Posted on January 16, 2012
BAYAMON, Puerto Rico — The Puerto Rico Islanders have announced that Jack Stefanowski will be the new assistant coach of the North American Soccer League club.
Per the club’s policy the terms of the contract were not disclosed.
“I am delighted to announce that Jack Stefanowski will become my assistant for the forthcoming season,” Islanders coach Darian Whitbread said. “He fully deserves the opportunity to assist me, as well as continuing to coach the goalkeepers. I have known Jack since my first day in Puerto Rico and his work ethic is second to none. He has all the qualities you love in a person he’s a hard worker who you don’t have to ask Jack twice to get a job done and he just smiles and gets on with it. He’s a great family man who speaks fluent Spanish and a winner I look forward to working with to help us move forward with the Puerto Rico Islanders.”
Stefanowski, who has 13 years of coaching at all levels, joined the Islanders in 2008 as the goalkeeper coach, where he coached 2008 USL Division 1 goalkeeper of the tear Bill Gaudette. Along with Whitbread and Colin Clarke in 2010, Stefanowski helped eliminate reigning MLS Champions the LA Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions League.
In that same year, Stefanowski was interim coach of the Puerto Rico male and female national teams. He has also been a part of the coaching staff who has won four championship titles since 2008. The Tropa Naranja won the 2008 USL Division 1 Commissioner’s Cup followed by back-to-back Caribbean Football Union Club Championship wins in 2010 and 2011, as well as the 2010 USSF D2 Championship.
In 2011, the club remained unbeaten at home during the regular season and reached the NASL semifinals.
From 1982 to 2006, Stefanowski played futbol at the youth level, as well as on college and professional teams such as New York Wolfpacks Weston, Irish Rovers SC, Brooklyn Knights, Istria SC and Long Island Rough Riders.
“I would like to thank Colin Clarke for initially bringing me to Puerto Rico,” he said. “Puerto Rico has been great to my family and myself for the last four years. We are grateful to Adrian Whitbread and Andres Guillemard, along with the board of directors, for giving me the opportunity to continue to work with the Puerto Rico Islanders FC. I would also like to thank the fans who have supported us during our recent successes in CONCACAF Champions League, CFU and League competition. With passion and hard work, I look forward to continuing to work with our fantastic head coach, Adrian. We will be dedicated to continuing to promote futbol and its players in Puerto Rico.”
Categories: North America, Puerto Rico, U.S.A.
Tags: Andres Guillemar, Arian Whitbread, Brooklyn Knights, Caribbean Football Union, CFU, CFU Club Champions Cup, Colin Clarke, CONCACAF Champions League, Irish Rovers SC, Istria SC, Jack Stefanowski, Long Island Rough Riders, New York Wolfpacks Weston, North American Soccer League, Puerto Rico Islanders
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