 Tim Kelly and Brian Grazier Added to Men's Soccer Staff
Aug. 12, 2009
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis men's soccer coach Dan Donigan announced today that Tim Kelly has been added to the coaching staff as a full-time goalkeeper coach, while former Billiken Brian Grazier has been brought in to serve as the program's graduate student manager. In addition, Donigan has elevated Dave Beck to the lead assistant coaching slot. Beck succeeds Matt Tutton, who held the post the last two seasons. While this will be Kelly's first full-time collegiate coaching assignment, he is no stranger to the coaching scene. An instructor for the St. Louis Goalkeeping Academy, Kelly has worked with some of the finest keepers in the St. Louis area and the nation, including Billiken freshman Mark Pais. For the last eight years, he has been the assistant coach of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams for St. Louis Scott Gallagher while also serving as the director of goalkeepers for the club. He returns to SLU after serving as a goalkeeper coach for Donigan in 2005 and 2006. "I am excited to be back on board at SLU and grateful for the opportunity to work with this team and coaching staff," Kelly said. "I was here when the current senior class were freshmen, so it will be exciting to see how they have all improved since coming into the program." As a player, Kelly helped Duchesne High School win the 1994 Missouri state championship and played on the national champion Scott Gallagher Soccer Club team from 1995 to 1997. On the professional circuit, Kelly played for the Kansas City Wizards (MLS) in 1997 and the Arizona Sahuaros (USL) in 1998. "In my mind, Tim is one of the best goalkeeping coaches in the country," Donigan said. "He has worked with our program in the past so I already have a great working relationship with him. Our keepers will respond to his coaching on a daily basis. The goalkeeping position is vitally important to a team, and to bring him on full time is essential to the future success of the program."
Grazier played for the Billikens from 2003 to 2007. Following his graduation, he played professionally for one season with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Grazier was a staple in the midfield his junior and senior seasons at SLU, appearing in 39 matches over the two seasons while helping the Bills to a pair of NCAA Tournaments. He is pursuing a master's degree in higher education at the University. "I am happy to be coming back to Saint Louis University to be associated with the men's soccer program as the graduate student manager," Grazier said. "I look forward to the opportunity and the challenges that await. I have aspirations to one day coach for a living, so the experience I will gain from working with coaches Dan Donigan, Dave Beck, Tim Kelly and Mike Sorber will be invaluable." "Brian has come through the U.S. Soccer residency program in Florida, has been a captain on our team and has played in MLS," Donigan said. "He is exactly what you look for in a representative of SLU soccer. We are happy and excited to have the opportunity to bring him back on board to help our program in a number of capacities." Beck was named assistant coach in 2006 and has helped the Billikens to an NCAA Tournament appearance in each of his first three seasons. The St. Louis native has assisted in all facets of the program since his arrival, including on-the-field training and recruiting. "It is an honor to work for a program that is so full of history and heritage," Beck said. "I am appreciative of Dan Donigan for giving me this opportunity. I have had a great experience at SLU my first three years and have worked with incredible student-athletes and coaches. I look forward to continuing that in the years to come." During a key time in the off-season recruiting process in 2007, Beck continued the program's recruiting responsibilities when head assistant Mike Sorber was touring with the U.S. men's national team. That 2007 class, the first Beck played a part in recruiting, was ranked 21st in the nation by CollegeSoccerNews.com. He also played a major role in the recruiting class ranked 24th in 2008. This season's class is ranked among the top 10 in the nation by Soccer America. "Having worked with Dave in the past will make this an easy transition," Donigan said. "The players love him, he is great on the field and he is great on the recruiting trail. He knows what this program means to everyone in the community and at the University. He has done great things since he has been here, and I am very happy to reward him with this opportunity. He is going to do great things for the future of this program." Sorber, currently an assistant for the U.S. men's national team, will remain a volunteer assistant coach. Sorber has experienced success on the national stage this summer, having coached the USMNT to its thrilling upset over world No. 1 Spain in the FIFA Confederations Cup. Sorber will appear with the coaching staff on the sidelines in between 2010 World Cup qualifiers. |
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