DeChellis adds Roma to resume
A brief encounter with at the soccer program at Club Roma was enough to whet Frank DeChellis’ appetite for more.
The 57-year-old Welland native and long-time coach ran a practice late last season for Roma’s U19 reserve team and was immediately impressed.
“I enjoyed the group of kids,” DeChellis said. “I knew some of them and when it came up I thought this might be fun. I’ve not done club soccer in a long time. It turned out to be enjoyable so I stuck around for this year.”
DeChellis, who is the current men’s coach at Niagara College and has been coaching since 1988, will be the head coach of the L2 U21 reserve team and also help oversee the U20 men’s reserve team with head coach Simon Doyle.
Roma technical director Davide Massafra is thrilled to have DeChellis on board.
“Frank is an outstanding coach, he is one of the most knowledgeable soccer coaches in Niagara,” Massafra said. “He is qualified and Frank has many years of experience coaching and with his role as men’s head coach at Niagara College, this is just another incredible addition to his impressive resume.
“Frank isn’t just a great coach, but also a great man who knows how to create a fun and competitive training environment for our L2 men’s team.”
DeChellis said he will have to make some off-field adjustments coaching at the club level.
“The actual soccer part, the training, the kid’s enthusiasm, it’s all the same,” he said. “I’m just coaching. The environment is a bit different because at the college the kids don’t pay and sometimes there’s expectations with that and I have to manage that. Now there are other clubs involved. With club soccer you have dynamics with other clubs, with teams below you and teams above you. At the college we’re the only soccer club there.”
DeChellis, who completed the Canadian Soccer Association A License Program which is the highest coaching level attainable in Canada, played for the Mohawk Mountaineers.
He has pretty much finalized his roster and is impressed with what he sees.
“What I like about this group is almost all of them are either at a school somewhere or are going to school and I’m really enjoying preparing them for their post-secondary soccer,” he said. “We have quite a few — even if they’re not coming to Niagara or Brock — who are going to the states or other schools.
“Because I know the great experience you get with post-secondary soccer, I want to make sure they get a chance to experience that. I want kids to think if they want to play post-secondary soccer they better find a way to get on that team.”
Massafra feels DeChellis will make a significant impact across the board at Roma.
“I’m sure our players will grow and improve significantly through his vision and knowledge,” Massafra said. “Coach Federico (L1 coach Federico Turriziani) is extremely supportive of Frank’s work and we are determined to make our club the centre of development in our region.”
The first game of the season for L2 men’s team will be Monday, April 29 at 9 p.m. versus BVB Waterloo at Brock University.
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