San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - San Diego Spirit head coach Omid Namazi has finalized his coaching staff by naming Chugger Adair an assistant. Adair joins Tom Tate, who was retained as an assistant/goalkeeper coach, to complete the coaching staff for the upcoming 2003 WUSA season.
Adair, 31, comes to the Spirit after an extensive professional playing career that included stints with A-League outdoor teams Portland Timbers, San Diego Flash, Minnesota Thunder, and Seattle Sounders, and overseas experience with A.A. Ghent of the Belgium First Division. He played indoor soccer with the San Diego Sockers, Wichita Wings, and Milwaukee Wave, and the U.S. National Team Five-A-Side team.
Adair, who has an 'A' coaching license from the U.S. Soccer Federation, was both the men’s and women’s assistant coach for Pacific University in Portland last year and assistant coach for University of San Diego men’s program from 1998-2000. He has also coached at the club level since 1994 with FC Portland and Del Mar Sharks.
"Chugger brings a lot of experience to our coaching staff, as a player and a coach," said Namazi. "He has experience in the women’s game having coached at the collegiate level and he will make a major contribution with his ability to work with our attacking players, himself having been a top forward and goalscorer everywhere he played." Adair, who was honored by the MLS as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Soccer Personalities" in San Diego history in 1998, was a starter for the USD where he was named to the West Coast Conference (WCC) first team in 1990 and 1992 and was also honored as WCC Offensive MVP and named as an All-American in 1992. He also captained the Toreros in 1992 when they were an NCAA finalist. In 1996, Adair also earned his Master’s in Business Administration from USD.
Tate, who has been a member of the Spirit coaching staff since the 2001 inaugural season, was retained by Namazi during the off-season. He played professionally for the San Diego Flash from 1998-’00 and was also called up by the Los Angeles Galaxy and Tampa Bay Mutiny during the 2000 MLS season to serve as a backup goalkeeper. The San Diego native was a four-year starter at the University of San Diego, highlighted by an appearance in the 1992 NCAA Final Four.
"Tommy has as much experience as any coach in the league and that will be valuable as we move forward to developing a winning team," said Namazi. "He is very well liked by all of the players and obviously a highly regarded goalkeeper coach who has a bright future in the coaching ranks."
