Sky Blue Soccer officially announced today the hiring of Joe Dorini to serve as the Director of the Sky Blue Soccer School. In addition to overseeing the educational branch of the Sky Blue Soccer organization, Dorini will also serve as the Team Administrator for Sky Blue FC - the NJ/NY entry into Women's Professional Soccer.
Dorini joins Sky Blue Soccer from West Virginia, where he most recently served as the Head Coach and General Manager of the West Virginia Illusion of the W-League. An NSCAA Premier Diploma holder and a USSF Licensed coach, Dorini also worked as the Director of Coaching for the West Virginia United Soccer Club and as the Director of Soccer at ProPerformanceRX in Morgantown, WV.
Brandi Chastain, famed member of the ‘91ers (Julie, Joy, Brandi, Christine, Mia) came to New York City this week on business.
She was briefed on Sky Blue, and while flipping through photos, came upon our own All-American goalkeeper Jillian Loyden. “I heard she’s great--that she deserves a look from the national program.”
Way to go Jill; well-deserved from the woman who held the National Team of China scoreless last June when they played Sky Blue select at Rutgers.
Brandi chatted about WPS, and is updated and supportive. We’re confident she’ll be involved in some serious capacity.
Another highlight was her story about the next “Chastain star on the rise.” Jaden, 22-month-old son of Brandi and her husband, Jerry Smith (Santa Clara University women’s soccer coach), got his first pair of cleats just recently. They were a gift from the Brazilian great, Sissi (now a Bay Area resident), whose 3 ½ year old son Michael showed up in his soccer outfit, complete with a Barcelona (Lionel) Messi jersey. Brandi, seeing the jersey of the Argentinean star, remarked to Sissi,
“You’ve certainly got high aspirations for your son.”
According to the Bay Area Sports drive, the story goes that when Sissi was a young girl growing up in Brazil, when she couldn’t find a soccer ball to kick around, she started using the heads of her dolls. Her mother worried about that. Obviously, no such worries for “Messi Michael.”
Look for the return of Brandi when she comes East again to broadcast the women’s Olympic soccer games for NBC TV and its outlets.
Yours,
SBS Blogger
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