The Houston Dynamo have made a change to their academy set-up, announcing on Monday the appointment of Paul Holocher as director of the club's academy.
Holocher, 49, joins the Dynamo after three years with the San Jose Earthquakes academy, most recently as that program's director of formation.
“As an organization we are very pleased to welcome Paul Holocher to Houston as our new academy director. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in MLS player development, which made him an ideal candidate,” said senior vice president/general manager Matt Jordan in a team statement. “His passion for developing players, his systematic approach to teaching the game, and his tireless work ethic will benefit our academy players and staff greatly. As an organization we have a clear objective to continue improving the vertical integration from the Academy to our USL team and ultimately to the first team.”
According to the team's release, "In addition to leading and managing all of the full- and part-time academy coaches, he’ll focus on implementing a unified coaching curriculum, teaching methodology and game model across all age levels that aligns with the club’s strategic plan. Holocher will also be focused on fostering strong relationships with other youth clubs and academies throughout the Houston and Southeast Texas area."
Holocher, who holds a USSF academy director license and an 'A' coaching license, previously coached collegiate soccer at Cal Poly and UC Santa Cruz. He also played professional soccer, including a stint with San Jose in Major League Soccer's inaugural season in 1996.
