CP Baltimore Appoints New Assistant Coach

Official Press Release

PALACE BALTIMORE APPOINT TODD WAWROUSEK AS ASSISTANT COACH
Former Vancouver Whitecaps Assistant Brings Extensive Experience to New NASL Club

January 12th 2010 - Baltimore, MD - Crystal Palace Baltimore is pleased to announce the appointment of Todd Wawrousek as Assistant Coach. The former Vancouver Whitecaps FC Assistant Coach began his tenure at the club last week, in time to join the organization's owners and coaches for the inaugural NASL Annual General Meeting and the MLS combine.

"We are very excited and fortunate to be able to have Todd join our staff," stated Crystal Palace Baltimore President and Co-Head Coach Pete Medd. "He has 10 years of experience at the American Division 2 level, he's extremely knowledgeable about the game and about the player personnel at this tier. As we made the decision to go to the US second division, we felt it was crucial to add someone to our staff that has intimate knowledge of that level and personnel, and we couldn't have found a better fit than Todd."

Jim Cherneski, the club's Founder, Sporting Director and Co-Head Coach added: "We are excited to have Todd join us here. We did one of our coaching courses together last year and spent some good time getting to know him then. He's going to be a very valuable addition to our staff."

"I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to come to a club as ambitious as Crystal Palace Baltimore" remarked Wawrousek. "I'm very excited with the ownership group's vision for the team. I hope I can share a little bit from my toolkit to enhance the performance and the brand. I think this club has an extremely bright future and I feel very privileged to be a part of that."

"Todd and I had two very successful seasons together here in Vancouver. He not only did a tremendous job for me, but for the club as well," said Vancouver Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson. "I’m very happy that Todd has received this opportunity with Crystal Palace Baltimore. I wish him all the best in his new role."

A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Wawrousek has enjoyed an impressive coaching career spanning nearly three decades at both the professional and college levels, as well as in youth soccer.

PROFESSIONAL
As Assistant Coach for Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the past three seasons, Wawrousek helped guide the club to the 2007 USL1 playoffs, the 2008 USL1 Championship title and the USL1 Championship Finals in 2009. He held the same position with the Hershey Wildcats in the USISL A-League (the predecessor to USL1) from 1997 to 2001, where his team reached the 2001 Championship Finals.

COLLEGE
Wawrousek's lengthy college career culminated in an 18-year term as Head Coach of the Gettysburg College (Pennsylvania) Women's Soccer Team. Between 1990 and 2007, his team amassed an overall record of 195 wins, 108 losses and 12 ties, reaching the Centennial Conference Championships on five occasions and the NCAA playoffs six times. He was named NSCAA Coach of the Year for the Mid Atlantic Region in 1993, 1994 and 1998, and Mid Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 1992. Prior to 1990, he served as Assistant Coach with the men's soccer programs at Elizabethtown College (Pennsylvania) where his side won the 1989 Division III National Championship title, Alfred University (New York), Millersville University (Pennsylvania) and the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania).

YOUTH
His youth coaching experience includes successful stints with various FC DELCO (Pennsylvania) teams and the Olympic Development Program in Eastern Pennsylvania.