INDIANAPOLIS - FieldTurf Tarkett today announced the winners of its inaugural Soccer Coach of the Year awards for 2006. Award-winners were named in six categories, including four professional coaches and two from the college ranks. This year's winners include:
DOMINIC KINNEAR, Houston Dynamo (MLS): In January of '06, Kinnear's Dynamo team moved 1,900 miles from California to Texas, played their first game in Houston in front of 25,000 fans in April and won the 2006 MLS Cup in November. Not a bad year for a team that didn't know where its home would be at the conclusion of the 2005 campaign. No one would have blamed Kinnear if his team got off to a slow start in their new home, especially considering all of the logistical and personal challenges involved in such a move. The title marked Kinnear's first as an MLS head coach. He was an assistant on San Jose's championship squads in both 2001 and 2003 under Frank Yallop.
BOB LILLY, Vancouver Whitecaps (USL1): Under the veteran leadership of Lilly, the Whitecaps captured their first USL First Division Championship in their 14th season in the league with a 3-0 victory over the host Rochester Rhinos on FieldTurf at Paetec Park in Rochester. The victory marked the end of Lilly's winless playoff history in Rochester as he captured his first title in eight USL seasons. It also marked the first win by a visiting team in 16 previous single-game league finals.
LEIGH COWLISHAW, Richmond Kickers (USL2): Cowlishaw's Kickers qualified for post-season play for the 11th time in their 14-year franchise history while capturing their third championship in club annals with a 2-1 win over the Charlotte Eagles. It marked Cowlishaw's second consecutive trip to the finals after losing last year to Seattle in the USL1 title match.
CHARLIE NAIMO, New Jersey Wildcats (W-League): Over the past three W-League seasons, Naimo has led the Wildcats to an astonishing 41-1 regular season record including two regular season titles ('04 and '06) and a league championship ('05), marking one of the greatest team transformations in league history. In 2006 he led New Jersey to a 14-0 record, and his club netted 61 goals while permitting just three. In the off-season, the North Brunswick, NJ native signed on to lead the W-League's Jersey Sky Blue.
MARLON LeBLANC, West Virginia Mountaineers (NCAA-men): After being hired as the head coach on the first day of preseason practice, LeBlanc led West Virginia to its first Big East regular season championship and its first appearance in the conference tournament final. LeBlanc, who took over the Mountaineer program following the dismissal of Mike Seabolt, went undefeated in one of the nation's most competitive conferences.
ANSON DORRANCE, North Carolina Tar Heels (NCAA-women): What more can you say about Dorrance who led the Tar Heels to their 18th NCAA title in 2006? In his 28-year career as head coach of the Tar Heels women's soccer team, he has posted a mind-boggling 629-28-18 record. The '06 campaign was especially sweet. After losing the first game of the season to Texas A&M, the Tar Heels ran off 27 straight victories behind an extraordinary freshmen class. Dorrance started a record seven first-year players to open the second half of the NCAA final against Notre Dame as his team again prevailed.
