Jack Hermans and Catherine Gordon to join Sid van Druenen, adding a lot of experience to the coaching staff
Dayton, December 16 - the Dayton Dutch Lions FC have added the final pieces to the technical staff for their 2014 USL PRO team. Sid van Druenen was named as the new Head Coach of the Men’s side in early November after leading Dayton’s W-League team to a Southeastern Conference Championship in 2013. Dayton Dutch Lions FC is pleased to announce that he will be joined by two experienced Assistants, Jack Hermans and Catherine Gordon. The trio of coaches looks to get the Dutch Lions FC to a second consecutive appearance in the USL PRO playoffs.
Jack Hermans has been a fixture in the Dutch Lions FC organization from its inception and was a part of the coaching staff that guided Dayton to the playoffs last season. He began coaching in the Netherlands after his professional playing career ended prematurely due to injury. Hermans gained recognition as a high school coach in Cincinnati before joining the staff at Xavier University. He ascended to the top spot at Xavier and became the school’s all-time winningest head coach during a 14-year run at the helm.
Van Druenen said, “Jack has been with the team since the beginning and has proven to be a great asset.”
Catherine Gordon arrives at the Men’s side after assisting van Druenen to pilot the Dutch Lions FC Women in a remarkable worst-to-first campaign last season. She recently completed a season as the goalkeeper coach for the University of Cincinnati’s Women’s team. Gordon played goalkeeper for the W-League’s New Jersey Wildcats, where she coached from 2010-2012. Her extensive coaching resume also include stints as an assistant for the men’s team at the City College of New York and as a coach in the New York Red Bulls Regional Development School.
“I worked with Catherine last year, and she was fantastic. She makes me better. I think that is important, and that is why I invited her to be on my staff,” remarked van Druenen.
The 2014 season will be the fifth year of competition in Dayton for the Dutch Lions FC Men’s team. The club fielded a professional team in USL Premier Development League in 2010 before joining USL PRO the following year. The Dutch Lions FC have improved every year since joining USL PRO, reaching the playoffs for the first time in 2013.