Ogden Outlaws Press Release by the Orange County Blue Star
Friday, May 15, 2009
OGDEN, UT - The next chapter in the exploratory career of Ted Eck began this weekend when he faced his first game as the new head coach for the Ogden Outlaws.
Eck will lead the Outlaws onto the field today against the streaking Blue Star much the way he’s led his entire soccer life – fearlessly.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Eck said. “I’ve always been interested in being able to work with kids and helping them make their way to the professional level. “I thought I could help with the development and maybe give these young guys something different in coaching than what they’re used to from their college coaches.”
Yeah, you could say Eck has a different set of experiences to draw from than say, your run-of-the-mill college coach.
He enjoyed a 13-year career that spanned the US and Canada, from futbol to futsal. From 1989 to 1996 he earned 13 caps and scored a goal for the US National Team.
Eck also played on the US Futsal Team, harkening back to his days as a player for the Major Indoor Soccer League, where he began his career in 1988 before eventually moving on to the Dallas Burn of the MLS.
Dizzy yet?
“I’ve been able to have a long professional career and I think I can give some insight to players looking to play professionally,” Eck said. “With (assistant coach) Mike Hickman and others we have a good foundation here to help guys get a running start. It’s a good combo of guys involved here.”
Eck has always had an eye toward player development. Most recently, he served four years as the Director of coaching for the Maui United Soccer Club. He’ll keep a hand in youth soccer as the Director of Coaching for Outlaws FC, an upstart youth club to begin play this season.
“Development is the priority first and foremost,” Eck said. “We want to be as competitive as possible and win some games but we’ll look to play some players in certain situations that might not ordinarily happen on a professional club.”
With players like UC Santa Barbara-bound goalkeeper Sam Hayden, the Outlaws will be competitive, and Eck has a clear picture of what he’d like to see from them.
“I like to see a style that has a flow and interchange to the game where there’s a bit of a flow as far as the positions,” he said. I like there to be constant movement – I think it becomes a difficult game for the other team to defend when it’s played that way. There’s some risk involved in that players might end up in certain spots that might not be their natural positions.”
But Eck has never been one to fear of risk - or change.
