The Aztex continue to assemble their organization and team for the 2009 USL First Division season. For Austin fans, however, the
2008 season in the USLs’ Premier Development League Mid South Division promises to be the most challenging and exciting ever. Several new developments in the league have come together to make for a competition that will have influences from some multinational powerhouse soccer connections. The season will bring some great matches to the field for Aztex U23 this year. Of course the Austin affiliation with Stoke City in the UK and the hiring of Organization
Head Coach Adrian Heath and U23 Head Coach Wolfgang Suhnholz have super charged the Austin team.
Things have been happening, however, in other parts of the division as well. The El Paso Patriots just announced that they have brought on board Miguel Murillo as Head Coach. Miguel has over sixteen years of professional playing experience with teams such as Cruz Azul, America and Cobras in Mexico. His coaching experience extends into the professional ranks as well. Miguel coached the Pachuca 2a division team and coached the El Paso Patriots A-League team in 2002 His background with Mexican soccer is sure to bring a new and powerful incentive and direction for the Patriots.
Also just this year there was the formation of the new Houston Leones. The Leones are an affiliate of Cruz Azul. They will also have some powerful professional coaching and managerial influences.
The Baton Rouge Capitals have also announced their new Head Coach will be Helio D’Anna. He has been named an NSCAA/Adidas Regional Coach of the Year – which puts him in contention for the National Coach of the Year award along with seven others. Being a native of Brazil, he brings a different style of soccer to the field and is also expected to be able to parlay those connections into bringing in young Brazilian talent to play in the U.S.
Mississippi Brilla also have a new Head Coach in
Steven DeCou. A former USL player and coach, he is currently the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Belhaven College in Jackson, MS. Prior to Belhaven, DeCou served as head Men’s soccer coach at Trinity Christian College in Chicago, Illinois. While coaching at Trinity, DeCou
led his team to capture the NCCAA North Central Region title and advance to the NCCAA National Championships. In 2005 DeCou was named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
While in Chicago, DeCou served as an assistant with the Chicago Gaels of the W-League and the
Chicago Fire Premier of the PDL. During his two seasons with the Fire, DeCou worked with six Fire players that were drafted in the MLS super draft..
Add to all of this the fact that the Laredo Heat are back after gaining the league PDL championship in 2007. There is also expected to be heavy competition from the other teams in the division.
Every game will have fine expert coaching influences and a spirit of heavy competition. The growing numbers of professional connections for division clubs have created lots of improved vision of future potential for players, and many will be giving all they have on the field to rise to the new opportunities.
Fans will be anxiously waiting to see who is standing where when the dust settles.
