Laredo Heat Announce New Head Coach
Written by admin, Nov 29, 2011, 0 Comments
Courtesy Vanessa Guajardo,
Coach Israel Collazo Remains, Will Handle Youth Initiatives
Laredo, TX : The Laredo Heat Soccer Club, members of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) Mid-South Division have named Fernando Hernandez as the new head man for the 2012 season.
The Heat, founded in 2004 and playing as a full-fledged PDL Franchise since 2005 made the head coaching change announcement today.
Fernando Hernandez has been on the Heat sideline since 2007 as Israel Collazo’s assistant coach.
Though Collazo will no longer be at the helm of the PDL club, he will not be very far away in terms of being involved with the team.
“Israel (Collazo) will still be involved with our organization and he will be part of the contingent that will handle our continued youth development initiative”, said Heat Owner and President Shashi Vaswani.
“Collazo is still considered a valuable asset for our future youth projects and I have asked him to continue, at an aggressive pace, to obtain the necessary coaching licenses which will help our overall program”.
Vaswani concluded, “We are not saying good-bye to Israel, we are just focusing more on the future development of our youth program and moving things around a bit in order to keep things fresh and innovative”.
“I want to thank Shashi (Vaswani) and the entire Heat organization for the opportunity afforded to me back in 2005 and I am happy for the success that we had as an organization and for having been part of the process and feel privileged to have coached so many great players, thanks to them for making me successful”, said Collazo.
“I learned plenty over the past seven years, from all of our wins and losses and appearances in the PDL Finals. I wish all the best to Fernando and there is no doubt in my mind that the success will continue for the senior club”.
Collazo concluded, “I will still be around and will be focused on the youth development side of things, something that I have done before and definitely something that I enjoy doing”.
Outside from being Collazo’s assistant for the past five years with the Heat, Head Coach Fernando Hernandez brings a wealth of coaching experience from his past in Mexico (Monterrey). Hernandez holds several coaching licenses from Mexico including the equivalent of a United States “A” License that allows him to be eligible to coach in Mexico’s First Division.
“I am looking forward to the challenge and I want to thank Shashi for the opportunity that he has trusted me with”, mentioned Hernandez.
“Being alongside Israel over the years has taught me a whole lot about coaching and the style of play here in the United States”.
Hernandez concluded, “I promise to all current and future Heat players that we will continue to bring the intensity that we are known for as a club and that we will continue to give top players the opportunity to continue their growth as soccer players and individuals. At this time, I also would like to thank Israel for the foundation that has been laid and I feel comfortable that we will continue being successful both on and off the field”.
About the PDL
The top U23 men’s league in North America, the PDL provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The USL Premier Development League has proven to be an important stepping-stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world.
United Soccer Leagues
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, United Soccer Leagues has become the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America by building on the vision, commitment, and passion of players, fans and investors. Now in its third decade of operation, USL continues to be a driving force in the growth of soccer in the United States, Canada and Caribbean. USL provides a clearly defined path for the progression of male and female soccer players beginning at the youth level (USL Super Y-League/USL Super-20 League), continuing through the amateur level (USL Premier Development League/USL W-League) and up to the professional level, both outdoor and indoor (USL PRO, I-League). A platform for countless players to reach for their dreams each year, USL is devoted to developing the sport at the grassroots level in every community across the region.
For additional information on the Laredo Heat Soccer Club, please visit our website at www.laredoheatsc.com or call the Heat office at 723 – 4700.
