Dayton, January 5, 2020
Dayton Dutch Lions FC today announced the appointment of Sid van Druenen as Director of Soccer Operations. Van Druenen will be in charge of all soccer activities in the club, including the Men’s team, Women’s team, camps, clinics and training school. He will also be the Head Coach of the Men’s team, competing in USL League 2.
Van Druenen is a familiar face for the club, bringing a wealth of experience to the organization. He started working as a youth coach for CDR Quarteirense in Portugal in 2006. In 2011 he came to the USA and joined Soccer Centers in New Jersey. In that same year he joined Dayton Dutch Lions FC as a coach in the youth academy. A year later he was appointed Head Coach of the Women’s team. In 2013 he led the team to the USL W-League Conference Championship. Besides being Nominated for Coach of the Year, the club was also recognized with the 2013 USL W-League Organization of the Year Award. In 2014 he was appointed as the new Head Coach of the Men’s team, competing in USL PRO at the time. The club returned to USL PDL (now USL League 2) in 2016. In 2017 he became the Head Coach of Cincinnati Dutch Lions FC. After that season, Van Druenen joined Wright State University as Assistant Coach, where he currently still works. In 2018 the Raiders won the Regular Season Championship and in 2019 they won the Conference Championship. Van Druenen is also Director of Program Development with youth club Ohio Galaxies FC.
Van Druenen commented on his appointment: "I want to thank the ownership for their vote of confidence. I am looking forward to returning to the club that gave me my first opportunities as a Senior Head Coach. It is my goal to create a high level and competitive environment where (local) players are challenged and can develop to the best of their abilities, while we help them to achieve their goals. We will work hard to put a good product on the field, and I am looking forward to seeing our fans (again) at our games of both our Men’s and Women’s team this summer. I would also like to thank my wife for her continuous support."
Dr. S. Gupta, majority owner and CEO of Dayton Dutch Lions FC, is very excited with the return of Van Druenen to the organization: “Sid has worked multiple years for the club in various positions. He knows our club very well, our (playing) philosophy, our values, our fans, our partners and the local (soccer) community. He has been successful at both Dutch Lions FC clubs and Wright State University. Under his leadership in Dayton, several players have turned professional, also in Europe. Plus, he lives in West-Carrollton. I am looking forward to working with him again.”
Dayton Dutch Lions FC will announce their full 2021 coaching staff for their Men’s and Women’s team and try-out dates for the teams in the coming weeks. You can find more information on www.ddlfc.com and follow the club on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, please contact send an e-mail to info@ddlfc.com.