Western Mass Pioneers name Gomes new head coach

Date: 2/5/2015

LUDLOW – The Western Mass Pioneers will be heading into its 18th season as participants in the United Soccer League (USL) with new head coach Dennis Gomes leading the way.

Gomes has been an integral part of the soccer scene in Ludlow for many years and has contributed to the success of the Western Mass Pioneers, Western United Pioneers, and various Gremio Lusitano Club teams.

“Dennis has been a part of this community for a long time now and his dedication to the development of programs and players goes without question,” Pioneers General Manager Greg Kolodziey said.

Gomes’ vast playing and coaching experience started with his playing days as a youth in Ludlow with the Lusitano Football Club (LFC).

The LFC eventually became the Junior Pioneers and is known today as the Western United Pioneers.

The Western United Pioneers are one of the largest premier youth clubs in the state. Later in his youth development, Gomes contributed to many championship Lusitano Club teams including the Jr. LASA, Connecticut League and Pioneer Valley Summer League squads.

Gomes attended the University of Vermont and played as a member of the varsity men’s soccer team. In the offseason, he would head back to Ludlow to play for the club. At the conclusion of his college career, Gomes had the opportunity to play professionally for the Western Mass Pioneers, which he did for three seasons.

As his playing days were starting to come to a close, his ability to read and analyze the game transformed into more of a mentoring and coaching role.

Gomes took the lead and had a very successful campaign with the Junior Pioneers U-20 team that competed in the USL’s Super Y; developing players who eventually went on to have successful college careers.

Gomes continued to develop as a coach, and joined the Pioneers staff in 2011 as an assistant coach under Federico Molinari.

Their relationship even continued when Molinari took on the head coaching responsibilities for the Western Mass Pro Soccer Club, and Gomes continued as his assistant coach there.

In his spare time, Gomes is also coach of his daughter’s U-9 developmental team for the Western United Pioneers.

“I am happy to be the new head coach of the Western Mass Pioneers. My goal is to win but also to work with the Western Mass communities at the youth level to develop local talent and bring them to the Pioneers in the future,” Gomes said.

Gomes can be reached via email at dgomes@wmpioneers.com.

Additional tryouts will be held in March at a location to be named. Continue to refer to the Pioneers website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

The Western Mass Pioneers were founded in 1997 and started playing in 1998. In 1999, the second year of the franchise, they won the USL D-3 Pro League championship.

In 2005 they reigned as the regular season champions, were USL Second Division finalists, and hosted the National Championship match.

In 2010 they joined the PDL, to focus on developing future professional soccer players.

The Western Mass Pioneers Soccer Club also operates numerous youth camps throughout western Massachusetts.

For more information, contact the Pioneers office at 583-4814 or via email at info@wmpioneers.com.