EL PASO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--El Paso USL President, Alan Ledford, and General Manager, Andrew Forrest, announced today that Mark Lowry has been named Head Coach and Technical Director for the organization. Mark joins the growing El Paso USL staff which has business and soccer operations running full steam ahead for the inaugural season in 2019.
“On behalf of the owners of El Paso USL, I would like to welcome Mark and his family to El Paso. We are looking forward to offering championship-level soccer under his direction,” said Josh Hunt, CEO of MountainStar Sports Group. “Mark is clearly committed to our community and his connection to it will be critical to our success.”
“Our extensive search provided exposure to many very talented and experienced soccer coaches, but Mark’s passion, recent success, training, and progressive approach stood out. His enthusiasm for the sport of soccer and his desire to win, combined with an appreciation of the role a team plays in a community and the significant responsibility that comes with his role, convinced us that he was the right choice to lead our soccer operation on the field,” said Alan Ledford, President of El Paso USL.
“Mark has a proven track record in coaching and team management. He’s progressive and he has an innate ability to relate to players both on and off the field which is essential for a successful soccer club,” said Andrew Forrest, General Manager for El Paso USL. “We think Mark is one of the best and brightest young coaches in the United States and he brings a wealth of top flight knowledge from his international training and experience to our organization.”
Born and raised in Birmingham, England, Mark comes to El Paso from the Jacksonville Armada FC (NASL) where he first served as Assistant Coach and ultimately the Head Coach leading the team through record-setting milestones. Prior to that, he was with the Orlando City Soccer Club (MLS) where he worked as Assistant Coach for the u23’s and then as the MLS Pro Academy Head Coach. He also served the Orlando City Soccer Club as Community Programs Director. While in England, Mark worked for two English Premier League (EPL) teams. He served as a Player Scout and Academy Coach for the Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and he also served as a Player Scout for the Birmingham City FC.
Mark played an extensive amount of youth soccer and actually signed with Coventry City, a professional academy, at age 12. He holds a National Diploma in Personal Training and Sports Performance and Sports Therapy, Register of Exercise Professionals Level 3. Mark’s coaching qualifications from the English Football Association (The F.A.) include the UEFA ‘A’ License, the UEFA ‘B’ License, and the Player and Match Analysis Certificate.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join MountainStar Sports Group as the first ever head coach for El Paso’s new USL club. I am excited to help bring high level football to this town and, with such amazing ownership, we expect to be a contender from day one,” said Mark Lowry, Head Coach and Technical Director of El Paso USL. “We will be bringing the best players possible to put a competitive team on the pitch. I am very much looking forward to getting my family settled here in El Paso and getting started."
Mark will start with El Paso USL in August. He will relocate his wife, Jessica, and two young daughters to El Paso before the end of the year.
El Paso USL Soccer will debut in March of 2019. Those interested in placing a Season Seat Deposit to be among the first to select their season seat location can do so with a $50 per seat deposit at www.elpasousl.com/tickets or may call 915-235-GOAL. Ticket prices and packages will be announced in the coming months.
About El Paso USL
For more information about El Paso USL, please visit www.elpasousl.com/club.
About MountainStar Sports Group
Founded in 2012, MountainStar Sports Group, LLC (MSSG) is dedicated to initiatives that promote economic development and enhance the quality of life throughout the Borderplex region. MSSG’s main focus has been on the acquisition, development, and operation of professional sports and entertainment opportunities for El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. MSSG owns and operates the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball, and El Paso USL (temporary name), an expansion soccer club of the United Soccer League. MountainStar Sports Group is also a co-owner of FC Juaréz (Los Bravos) of Mexico’s Liga Ascenso in the Mexican Futbol Federation. The owners of MSSG are Woody Hunt, Paul Foster, Alejandra De la Vega Foster, who serves as Chair of Los Bravos, and Josh Hunt, who serves as CEO of MountainStar Sports Group. Alan Ledford is President of MSSG.
