PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have named Adam Smith a director for the Timbers Academy and the club’s youth goalkeeping director, it was announced today. Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson made the announcement.
In his new position, Smith will work alongside Timbers Academy Director Mike Smith in overseeing and operating the Timbers Academy and will work with goalkeepers in the club’s academy and youth programs. The Timbers are expected to announce a new goalkeeper coach in the coming days.
“Adam is a knowledgeable coach and has extensive experience in working with youth,” said Wilkinson. “He has excelled and found success with other youth programs around the country and he will be a positive mentor and coach for the Timbers Academy. This is a new position, and Adam will work with Mike in getting the Timbers Academy up and running and strive for success.”
“I am very much looking forward to helping spearhead the Timbers Academy program,” said Adam Smith. “A well run academy is pivotal to the future success of the Timbers organization. I see this new opportunity as a forward step and one which opens the door to a much greater role for me with the Timbers and Major League Soccer.”
Smith served as the Timbers goalkeeping coach for two seasons from 2010-11, with the club’s goalkeepers ranking among league leaders in several categories each season. In the Timbers first MLS season, goalkeeper Troy Perkins posted a career-high nine shutouts and Portland’s goalkeepers won MLSsoccer.com Save of the Week a total of six times under Smith’s guidance in 2011.
“I am proud of the achievements I have made working with the first team goalkeepers over the last two years and I now wish to channel my expertise into an area with greater diversity,” said Adam Smith. “Working alongside Mike and Erik [Lyslo] is something I am very much looking forward to doing, with the main aim of making the Timbers Academy one of the best programs in the league.”
With 20 years of coaching experience, Smith has worked previously with several youth clubs and ODP programs around the United States. His coaching background also includes time as the director of youth development and an assistant coach for United Soccer Leagues club the Wilmington Hammerheads.
Smith holds USSF ‘A’ and National Goalkeeping licenses, an FA preliminary coaching license and is working towards completing his UEFA ‘A’ license. He has also been involved in coach education, teaching licensing courses with the NSCAA coach education staff.
