am very excited to be joining VSI Tampa Bay FC and a club that is so committed to the advancement of soccer in the U.S.,” he said. “The W-League is one of the top women’s leagues in the world and we hope to field a team that will be competitive. The Tampa Bay area has produced so many of the top, young, female players in the college game and with some quality senior players we hope to represent VSI and the Greater Tampa Bay area with an exciting team.”
VSI Tampa Bay FC W-League will hold an open trial on Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 2-4 p.m. at Collier Park in Land O’Lakes.
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