Tony DiCicco

Former U.S. national team head coach Tony DiCicco served as the WUSA's COO in 2001 and it's Commissioner in 2002 and 2003 and the Chairman of the Re-launch committee in 2004.

For six years DiCicco was the head coach of the United States Women's National Team, accumulating an amazing record of 103-8-8, making him the all-time leader in wins in U.S. National Team Soccer history. Tony DiCicco was the head coach of the 1999 Women's World Cup squad that changed the face of women's athletics forever, winning the championship over China in front of the largest crowd in women's sports history (90,185 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on July 10, 1999) and a worldwide television audience. In 1996, Tony DiCicco led the U.S. team to the first-ever gold medal in Olympic women's soccer. He also guided the U.S. team to a third-place finish at the second FIFA Women's World Cup in Sweden in June of 1995 and championships at U.S. Women's Cups in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Tony DiCicco and the USA Women's National Team also won the Goodwill Games Gold Medal in 1998. The 1996 Olympic Gold Medal team has recently been inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

Before becoming the head coach of the U.S. national team, DiCicco had served as the squad's assistant coach since 1991, working with the goalkeepers during the USA's triumph at the first FIFA Women's World Cup in China in 1991. Tony DiCicco also served as the goalkeeper coach for the 1993 Under-20 Men's National Team when it finished in eighth place at the 7th FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia.

A 1970 graduate of Springfield College in Massachusetts, Tony DiCicco majored in physical education. A goalkeeper, he was the captain and most valuable player his senior year, earning All-America honors.

DiCicco played five years of professional soccer in the American Soccer League with the Connecticut Wildcats and Rhode Island Oceaneers, where he was team MVP and captain. In 1973, DiCicco toured and played for the U.S. National Team.

In 1981, Tony DiCicco founded SoccerPlus Goalkeeper Schools, which has grown to over 20 camps nationwide, and started the SoccerPlus FieldPlayer Academies in the summer of 1998. He has served as the goalkeeper specialist for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and has conducted both U.S. Soccer and NSCAA national licensing camps. He holds both the U.S. Soccer "A" license and the NSCAA Premier Diploma.

Tony DiCicco founded the FSASoccerPlus Football Club in 2003 and is coaching the U14 Boys Team and the U16 Girls Team while he oversees all teams as the club's Technical Director.

DiCicco, who was appointed as a member of the FIFA Panel of Instructors and Lecturers for Coaching, has authored two soccer video series, Goalkeeping, the DiCicco Method and Champions Soccer Series featuring Brandi Chastain and has just completed a book, along with Dr. Colleen Hacker about coaching girls' soccer entitled "Catch them Being Good."

Tony DiCicco, 56, started soccer programs at Bellows Falls Middle School in Bellow Falls, Vt., and South Catholic High School in Hartford, Conn. He also coached the Hartford Hellenic and the Hartford Italian Stars of the Connecticut Senior League and coached intercollegiate men's programs at Central Connecticut State University and the University of Hartford. He is a 1966 graduate of Wethersfield High School in Connecticut, where he lettered in soccer, baseball and basketball.

During the 2000 Olympics Tony DiCicco was an analyst for NBC and during the 2003 Women's World Cup he worked on the TV crew for ESPN.