Tuesday, October 07, 2008
LANCASTER, CA – The USL Premier Development League’s Lancaster Rattlers announced today that several changes will take place in the organization, which is heading into its third season in 2009. Gerald Brunner will vacate his position of General Manager to become the Chief Executive Officer, heading up the corporation as Director of PDL and Super-20 League Operations. Several other members of the Rattlers front office have also shifted responsibilities.
Toni Brunner will continue her responsibilities of team administrator for the PDL and Super-20 League teams. Her duties will include payer registration with the USL and managing the Rattlers’ operational policy. Toni Brunner will also take over the responsibilities of overseeing all financial operations for the Rattlers Senior team and the Rattlers Soccer Club teams as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Mauricio Harrie, who served two seasons Assistant Coach for the PDL team, will continue in that role and will also take over the position of General Manager for both the PDL and Super-20 League teams. Harrie will work closely with both the coaching staff of the PDL and the Super-20 League team. He will also be responsible for player selections and signings.
Harrie has 20 years of experience running multiple companies in Lancaster. His soccer resume includes a playing career in his home country of El Salvador and 14 years experience in coaching. Harrie was largely responsible for the dramatic turn-around in the second half of the 2008 PDL season.
Jack Larkin has worked the last two years in forming the Lancaster Rattlers Youth Soccer Club. Larkin has done an excellent job doubling the size of the club in just one season. He is looking to do the same in 2009. Besides the duties of Rattlers President, Larkin will now take over the Game Day Operations for the PDL team. He was also promoted to Director of Youth Operations for the Rattlers Soccer Club.
Last season David Lopez was the Head Coach of the Super-20 League team and has now been promoted to Head Coach of the Premier Development side. His promotion gives the Rattlers an All- Antelope Valley coaching staff. Lopez has a proven track record in the local community, having played professionally in the El Salvadoran First Division. Lopez holds a “C” License in coaching and has coached all levels of the game for the past 11 years.
During the 2008 Super-20 League regular season, Lopez brought his age eligible players to the well known Nomads tournament in La Jolla, San Diego and went undefeated to win the U-19 Championship. With a returning core of players for the PDL team, the Rattlers are looking forward to that same success to continue in 2009 with the PDL team.
Martin Elizulde assisted Lopez last season as the Trainer and Assistant Coach of the Super-20 League team. Stemming from the duo’s success last season, Elizulde has also been promoted to Trainer and Conditioning Coach of both the PDL and Super-20 League team. Elizulde has playing experience in his home town of Guadalajara, Mexico and 10 years experience in coaching here in the Antelope Valley. Martin also has top level youth training and conditioning experience.
