Derek Priest is returning for his second season as assistant at Penn State Abington. Priest has been coaching for almost 30 years, both in England and the United States.
Priest's playing career was cut short by injury at the age of 26. Up until then he had played both club and High School soccer as a youth, before joining professional team Millwall FC in their youth program. He then played both amateur and professionally for a number of years, including playing in the NEC Tournament at Wembley Stadium. His first coaching appointment was as player/coach for Thurrock Royals, in the English Essex Leagues.
After Moving to The US, Priest began coaching High School soccer at The Springside School (now know as Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.) He has since gone on to coach at a number of youth soccer clubs, including West Chester, The Ukrainian Nationals, and FC Bucks, where he is part of their ECNL coaching staff, and goalkeeper coach. He was Head Coach at Upper Dublin High School for three years, winning the Suburban One American Conference back-to-back in his final two years.
Priest was an assistant at Division One Women's program St Joeseph's University, where he coached goalkeeper Cameron Perrott to the A10 Rookie Team of the Year.
Although still working at FC Bucks, Priest left St Joe's to take up a position at Penn State Abington, at Head Coach Dan Mannella's request.
"The prospect of working with Coach Mannella was too good an opportunity to resist. He is someone I admire and respect, both personally and professionally, and look forward to helping build something special at Abington."
Coaching licenses and credentials include:
National C License
National Goalkeeping Licenses
National High School Diploma
English FA Coaching Lisense.
