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Exciting Appointment to Coaching Team

We are excited to announce the appointment of Pedro Dias as a full time junior and youth coach for the club and Swifts.

Pedro is currently the Technical Director and Head Coach at Sporting FC Academy in Toronto. He will join us in early May, and will focus on the development of players aged 7 to 12 (but will be involved across all programmes).

Pedro’s appointment completes our 2018 junior/youth coaching team. Ryan Edwards continues as his role as Director of Junior and Youth Coaching, and Katie Barrott and Sam Smith in their roles as lead coaches.

About Pedro

Pedro had an extensive playing career at the top level in Portugal from 1989 to 2005. He played for Sporting Clube de Portugal (“Sporting CP”) from 1989 to 1995, before moving to another famous Portuguese club, C.D. Nacional.

Pedro started his coaching career as a youth coach with C.D. Nacional. Since then he has held roles as:- Head youth coach at New York Cosmos Soccer Club;- Development coach for the Ontario Soccer Association; and- Technical director for Benfica Soccer Schools.

In 2011 Pedro was appointed by Sporting CP to set up and lead its first international youth academy, in Toronto, Sporting FC Academy Toronto. His experience as both a player and a coach with Sporting CP (which is widely recognized as one of the top youth development clubs in the world, having produced players like Luis Figo, Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo) will be hugely valuable.

Pedro is well qualified, and holds his:- Argentinian A license;- Canadian A license; and- UEFA B license.

He comes highly recommended by the Ontario Soccer Association, Sporting FC and his local community.

We are very excited for the quality of coaching, the new ideas, and the links to overseas clubs and academies that Pedro will bring to the club and Swifts this year. We hope you are too!

Pedro is set to arrive in Wellington on the 9th May and his family will join him a little later in the year.

Please do join us in welcoming Pedro to our fantastic club and community.

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