“We are very excited to have Kurt join our staff,” said Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson. “He will be working with the full team on down through the youth and assisting with scouting. Coming from a soccer family and with coaching experience at many levels, he has good knowledge of young players and he will be a big asset for our club.”

Schmid will scout players from the youth to international level and coordinate the Match Analysis scouting system. In addition, he will serve as a first team assistant coach to Sigi Schmid, his father and Seattle head coach.

Kurt Schmid was in Trinidad earlier this month, scouting players at the CONCACAF U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament.

For the past three seasons Kurt Schmid has been an assistant coach at the collegiate level, first at Saint Mary’s College, then the past two years at UC Irvine. In 2008, UC Irvine won both the Big West Conference regular season and tournament championship, and the Anteaters earned an NCAA tournament berth. All three were first-time achievements for the UCI program.

Schmid was a member of the Region IV ODP boys coaching staff the past two years and also coached at West Coast FC. Previously he was a coach for South Bay Soccer Club. His coaching career began at South High School in Torrance, Calif.

Schmid, 26 (DOB 3/24/1982), played at Wake Forest and UCLA and was a member of the Bruins’ 2002 NCAA Championship team. He is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in Business-Economics.

Jose Romero is noting that up to 30 players will be attending camp- those missing will be defenders Jeff Parke and Peter Vagenas as well as the 3rd and 4tf Round Draft Picks Jared Karkas and Michael Fucito.

Press Release

RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC completed its coaching staff with the addition of Ezra Hendrickson as an assistant to head coach Sigi Schmid, it was announced today.

Hendrickson, 37, played for Schmid the past three seasons in Columbus, and was a member of the Crew’s 2008 MLS Cup championship team. It marked the third championship season of his career. He announced his retirement Jan. 8 after 14 years, including 12 in MLS.

“In the latter years of his career, Ezra was like a coach on the field for me,” said Schmid. “It’s that ability and his wealth of recent playing experience which he brings to our staff.”

Hendrickson appeared in 266 regular season matches with 225 starts. Playing on defense, he scored 23 goals and added 30 assists. He also played in 32 postseason games with five goals and three assists.

Schmid was Hendrickson’s coach during eight of his MLS seasons. They were together for the L.A. Galaxy’s MLS Cup season of 2002.

“I’m very excited. Seattle is very good organization, and I am joining the staff of arguably the best coach in the league,” said Hendrickson, who earned his U.S. Soccer ‘B’ Coaching License in December. “After taking the coaching course, I realized coaching was something I would like to do and I feel privileged to have this opportunity immediately after my playing career.”

A native of the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean, Hendrickson began his career in 1997 with the New York MetroStars, before joining the Galaxy later that season. He totaled six seasons in Los Angeles, where he also won the 2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup and the 2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. He was also named Galaxy’s Most Valuable Player for the 2001 season.

Hendrickson went to Dallas in 2003 and began the next season with the A-League’s Charleston Battery before joining D.C. United for its run to the 2004 MLS Cup. After starting all 31 appearances in 2005 for the expansion Chivas USA, Hendrickson was acquired by Columbus in early 2006.

An All-American and business administration major at Drake University, Hendrickson first played professionally with New Orleans of the USISL Select League (1995-96). After earning his first international cap in 1995, he served 12 years as captain of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national team.

Hendrickson becomes the fourth coach for Sounders FC. Earlier, Schmid named Brian Schmetzer as his top assistant and Tom Dutra the goalkeeper coach. David Tenney is the fitness coach.

Press Release

RENTON, WASH. – David Tenney has been named the Seattle Sounders FC fitness coach, it was announced today. Tenney, 38, becomes the third member of head coach Sigi Schmid’s staff.

“Dave Tenney is a recognized fitness and soccer coach in Major League Soccer from his past work in Kansas City,” said Schmid. “We’re very excited to have him join our staff and bring his expertise to our Sounders FC team.”

Tenney spent the past two MLS seasons with the Kansas City Wizards, where he served as both fitness and goalkeeper coach.

“I am really looking forward to working with Sounders FC,” Tenney said, “It’s a world class organization with world-class facilities. The infrastructure Seattle has in place provides a solid foundation for success in the league, and it’s a great fit for where I am in my career right now.”

Tenney came to Kansas City from Virginia’s George Mason University, where he served as a goalkeeper and fitness coach for both the men’s and women’s teams for two seasons. He earned his B.I.S. in coaching science from George Mason in 2005.

While at George Mason, Tenney also served as director of coaching for the Washington Freedom youth teams from 2004-06 and as Maryland’s girls director of ODP.

He also holds an ‘A’ license from the Czech Republic F.A. and NSCAA ‘Premier’ Diploma.

Tenney’s playing career features both collegiate and indoor professional honors. At Virginia Tech (1989-91) he served as team captain the final two seasons. As the Hokies’ goalkeeper, he was voted Metro Conference Defensive MVP in 1989.

His professional career began overseas with Germany’s SV Linx (1992-93) and FC Rastatt (1993-94). He returned home to play for the Washington Warthogs of the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994-97. He was with the Baltimore Blast of the NPSL from 1998-2000 and also starred for the Baton Rouge Bombers, earning second team all-EISL in 1998.

[Press Release]

Brian Schmetzer

The inclusion of Schmetzer will make a good number of Sounder Loyalists happy and content.

[Press Release]

A second “Meet the Fans” event will occur at 5:30p at FX McRory’s (419 Occidental Avenue South [map]).

I don’t think there are any surprises who will be introduced.

Columbus acquired allocation money and cash from Seattle as compensation. Schmid is now released from any contractual obligations and free to proceed with his contract negotiations with Seattle. Major League Soccer also said it found no evidence of tampering by Seattle.

ESPN

So now the question begs… when will Sigi Schmid be named the head coach of Seattle Sounders FC?

From Adrian Hanauer…

We believe Sigi is the best coach in Major League Soccer and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to pursue contract negotiations with him. There were never any improprieties and the league’s statement confirms this. There was some language in his contract that was ambiguous, but rather than going through a long, drawn out process we came to an agreement.

It seems the only speedbump between naming Schmid the head coach of Sounders FC is a little transfer of money between the two clubs.

Ives Galarcep from ESPN is reporting that:

MLS determined that Seattle technical director Chris Henderson had spoken to Schmid about the Seattle job while Schmid was still Columbus head coach. The result was a fine imposed on the Sounders and Henderson’s formal removal from Seattle’s coaching search committee (despite the fact that Henderson and Schmid have had close ties for two decades, with Schmid having coached Henderson in college and MLS). The issue might have ended there, but sources say Columbus has used that ruling to try and secure compensation from Seattle.

“Sigi Schmid has formally declined our last contract offer and will not be returning as head coach of the Columbus Crew. Sigi was the ideal person to turn around our competitive program and create a championship mentality within our club. As a result, we are well positioned moving forward and toward continued success. We respect his desire to seek the next challenge and wish him nothing but the best.” 

That article also notes that the Crew have reportedly filed tampering charges with Sounders FC. “Something has occurred that has sort of made my decision for me,” said Schmid. “It’s in the league’s hands”.