|
 Former
Florida Tech men’s soccer
standouts Robin Chan and Fitzgerald “Fidgi” Haig
have returned to their alma mater to take
over the men’s and women’s
soccer programs. Both new coaches were
part of the 1988 National Championship
team at Florida Tech
Chan was the head boys’ soccer
coach at Melbourne Central Catholic High
School.
He had been the head coach since 1997 and
has helped produce two State Championships
in 1998 and 2003. Under his guidance, MCC
won eight consecutive conference championships,
six regional championships and six state
final four appearances in boys’ soccer.
He was named the 2003 Florida Coach of
the Year.
“Robin is up to
the challenge of returning the men’s soccer program to the glory
days of the past,” said Florida Tech
Athletics Director Bill Jurgens. “His
outstanding successes as a collegiate player
and high school coach, and the professional
manner, in which he has conducted himself,
will serve him well at the collegiate level. ”
“I am proud to be
associated with this institution and soccer
program,” stated Chan. “This
is a great opportunity to step up to the
collegiate level and coach at my alma mater.”
“A long term goal
would be getting the program back to its
national prominence,” said
Coach Chan. “I want to bring
the alumni and community back to
the enthusiastic
involvement level from the past
decade.”
Haig
takes over as coach of the women’s
program.
“My goal is to develop
a positive winning attitude and learn how
to make it work
with soccer and in life,” said
Coach Haig. “I believe
this positive winning attitude
is the difference between being
good and being great.”
Haig
recently finished his ninth
season as the head girl’s
soccer coach at Satellite
High School in Satellite
Beach,
Fla. During his high school
career, Fidgi compiled a
record of 231-18-7, which
placed
him as the 4th all-time winningest
girl’s
high school coach in the
nation by the NSCAA. He had
guided
his program to two
State Championships in 2002
and 2003.
He was named Space
Coast Coach of the Year
four times
and
was named
the 2004
Florida
Dairy Farmers Coach of
the Year and the Big Orange Coach
of the
Year.
“I am very excited
about the future of the Florida Tech women’s
soccer program with Fidgi as the head coach,” said
Jurgens. “He possesses
exceptional interpersonal
skills and experience
in
the sport of women’s
soccer and I am confident
that his success as a
high
school women’s
soccer coach will readily
transfer to the collegiate
level.”
Christa
Parulis-Kaye |
