West Michigan Fire Women name new head coach

Story courtesy WMFW Public Relations

Holland, MI (February 14, 2008) - The West Michigan Firewomen announced today that Neathan Gibson has been selected as the head coach for the upcoming 2008 W-League season. Gibson, who has a wide array of coaching and playing experience at the international level, also brings a wealth of knowledge within the USL having time with the Rochester Raging Rhinos, Des Moines Menace and West Michigan Edge.

Neathan Gibson
Gibson was appointed as the permanent Head Women's soccer coach of Ferris State University last year after serving as interim coach during the 2006 campaign. Prior to that selection he worked as the director of coaching and player development for the Grand Valley Soccer Club based in Kentwood, Mich. While with GVSC, Gibson held various head coaching duties and led their under 17 girls squad to both a Midwest Divisional Championship and Midwest Regional League First Division title in 2005. The club also won three state cup boys championships during that 2005 campaign. Gibson paired with current Central Michigan University women's soccer head coach Tony DiTucci to guide an Olympic Development Program (ODP) team to a regional championship and national tournament berth. The pair has again combined and is currently coaching the 92' girls ODP team. Gibson has earned both United States Soccer Federation (USSF) "A" and "B" Coaching Licenses.

Gibson was the head coach for the West Michigan Edge Premier Development League (PDL) squad from November 2003 to November 2004. His duties with the Edge included working as the camp and clinic director, serving as the director of coaching and player development along with responsibilities involving housing and recruiting players. From February 2002 to November 2003, Gibson was a player, assistant coach, academy coach, camp and clinic director as well as the Assistant Academy Technical Director with the Des Moines (Iowa) Menace.

As a player, Gibson signed his first professional indoor soccer contract with the San Jose Grizzlies of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) in 1994. He also played outdoors in Malaysia with the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS), which finished as the Malaysian Cup Runner-up in 1995 and 1996. He was recognized as the top league cup goal scorer for Albirex Niigata in Japan during the 1997-98 season as the squad gained a promotion to the league's second division (J2 League). Gibson also played in the Swedish Premier League for IFK Norrkoping in 1997.

From 1998 to 2000, Gibson played two years in the Finnish Premier League for Myllykosken Pallo-47 where he finished second and fifth, respectively, among the league's goal scoring leaders. His squad earned bronze medals for finishing third in the league both years and qualified for the 2000 InterToto Cup against Xamax from Switzerland as Gibson set a new club single-season goal scoring record with 20 markers. Gibson's playing background also includes time with Major League Soccer's (MLS) Colorado Rapids and the USL's Rochester Raging Rhinos in 2001. The Rhinos won the 2001 USL A-League Championship. Gibson coached youth boys and girls squads overseas in both Finland and Japan during his playing career.

Gibson graduated in May 1994 from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., with a bachelor's degree in business administration and an accounting major. During his collegiate playing career for the Knights, Gibson was a first team National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American and claimed Most Valuable Player Award laurels in the 1994 National Collegiate Senior Bowl. He also helped lead Lynn to the NAIA National Championship in 1991.