Ottawa Fury News Release - www.ottawafury.com

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

OTTAWA, ON -- The Ottawa Fury Soccer Club is pleased to announce that Craig Smith has been appointed as the new Head Coach of the Ottawa Fury Women’s W-League team for the 2008 season. Frank Lofranco has stepped down as head coach after six enormously successful seasons which has seen the Fury reach the W-League Final Four four times in the last five years and the W-League Championship Final twice.

Lofranco leaves the head coaching position with a remarkable 74-15-6 record over 6 seasons, and with the Fury Women having established themselves as one of the top teams in women's soccer. Over the next few months, Lofranco will support the team and coaching staff with preparations for the 2008 W-league season.

"I enjoyed immensely my time as head coach with the women's team. I am especially thankful for the support of the club, players, and fans over the years and I am very proud of what we accomplished together during this time," said Frank Lofranco. "In moving on, I remain committed to the Fury and have agreed to support Craig and the W-team coaching staff in preparing for a successful campaign in 2008".

“We knew that the day would eventually come when Frank would relinquish the head coaching position”, commented Fury owner John Pugh, “Frank has clearly helped establish a winning culture within the Ottawa Fury and that is a legacy we are all very proud of and will continue to build on. He is a tough act to follow - his coaching record speaks for itself. However, we are thrilled to have acquired the services of Craig Smith as Head Coach of the W-League team. Craig comes highly recommended to us and we are confident he will be a huge asset to the Fury as we continue our quest for that elusive W-League Championship”

Smith was born in Canada but grew up in the heartland of Scottish football in Greenock near Glasgow. Following in the footsteps of his footballing father’s professional career, Smith played in Scotland and went on to play in the Australian 1st Division. He moved to Vancouver in 2002 and turned to coaching when his playing career came to an end. A Canadian National B level coach, Smith has gained a growing reputation working in the Vancouver area alongside coaches of the caliber of Tony Waiters, Derek Possee and Carl Valentine. Recently, he has worked with six 2007 Ottawa W-League players Ciara McCormack, Anna Laue, Marie-Eve Nault, Annie Hamel, Jenny Jeffers and Zoe Avner who have been spending the Winter coaching and playing in North Vancouver.

“Craig is an excellent young coach who is very professional, passionate and enthusiastic in all that he does. I believe he is ready to take on the challenge of building on the Fury’s enviable recent record in the W-League”, commented Tony Waiters, the former England international goalkeeper who was the last head coach to take Canada to a World Cup finals back in 1986.

As well as coaching the W-League team, Smith will also be involved with the Fury’s youth development and community programs. He will inherit a very experienced and accomplished supporting cast of returning coaches including assistant coach Dom Oliveri, goalkeeping coach David Bellemare and strength and conditioning coach Sanjeev Parmar.

“I am very excited about this opportunity to work with the Ottawa Fury,” said Smith. “It has been a pleasure to work with so many quality players from the Fury squad over the Winter. I am impressed with the quality and vision of the organization and am looking forward with great anticipation to the upcoming season”

The 2008 Fury will play in the Northern Division of the two division Central Conference in the 41 team 2008 USL W-League. The Fury’s divisional opponents will be the Hamilton Avalanche, Laval Comets, London Gryphons, Ottawa Fury, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Toronto Lady Lynx, Vermont Lady Voltage, and the Western Mass Lady Pioneers. The Chicago Gaels, Cleveland Internationals, Fort Wayne Fever, FC Indiana, Kalamazoo Outrage, Michigan Hawks, Minnesota Lightning, and the West Michigan Firewomen make up the Mid-West division of the Central Conference.