Strikers name Tajan director of coaching
SANDPOINT — The Sandpoint Soccer Association (SSA) has named Adam Tajan as the new Sandpoint Strikers director of coaching. Tajan accepted the position last week, and has already begun working in this new role. He will be overseeing coaches in Sandpoint Strikers—the club soccer branch of the SSA.
“We are thrilled to work with Adam to build a stronger soccer program for Sandpoint,” said Chuck Mione, SSA President. “He knows the soccer culture in Sandpoint better than just about anyone, and the fact that he’s homegrown is huge. There is a strong sense that we’re in a good position to really make some progress as a club.”
A native of Sandpoint, Tajan grew up playing soccer in the Northwest. During his youth, he played club soccer for the Sandpoint Strikers and was a member of the highly successful high school soccer program at SHS under coach Ed Bock from 1993 through 1995.
After high school, Tajan went on to play college soccer for the Community Colleges of Spokane and then to Colorado State University at Pueblo. While at CCS he was an All-Conference midfielder and he still ranks among the leaders at CSU for goals and points. After completing his collegiate playing career in Colorado, he spent one year as an assistant coach at CSU while completing his undergraduate degree and playing for the Colorado Springs Ascent of the PDL.
Tajan returned home to Sandpoint in 2000 and served as an assistant coach under former Bulldog head boys coach Randy Thoreson. During this time, he helped the boys program win its first of many state titles. In 2001, he took the reins of the SHS girls program and remained there through the 2009 season. Under his leadership, the girls program at SHS won four state titles and a host of league and district championships. He is currently a teacher at Sandpoint High School and the head boys soccer coach at SHS.
Over the past 10 years, Tajan has personally coached the older boys age group and served as a club trainer for the Sandpoint Strikers.
Evan McNeley, who served as the Strikers Director during the Fall 2010 season, will stay on as the Strikers technical director and will work directly with Tajan to provide the Strikers with quality coaching and player development at all levels. McNeley is currently in the middle of his MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) season playing defender for the Milwaukee Wave, and plans to return to Sandpoint in early April.
The Strikers will be holding an open forum for players and parents on Monday, Jan. 31, from 6-7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Cedar Hills Church warehouse in Kootenai (227 McGhee Road, next to Coldwater Creek). At this meeting SSA will welcome Tajan and he will share his vision for the coming season. SSA will also discuss some important league changes that will impact our club this spring. Anyone interested is invited to attend.
For more information about the SSA call 263-9116, or email “soccer@sandpointosccer.com,” or visit us online at “www.sandpointsoccer.com.”