After growing up in Ohio and enjoying a playing career spanning the youth academy ranks, high school and college soccer into the semi-professional Lake Erie League's Cleveland Whitecaps (an early 'version' of USL2), Coach Don eventually found his way to Vermont where he has been a mainstay in the Vermont soccer scene over the last 20 years.  In no particular order, Don led the Harwood Union High School boys team for 14 years accumulating over 100 wins, multiple Final-4 and State Finals appearances as well as capturing a State Championship; was a Head Coach in the VT ODP program for multiple age groups in both genders over many years; served as the VT ODP GK coach for several years; and coached for a decade with the Capital Soccer Club - where he met his wonderful wife Steph, herself a former UVM player and coach.  While at Capital, Coach Don led teams of both genders across multiple age groups to State Cup wins and Regional Tournament titles coaching dozens and dozens of boys & girls into successful college careers, also running the Capital Soccer Fall Academy program started by Craig Stone. 

In addition to his role at Nordic, Don is the Director of Highland Soccer Systems operating out of the Mad River Valley providing coaching and playing opportunities for kids across Central VT as well as a head coach at Sporting Vermont, the Vermont Soccer Association's new elite age-group team encompassing and including all clubs across the State.  Since joining Nordic in the winter of the 2021-22 season, Don has helped bring multiple Nordic teams into the New England Club Soccer League (the top regional league in New England) with teams playing in, and winning, the very top flights of the league, playing against some of the very best MLS teams in the Northeast.   While highlights include match wins, tournament and league cups (including the President's Cup on the summer of 2026) as well as team admission into the inaugural National League (N1), Don has always been most proud of the relationships he has fostered with so many boys and girls that he has interacted with over the years.  "It's the relationships that keep me coming back.  I love that so many of the kids end up chasing their dreams in soccer, there is a special pride in that; I love so much more that they want to tell me about their day or their sister/brother, their birthday or their dog...  I coach kids, it just happens to be with the backdrop of a soccer field and this is a good place to be..."

An interesting thing about Coach Don is that in the 'non-soccer years' of his late 20's and early 30's he took up Ironman racing and raced across the globe sporting a personal best time of 10 hours, XX minutes while racing in Australia (also his very last race!).  That race included the threat of saltwater crocodiles and sharks during the 2.4 mile swim as well as some of the world's most deadly snakes and spiders during the bike and run - a sure recipe to "go fast!"

Coaching Qualifications

Coach Don holds the USSF D License - Distinguished National; United Soccer Coaches National Diploma and Advanced National Diploma; United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper 1 and Goalkeeper 2 Diplomas; Coerver Coaching Systems National Youth Diploma 1 & 2; several Positive Coaching Alliance courses and a myriad of Special Topics Certificates and Diplomas.