CARLOS JUAREZ, Head Coach

Carlos Juarez was named as the Spirit's first head coach on November, 7, 2000, by General Manger Kevin Crow. Juarez will be charged with building a Spirit roster that includes U.S. National Team players Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett, as well as Swedish internationals Ulrika Karlsson and Kristin Bengtsson.

"Carlos has a proven track record in women's soccer in this country," said Crow. "He's coached women and girl's on the youth, Olympic development, regional and national levels. He's also coached women's club and college with great success and I know he'll bring to the Spirit a vast knowledge of the player pool and an existing positive relationship with our founding players."

Juarez, 40, comes to the Spirit after spending the last four years as the head men's and women's soccer coach at Cal Poly Pomona. Juarez is an experienced U.S. National Team Staff coach, who has served as a National Coaching Coordinator as well as an assistant coach for the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team for eight years. For five years from 1993-'97, he was the head coach for the U.S. U-16 Girl's National Team. The owner of a USSF "A" coaching license, he has been an instructor for National License Coaching Schools since 1990.

Juarez also was the head men's soccer coach at Cal-State San Bernardino from 1985-'93, taking the team to four NCAA playoff berths and one Final Four. He served as the coordinator for men's and women's soccer at CSUSB from 1995-'97. For the past four years, he coached the Ajax women's club of Los Angeles, one of the top women's teams in the country, to both state and national titles. From 1986-'94, he coached girl's Western Regional teams at the U-16 and U-19 ODP levels.

Juarez also has coached women at the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival, in the semi-professional summer leagues in Portland, Oregon, and as an assistant coach on several trips with the full U.S. Women's National Team. A star collegiate player at Cal-State Los Angeles from 1978-'81, Juarez was a four-year starter and a three-year captain. Nicknamed "Motor" for his tireless work rate and ability to power the attack with deft ball skills, he captained the team to the 1981 NCAA Division II championship game.

Born April 25, 1960, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Juarez currently resides in San Diego with his wife (Kristi) and son (Blake, 6 months).

MARTIN VASQUEZ, Assistant Coach

Martin Vasquez was named assistant coach on February 5, 2001. Vasquez comes to the Spirit after an extensive playing career including stints with the Mexican National Team, the U.S. National Team, in the Mexican First Division and Major League Soccer. His position with the Spirit will be his first at the professional level.

Spirit Head Coach Carlos Juarez said, "Martin Vasquez brings 18 years of professional soccer experience to the Spirit. He was a superb professional in every sense of the word with his work ethic, training habits and perseverance. As a coach, he commands instant respect from the players because of his wealth of experience playing with excellent coaches and players. He will be a good role model for the players and without a doubt a great asset to our organization."

Vasquez, who has a USSF "B" coaching license, has been the assistant coach for the Cal Poly Pomona Men's and Women's soccer programs the past two years. In addition to Cal Poly Pomona, he has also coached the Damien High School Boy's team, located in La Verne, California, for two seasons.

Vasquez, 37, began his professional outdoor soccer career playing two campaigns with the Hollywood Kickers and California Kickers of the Western Soccer League. He moved to Mexico where his first three years (1987-'89) was spent with Universidad de Guadalajara. In 1990-91, he played with Puebla before moving to Vera Cruz for one season. Vasquez' last four seasons in the Mexican First Division were spent with Atlas. In all, he played eight seasons in Mexican First Division, playing over 300 league games for four clubs.

His play in the Mexican First Division led to ten appearances with the Mexican National Team at the end of the 1993 season and beginning of 1994. Vasquez also played for the U.S. National Team in 1996-'97, realizing his dream on December 21, 1996, when he started at sweeper for U.S. National Team in 2-2 tie with Guatemala in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier at San Salvador, El Salvador. In two years, he played and started in seven matches for the U.S. National Team.

During his Major League Soccer career from 1996-'98, he played for the Tampa Bay Mutiny and San Jose Clash. He was one of the top defensive midfielders in the league, leading Tampa Bay to the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. His performance during the 1996 season earned him a spot in the 1996 MLS All-Star Game.

Prior to going to Mexico, Vasquez played two seasons indoors with the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) in 1984-85 and with the Memphis Storm of the American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA) in 1985-86. He played three years with Cal State-Los Angeles. Vasquez led the NCAA Division II in scoring as a freshman with 29 goals in 23 matches ans was named a Division II All-American that year. As a sophomore, led league in scoring with 20 goals and 17 assists.

Vasquez is married (Denise) with two children (Michael, 10, and Erin Denise, 7).

TOM TATE, Goalkeeper Coach

Tom Tate was named goalkeeper coach on February 21, 2001. Tate comes to the Spirit after a professional playing career with the A-League's San Diego Flash; he also brings a broad resume of coaching experience to the position.

Tate, 28, became the Flash's starter midway through the 1999 season and held the role throughout the entire 2000 campaign, compiling an overall record of 26-11-2. Tate, who earned the club's 2000 San Diego Zoo 'Keeper of the Year award, set several team career records including saves, starts and wins. During the 2000 season, Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and Tampa Bay Mutiny called him up for regular season backup duty. Tate started and won the Flash's first-ever playoff match in 1998, a 4-1 decision over Vancouver.

"Tom Tate possesses the qualities of a good coach in that he is very knowledgeable, patient and very dedicated to his craft," said Spirit head coach Carlos Juarez. "He is a good person and a great fit for our staff. He also brings valuable coaching and playing experience to the job and I know he can help our talented goalkeepers reach an even higher level."

The position with the Spirit will be Tate's first with a professional club, but he has a wealth of coaching experience at all other levels of soccer. Prior to joining the Spirit, Tate was the men's and women's goalkeeper coach for the University of San Diego for five years. From 1992-'98, he also served as the assistant coach and then head coach for the University of San Diego High School boy's team. He has also coached at the club level since 1992 with the San Diego Fire and Mesa Soccer Clubs.

The San Diego native was a four-year starter at the University of San Diego, highlighted by an appearance in the 1992 NCAA Final Four. Prior to attending USD, Tate graduated from USD High School, where he was a four-year starter. He began playing youth soccer with the San Diego United Soccer Club and then competitively for eight years with the San Diego Villa Soccer Club.

"I am looking forward to the season and a new challenge," said Tate. "It's a fantastic opportunity work with world-class female goalkeepers. I know how great a soccer town this is and it's exciting to help start professional women's soccer here."

Tate is single and resides in San Diego.