Following quite a while of looking for the right swap for long-term Wolfpack soccer mentor Brenden Byrd, Glacier High School Activities Director Mark Dennehy reported July 26 that Damion Blackburn will assume control over the young ladies program this fall.
“We are eager to have Damion become part of the Pack,” Dennehy said in his declaration. “Damion brings a broad training and playing foundation in soccer and his range of abilities will fit well inside a set up culture made by Brenden Byrd at Glacier High. [His] enthusiasm for soccer is obviously apparent in all that he does.”
Blackburn moved to the Flathead Valley the previous tumble to take a full-time position as specialized overseer of the Flathead Rapids club group. He’d recently been engaged with the Rapids as the overseer of the program’s day camps since 2012.
“I was informed that there was a huge load of potential in the Flathead, some incredible ability here,” Blackburn said. “At the point when I quit playing expertly and was really genuine about the training make full-time, I moved over here.”
“This is a purposeful venture that profoundly makes a difference to me,” he proceeded. “I don’t feel we have enough backers for our major parts in Northwest Montana.”
Blackburn was brought up in the Midwest and has a broad history playing the game, beginning when he was 4 years of age, in spite of the fact that he “didn’t quit fooling around until I was around eight.”
Blackburn played in secondary school and at the University of Dayton, a NCAA Division I program. He calls his school vocation “good however hampered by ACL tears,” despite the fact that he had sufficient accomplishment to sidestep his senior year to play expertly in the MLS.
His initial introduction to training was as a youngster, working with nearby youth groups, and he has instructed in some limit from that point forward, including youth clubs, as a MLS scout working with soccer institutes and with secondary school groups.
At the point when he previously moved out to the Flathead Valley full-time, Blackburn invested energy at practices and rounds of each group in the valley to figure out the distinctive instructing styles and program ways of thinking, yet he didn’t anticipate venturing into a full-time training job at a school unexpectedly early.
“It’s another test that I’m eager to have,” Blackburn said, a day after his first gathering with individuals from the Wolfpack on Tuesday. “I think the players are invigorated and I’m eager to work with them.”
Blackburn’s recruiting isn’t last until the educational committee supports it.
Coming closely following a title run last year, Blackburn said there is a cycle of pressing factor and additional examination on the program during the training progress, yet he doesn’t need the group to be worried about dominating each match immediately.
“My essential target here isn’t really to go out and begin stressing over winning. Dominate matches, no inquiries, however it’s not the main concentration for us at the present time,” he said. “My essential job is to foster acceptable individuals, great soccer players that adoration the game.”
The Wolfpack graduated a gifted gathering of nine seniors who were instrumental in the group’s 14-4-0 season that incorporated a 1-0 success up and over positioned Helena high to acquire the state title.
Among the alumni were forward Taylor Brisendine, whose time stoppage objective in the principal half of the state last got the solitary place of the game, and safeguard Kenzie Williams, the Gatorade Montana Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
“Whenever you lose the state player of it, it’s a test without a doubt,” Blackburn said. “In any case, what I would say is I think we have a ton of incredible footballers — soccer players — that have had openings at the club levels past Montana, with provincial camps and Olympic advancement programs.”
“I think we have a great deal of pieces I’m eager to work with,” he proceeded. “It’ll be interesting to view at the gathering overall and perceive how they network.”
Blackburn replaces Byrd, one of the mainstays of Flathead Valley soccer culture, who drove the Wolfpack since 2012, a nine-season residency that finished in the program’s first state title the previous fall. Byrd was named the Northwest Girls Coach of the Year following the program’s state win, and ventured down to invest more energy with his family.
Blackburn said he intends to meet with Byrd in the following week to discuss their perspectives in the group, analyze ways of thinking and trade notes going ahead.
“I need to foster players that adoration the game, perhaps have a marginal fixation on it, in a positive way,” Blackburn said. “The objective is to perceive what the game can furnish them with, and set them up for the chance to look past the valley, to the university level or past that. We have players here that can open ways to a ton of chance.”
