Malone Steps Down, Albert Moves In

By: Keith Mills

Last weekend's convention at the Baltimore Convention Center all but marked the end of Steve Malone's reign as president of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Malone has been a huge presence in the local soccer community for 40 years as a coach and founding member of the Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer.

He began teaching in 1967 and coached the boys soccer teams at both Andover and North County High Schools, winning a state title at Andover in 1989 and leading the Archers to the state semifinals in 1972. He retired from coaching in 1993 after leading North County to the 1992 state finals. He retired from teaching in 1999.

During Malone's tenure as the NSCAA's 59th president, the organization began honoring high school players through the High School Team Academic and Scholar All-America awards.

Another Baltimore native replaces Malone as president. Al Albert grew up in Northwest Baltimore and attended City College, but he made his name nationally as the longtime coach at William & Mary, where he won more than 300 games.

One of Malone's players on his 1989 state championship team at Andover was James Haislip, who was named National Junior College Division I Women’s Coach of the Year last weekend at the NSCAA's awards banquet. Haislip led Catonsville Community College to a 21-1 record and the national junior college championship.

Haislip's team was loaded with former local high school players: Kristen Sample of Seton Keough, Anna Hicks and Tiffany Youse of Meade, Ashley Bruce of Liberty, Ashley Arnett, Casey King and Erin LaBella from North County, Jennifer Moberly of Institute of Notre Dame, Erica Nee of Catonsville, Morgan Vandenberge of Oakland Mills and Chelsea Simms and Ashley Horn of Kenwood.

McDonogh's Steve Nichols was also honored by the NSCAA, as was Eagles senior forward Chris Agorsor. Agorsor, headed to the University of Virginia and a repeat first team selection, was named this year's NSCAA/Adidas boys high school Player of the Year, one of two McDonogh players and four Maryland players honored.

Senior midfielder Andrew Bulls, who began his high school career at Old Mill, teamed with Agorsor to lead McDonogh to this year's MIAA A Conference championship. Senior midfielder Michael Rose of Severna Park High, who won the Golden Boot Award at last year's Under-16 Youth national championship, and senior forward Alex Lee of Magruder High of Montgomery County were also named to the All-America boys team.

Nichols was named National Youth Boys Coach of the Year after leading the Casa Mia Bays to the Under-14 national championship. Along with assistant coach Kevin Healey, president and general manager of the Blast, Nichols has led the Bays to 12 Maryland Cups, eight Region I championships and national championships in each of the last five years. Last summer the Bays won U-14, U-17 and U-19 state titles and U-14 and U-19 region titles.

Christine Nairn of Archbishop Spalding, a member of the U.S. U-18 national team, was named to the girls NSCAA/Adidas All-America team. Nairn, a senior midfielder, was also named to the squad a year ago. Caroline Miller, a senior forward from Walter Johnson High in Montgomery, was the only other Maryland player named to the team.

Issue 3.4: January 24, 2008