Carolina Dynamo Announce New Head Coach

Greensboro, NC: Today the Carolina Dynamo announced Chris Little as the clubs new Head Coach.Chris becomes the seventh head coach in the clubs 22 year history.“I’m very excited to have a coach of Chris’s caliber lead the Dynamo in the next chapter of the Dynamo’s storied history.Chris is a proven leader on and off the field, and has an extensive history of working with high level players”, says Dynamo GM Scott Zapko.

The Dynamo also announced that former Dynamo Assistant Coach, Steve Diamond has been named Associate Head Coach. “Steve has proven himself to be a huge asset to the Club the past three years, so naturally I couldn’t be more pleased to have him continue on with an elevated capacity.Maintaining some continuity amongst the staff is extremely important for the Dynamo, as we look to improve on what has been a great run the past three seasons, having won the USASA National Amateur Championship this past season, three consecutive Division Championships & advancing to the PDL finals in 2012”, Zapko adds.

Chris Little (Head Coach)

Chris Little

Chris Little by Greensboro Sports

Chris Little, Caroilina Dynamo Head Coach

Chris rejoins the Dynamo staff for his second stint having served as an Assistant during 2008/09 under former Dynamo Head Coach, Joe Brown. Little is the current Technical/Academy Director for the NC Soccer Fusion. Prior to joining the Fusion, Little served as the Associate Head Coach at Elon University. Chris has demonstrated a history of success at every level of soccer in which he has worked. During his three years at Elon University he helped lead the Phoenix to their 1st NCAA Tournament Appearances in 2011 & 2012 by winning back to back SoCon Tournament Championship’s in 2011 and 2012 and the Regular Season SoCon League Title in 2012. As the Head Coach of NC Fusion US Soccer Development Academy teams, Little led the club to its first two US Soccer Academy National Finals in 2009 and 2011. Chris also served as the State Director of Coaching for North Carolina from 2005-2007 and led NC to its 1st ODP National Championships in 2006 and 2007. Chris holds the USSF A License, USSF National Youth License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and the English F.A. Badge.

“I would like to thank Scott Zapko and the Carolina Dynamo organization for this opportunity. I am very excited to be the Dynamo Head Coach and to build upon the recent successes that Marc and Steve have achieved. The Dynamo has a great history and is well supported in the community. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to help play a role in developing these young players to be professionals and providing our fans with an attacking and entertaining style of play,” says Dynamo Head Coach, Chris Little.

Steve Diamond (Associate Head Coach)

Steve Diamond

Steve Diamond by Greensboro Sports

Steve Diamond, Carolina Dynamo Associate Head Coach

Steve returns to the Dynamo for his fourth season having previously served the last three as an assistant under Marc Nicholls.Over those three seasons, the Dynamo has won three South Atlantic Division Championships (2011, 2012 and 2013), the 2012 Eastern Conference Championship and the 2013 USASA National Championship.Steve serves as the Director of Coaching Boys & Girls U15-U18 for Greensboro United, and is an Assistant Coach for Greensboro College. Before rejoining GUSA last summer, Diamond served as the Director of Coaching at Jamestown Soccer Club. He joined JSC in 2010 as the youth programming director and staff coach.He was promoted to director of coaching in February 2011.Prior to joining Jamestown, Diamond served as an assistant Director of Coaching for Greensboro Youth Soccer from 2003-2010.While at GYS, he worked under current previous Dynamo Head Coach Marc Nicholls for five years.Diamond’s club coaching career began as a staff coach and trainer with the boys and girls programs at River Valley Soccer Club in Parkersburg, W.Va. from 2001-2003.He joined RVSC while serving as the men’s and women’s assistant soccer coach at Marietta College in Ohio.Diamond has also served and the assistant men’s soccer coach at his alma mater, Guilford College, from 1998-2001. He was a two sport standout while he attended Guilford College from 1993-1997, where he was an ODAC All-Conference defender. He currently holds the USSF National B License and the National Youth License.

“I am honored and grateful to be taking on an increased role with the Dynamo this summer.The experience I gained working with Marc Nicholls the past three years has been immeasurable.I am really looking forward to working with Chris going forward.I couldn’t think of two better coaches to work with or learn from”, says Dynamo Associate Head Coach. Steve Diamond

About the Dynamo:
The Dynamo founded in 1992 is one of the oldest and most storied clubs in all of American Soccer.The Dynamo team itself is comprised of elite local college talent, drawing players predominately from UNC Greensboro & Chapel Hill, Duke, Elon, High Point & NC State, while mixing in a few players from other colleges and universities outside of the immediate area. The Dynamo plays its home matches at Macpherson Stadium, which was privately built and donated to the City of Greensboro, by Dynamo founder Neil Macpherson.

About the PDL:
The PDL is the destination league for college-aged players to continue their development toward the professional ranks, with clubs from across North America not only competing for a championship each summer, but also providing the opportunity for top-level competition for the best players in the college ranks.

More than 150 former PDL players have been selected in the MLS SuperDraft in the past five seasons, including each of the past two No. 1 picks – Andrew Wenger (Carolina Dynamo) in 2012 and Andrew Farrell (River City Rovers) in 2013. Each of the past two MLS Rookie of the Year honorees have also been PDL alumni, with C.J. Sapong (Reading United) taking the award in 2011 and Austin Berry (Chicago Fire U-23) in 2012