Coach Dias has been with the Western Mass Junior Pioneers since 2003 and has recruited and coached players from all over Western Massachusetts. He currently coaches the U15 and U12 Girls teams with the Jr. Pioneers, A majority of those players have been with him since U10 development. He has also served on the 1st Jr. Pioneers Board of Directors and helped restructure and create the framework of the programs currently being run by the organization today.Coach Dias has coached at all levels of competition. Prior to his days with the Jr. Pioneers, he was an Assistant Head Coach at Bowling GreenStateUniversity in Ohio, a Division 1 Collegiate program in the Mid-West, competing against such national powers as St Louis University, Indiana University, Evansville and Akron.His responsibilities included not only coaching but scouting, player evaluation / assessment and recruitment.Prior to this, he coached the Freshman Soccer Team at LudlowHigh School to an undefeated 13-0 season and assisted with the Ludlow High Varsity Soccer team. Tony has also coached at the youth level with the Ludlow Youth Soccer Association, as well as serving on the Ludlow Youth Soccer Association Board of Directors and as its PresidentDuring his high school years Coach Dias played for Ludlow High School, and was part of the 1976-77 State Championship team, In his senior year he lead the league in scoring and was named to the 1st team All Western Mass and 1st Team All New England teams, His senior year was complete by being named as a 1st Team All American by the National Soccer Coaches Association in 1978.Coach Dias went on to play collegiate soccer for the University of Massachusetts and was a 4-year starter where he was a 3-time All New England selection, a 2-time MVP and 2-Year Captain of the Minutemen.He was voted to the All Yankee Conference 1st team his freshman year where he lead his team to an ECAC Northeast Regional Championship beating #1 seed LIU in the finals. He was also voted to the North-South Collegiate All Star game and voted Captain of the North Squad in 1981. Coach Dias finished up at UMass at the time as their 7th all-time leading scorer.As a native of LudlowMassachusetts, Coach Dias played soccer at various levels including youth, college and semi-professional, including the L.A.S.A. League of Massachusetts, and with such teams as the Gremio Lusitano Futbol Club, Westfield United, Chicopee Rovers and Carando Met ro's the West State League. He holds a USSF D license and Advanced Regional Diploma from the NSCAA.Coach Dias has also worked with the Westfield State College Soccer Camps, Bowling Green State University Soccer camps as well as being part of the Ohio ODP staff. He was also a United States Soccer Federation Licensed official. His collegiate education was in the area of Exercise Physiology and Sports Management. Coach Dias has recently been nominated and will be inducted into the Ludlow High School Sports Hall of Fame in April of 2009.A lifelong resident of Ludlow, Coach Dias has been employed with Verizon Wireless for the past 21 years and currently holds the title of National Account Manager.
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