Avalanche Soccer Club hires new director of player development

SANDPOINT — The technical director for the North Idaho Avalanche Soccer Club, Scott Clawson, is pleased to announce the hiring of Ray Smith as the club’s first Director of Player Development & U16/17 boy’s head coach.

As the director of player development, Smith will begin training the Avalanche players on a weekly basis this coming fall season. In addition, he will coach the club’s first boys team starting this summer. The U16/17 team is comprised of players from Bonners Ferry, Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Post Falls and Sandpoint, and will be competing during the summer, winter and spring. They also plan to compete in tournaments that will be in Canada, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

“Smith just returned from a two-year stint coaching his son in Spokane, with the Spokane Shadow and the Spokane Spiders, where his teams won three championships,” said Clawson. “Smith is committed to being competitive, while not sacrificing player development, individual playing time, sportsmanship, character or fun.  He will also be helping each player to find a college soccer program that would be a good match for them.  In addition, he brings a wealth of experience to our club after 16 years as a paid full time soccer coach.”

Smith has an accomplished soccer background, having played in college at Biola University and then for the Southern California Seahorses of the P.D.L. He has also coached in college and high school, was formerly the state director for the ODP for Idaho, and has coached the Spiders and Strikers.

Smith, who owns The Athlete’s Choice in Sandpoint, is looking forward to working with the Avalanche, who also have a U14 and U11 girls teams in Sandpoint.

“With the addition of Ray to our U16/17 boys team, and his ability to attract players from as far away as Bonners Ferry, Coeur d’Alene, Moscow and Post Falls, these players will have the opportunity to play year round, travel throughout the Northwest, and get professional coaching,” added Clawson, noting that supplemental tryouts for fall and spring are currently available.

For questions regarding opportunities with either the boy’s or girl’s Avalanche teams, please contact Scott Clawson at “northidahoavalanche@gmail.com.”