The Colorado Pride Name Richard Simonyi as Head Coach
The Colorado Pride of the UWS name Hungarian international Richard Simonyi as its new head coach for the 2016 season. Colorado Pride kick off its season on June 5th as they join former W-League teams Colorado Storm and Santa Clarita Blue Heat in the United Women’s Soccer West Conference. Simonyi is a striking and well spoken man who inspires his player to reach to be their best.
Soccer News: The Colorado Pride of the United Women’s Soccer (UWS) West Conference have named Richard Simonyi as their new head coach for the 2016 season. The Budapest, Hungary native brings over 20 years of youth/developmental coaching experience to the Colorado Springs-based organization, and will lead the team in their first season in the new national pro-am women’s soccer league.
“We are so pleased that Coach Simonyi agreed to accept the head coaching position for the Pride women as we enter the inaugural season of UWS play,” said Pride Executive Director Candy Brooks, who was instrumental in the coaching search. “We are confident he will deliver the same tradition of quality soccer and a quality player experience to the Colorado Springs community that we have come to expect in our first two years of operation at the women’s pro-am level.”
Simonyi most recently worked with the Crossfire Premier program in the Redmond, WA area, where he was responsible for the U-17 Boys top competitive team. His work coaching in the Western College Development Association will suit Simonyi well as he prepares to work with the Pride pro-am players, mostly comprised of current college players supplemented by former professionals and international talent.
Simonyi was also highly respected as a youth soccer coach in Southern California where he worked with San Diego Surf SC and Pateadores SC.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Pride soccer program and, in particular, coaching high level players for the UWS squad,” said Simonyi. “I’m committed to get the best out of each and every player individually and as a team as we play the beautiful game the way it should be played.”
Simonyi will have big shoes to fill as he succeeds Daniel Clitnovici (2014) and Sian Hudson (2015), who took their respective squads to the Western Conference Final in each of the team’s first two years of play in the now-defunct W-League. Clitnovici moved on to the top assistant role with the Western New York Flash of NWSL and recently joined the Ohio State women’s soccer staff as assistant head coach. Hudson left the club after last season to join the Colorado College women’s soccer staff.
The Pride will again call Colorado College’s Washburn Field home and open their home slate on June 5. The Pride join former W-League teams Colorado Storm and Santa Clarita Blue Heat in the UWS West Conference, alongside former WPSL powerhouses Real Salt Lake and the Houston Aces. The team’s full official schedule and 2016 roster signings will be announced soon.
Source/Photo Credit: Colorado Pride