September 29, 2017 -- The Arizona Youth Soccer Association (AYSA) announces that Austin Daniels, Technical Director, will step down from his current position to take a new position with U.S. Soccer as the Northern California Technical Advisor. In his new role, Daniels will be overseeing 19 U.S. Soccer Boys Development Academy teams in Northern California.
At the AYSA, Daniels has been instrumental in creating:
--Youth Development Academy, which is a developmental program for boys' and girls teams from under-6 through under-8.
--TOPSoccer, which is a community-based program that is designed to meet the needs of children and young adults that have physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
--AYSA's "Kickin' It After School" program, which started in Phoenix and is now offered at schools in Tucson, Yuma, and Casa Grande.
"Austin has brought a tremendous amount of wealth and knowledge to the Arizona Youth Soccer Association since his arrival in 2010," said AYSA Executive Director, Leslie Johnson. "Over the years he has continued to be an amazing ambassador for our sport and his passion for coaching education and his love of our community has elevated the game of soccer in Arizona. We wish Austin the best and we know he will be a great asset for US Soccer."
Daniels also improved the ODP and enhanced the state's coaching education by offering more USSF Soccer Coaching Licenses courses.
Daniels joined the Arizona Youth Soccer Association in 2010, having previously been employed as State Director in Connecticut. He holds a United States Soccer Federation `A' License and was named NSCAA National Women's Soccer Division I Coach of the Year in 1989 at Hartford. He also started the Colorado women's soccer program in 1996 and served as the head coach for the New England Mutiny, a Women's Premier Soccer League team. He was named WPSL Coach of the Year in 2004 after leading the Mutiny to the national finals.