February 8, 2008 6:21 PM
Rapids add two to staff
The Rapids have named Juergen Sommer the team's director of soccer and Gary Smith have hired Gary Smith as an assistant coach.
Sommer will work on scouting, the Rapids youth academy and operational aspects of the club. He also will work directly with the first-team goalkeepers.
Sommer, a former NCAA goalkeeper of the year, spent the past two years working as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Indiana University. He also recently served as the goalkeepers coach for the U.S. men's national team.
Sommer earned 10 international caps with the U.S. national team from 1990 to 1998.
Sommer was the 1990 NCAA adidas goalkeeper of the year and led the 1988 IU team to an NCAA championship. Following his playing career at Indiana, Sommer signed with Luton Town of the English First Division in 1991. He led Luton Town to the FA Cup semifinals in 1993 and was named the English goalkeeper of the year that season. In 1995, he became the first American goalkeeper to play in the English Premier League when he suited up for Queens Park Rangers.
Sommer returned to the U.S. and played in the MLS from 1998 to 2002 with the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution. He played 54 games in his MLS career, making 249 saves. He was named to the All-Star team his final year. While with the Revolution, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Harvard.
Smith’s responsibilities include supporting coach Fernando Clavijo and assistant John Murphy with the Rapids’ first team.
Smith joins the Rapids with 10 years of experience as a professional player and full-time coach in the English Football Association. A UEFA A-badge holder, he recently served as the reserve team coach for Watford. Smith’s background also includes coaching with the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club and Wimbledon Football Club, both in London, throughout the past decade.
(Source: Colorado Rapids)
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