It was 1978 when a group of volunteers formed the LOBOS Soccer Club, the name being an acronym for Lake Orion, Brandon, Oxford Select.
Their goal was very simple: expose the recreational soccer players to a higher level of soccer in preparation for high school soccer.
Over the years, the LOBOS organization has evolved. First, the volunteer coaches began obtaining advanced soccer licenses. As their players acquired more skill, and teams got better, LOBOS started bringing in professional trainers.
Six years ago, as more and more teams started to play in the top divisions, they added summer camps and indoor training. They made the decision to start using professional coaches and trainers to keep the teams playing at a high level and to also give their players the best training possible, while still keeping costs in mind.
‘Bringing Chris Corteg into the LOBOS Soccer Club as director of coaching was the first significant change the club made,? said Steve Alliston, LOBOS chairman. ‘Chris instilled a sense of professionalism into the club from the first day he came to work for us.?
Corteg is a former Utica Eisenhower High School girls? and boys? varsity coach. He also was the head coach at both Eastern Michigan University and at Macomb Community College, the latter at which his team won the national title and he was selected as the NJCCA National Coach of the year.
He also has numerous awards from the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
‘Once Chris came into the club, we started to bring in top level trainers,? Corteg said. ‘Most of the LOBOS trainer coaches have earned advanced USSF National Soccer Licenses and/or have played soccer at a high level. Many have done both.?
Many of the LOBOS trainers are also high school coaches at some of the top programs. Ken Janczarek played at Siena Heights and also coached at Waterford Mott. Mark Sullivant is currently the Oxford girls? varsity coach and boys? JV coach. Stacy Rogers played at Western Michigan and is the current varsity coach at Utica Ford. Charles Jergler, who has coached and still works with the LOBOS goalkeepers, is the current head coach at Waterford Mott.
In addition, the LOBOS Soccer Club, recently announced that it has signed two more coach/trainers, Blake Ordell and Jennifer Perkins.
Perkins coached at the Vardar Soccer Club for 10 years, where her teams won three State Cup championships. She was an assistant coach at Oakland University for the past four years. Perkins also was the varsity coach at West Bloomfield High School. She is a former ODP player, and was a pool player on the Canadian Woman’s National team. She went on to play at the University of Detroit, where she was a four-year varsity player.
Ordell played college soccer at Westminster College in PA, where he was the team captain, and also at the University of Central Lancashire, England. He has played professionally for the Cincinnati Kings in the United Soccer League and is currently playing for the Border Stars. He will be training several teams and will be the new LOBOS 01 U8 boys? coach.
According to Alliston, the LOBOS Soccer Club has recently improved and expanded its winter indoor training program. Using the area’s top indoor soccer facilities, including Oakland Yard and the Oakland University Dome, the club will be offering position specific training, speed and agility, team training and goalkeeping clinics.
The club started the LOBOS Soccer Academy for soccer players from age 4 to 10-years-old. The goal of the soccer academy is to introduce and prepare the youngsters from the recreational soccer programs to play travel soccer. Because the LOBOS affiliate with the OOSL it is a natural progression for the kids. They staff the academy with some of their best trainers, with the focus on individual skill and simple tactical skill.
Although Alliston says he is very proud of the LOBOS Soccer Club and the growth LOBOS has made these past eight years (having had many of its players achieve very successful high school careers and even gone on to play college soccer), Alliston is most proud of the fact that LOBOS has managed to provide high quality training at a very affordable price.
Tryouts for LOBOS teams playing in the fall 2008 and spring 2009 seasons are fast approaching. The LOBOS Soccer Club fields multiple teams at each age group, from U8 (birth dates 8/1/00 to 7/31/01), all the way to U18, for both boys and girls.
The club hopes you will consider the LOBOS advantage starting June 15 at Orion Township’s Civic Center Fields. There are places available at all age groups.
Check out the LOBOS website for dates and times at www.lobossoccer.com.