COACHes

HEAD COACH: DOMINIC STROSS

In Fall 2008, Coach Dominic Stross will enter his fourth season as the head coach of the women's soccer program at Southeastern University.

In his first three seasons as head coach of the Lady Fire, Coach Stross has three top five finishes nationally, including a second place finish in 2005.

Coach Stross led the Lady Fire to their first South Region title in school history in 2006 as SEU went 8-0 in the region while outscoring their region opponents 25-1.

The Lady Fire repeated as South Region champions in 2007, despite numerous injuries throughout the year.

Coach Stross has a three-year record of 49-13-4 and a 22-1-1 South Region record.

Stross joined the Southeastern women's soccer program in 2004 as an assistant coach. He is a graduate of Florida Southern College, where he played as a center mid-fielder for the Moccasins from 1993 to 1996. Stross was also a team captain and received the Best Mid-fielder award his senior year. He returned to Florida Southern in 1999 as a graduate assistant coach for the men's program and as head coach of the men's B team.

Stross played his high school soccer at local Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, Florida, where he was an All-County selection and was twice named his team's best offensive player. He played club soccer for the local Lakeland Soccer Club, and during his junior year in high school, he was invited to train in a week-long Florida Olympic development camp. After the camp, Stross was selected to compete in a tournament that was a feeder system for German professional teams.

Stross started coaching in summer camps and clinics while in college and immediately knew that working with young adults was something God was calling him to do. He changed his major from accounting to physical education, and as a college junior, he started coaching as an assistant at Mulberry Senior High School in Mulberry, Florida. The following year he received his first head coaching position at his alma mater, Santa Fe Catholic High School. He led the Crimson Hawks to a 17-5 record and their first ever victory against then-powerhouse Lakeland Senior High School.

After graduating from Florida Southern College in 1996, Stross left Santa Fe Catholic and Lakeland to complete post-bachelor course work in fitness and nutrition at Florida State University. After a year in Tallahassee, he transferred to the University of Central Florida and started work on his master's degree in exercise physiology.

In 1999 he returned to Lakeland to teach and coach soccer at George Jenkins High School while working as the graduate assistant coach at Florida Southern College.

Stross continues his involvement with local soccer by training youth teams in the Lakeland Soccer Club and the Lakeland Highlands Soccer Club. In 2003 his Lakeland Highlands Shockers U19 boys team finished in first place in the United Soccer Association (USA) league.

Stross is also the Aquatic and Wellness Coordinator for Southeastern.

Stross has been married to his high school sweetheart, Teresa, for nine years. The couple lives in Lakeland and has two children: a daughter named Brenna and a son named Nicholas.

"I feel blessed that God has opened this door for me to be in a situation where I not only get to help these ladies become better soccer players but I also get to be involved in their lives at such an important time in their spiritual development," Stross said.

 

ASSISTANT COACH: LINDSAY HARRIS

In Fall 2008, Lindsay Harris will enter her third season as an assistant coach for Coach Stross.

She transferred to Southeastern University in 2003 and was involved in the inaugural season of the newly-formed women's soccer team at Southeastern. She was named to the 2005 NCCAA II National All-Tournament team. She was also a First Team All-Region selection in 2005.

Harris also won the 2005 Character Athlete of the Year award given to only one SEU athlete, the one who has best represented Southeastern Athletics on and off the field for that year.

Harris was born and raised in Maryland. Her interest in soccer began at a very early age, and she played on her first team at the age of five.

She played for the Washington Area Girls Soccer (WAGS) club team as well as for teams in indoor and spring leagues. She was a four-year varsity starter in high school and received recognition as an All-County player.

Harris graduated from Southeastern in April 2006 with a degree in social work. She is now working as a transition services counselor for Pace Center for Girls in Lakeland. She is very excited to continue her involvement with the team and make a transition in her soccer career from a player to a coach.

ASSISTANT COACH: JOHN ZONIN

In Fall 2008, John Zonin will be entering his third season with the women's soccer program, primarily coaching the goalkeepers.

Zonin played soccer for Tavares High School in Tavares, Florida, and was a three-year starter as a forward and goalkeeper.


He was an All-Area selection his senior year. He was also awarded a scholarship to play at Milligan College in Tennessee, but a knee injury forced him not to play.

Zonin has been coaching for six years, first with P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School girls' varsity from 2001-2002, then with Bartow High School boys from 2002-2004. Most recently, he has worked with the Pasco High School girls' varsity and junior varsity teams since 2004.

As an assistant coach, Zonin helped lead Pasco High School to a district championship in 2004-2005. He also provides individual and private training for youth soccer players in Dade City, Florida.

Zonin graduated from St. Leo University in 2003 with a degree in psychology. He is currently a teacher at Pasco High School and is married to Alisa, who is also a teacher.