Krzisnik named Hawks DOC
NATIONAL YOUTH SOCCER POWERHOUSE MICHIGAN HAWKS NAME FORMER UNIV. OF MICHIGAN
WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM CAPTAIN MICHELE KRZISNIK DIRECTOR OF COACHING
DATELINE (2/22/2019) –The Michigan Hawks, a national youth soccer powerhouse, announced Michele Krzisnik, a former captain of the University of Michigan’s women’s soccer team is being elevated to Director of Coaching (D.O.C) beginning March 1. In addition, Doug Landefeld will become the Hawks’ Executive Director and continue to oversee the girl’s side of the club. Adil Salmoni will continue on as the Hawks’ Technical Director.
“Michele has been an important part of the Hawks’ success over the last 10 years as a coach and as an age group Technical Advisor,” said Landefeld. “Each year, as a board, we look for things that will move us forward and to give each player an exceptional experience. We are looking for programming to help continue and create an environment for our girls where they can compete and excel at all levels. We believe that Michele’s leadership will be an integral part of taking us to where we want to go.”
The Michigan Hawks have always felt a responsibility to move the female youth soccer game forward and believe this is the opportune time to have one of the leading female clubs in the country to be under the guidance of one its brightest coaches.
“I am grateful to have this opportunity with the club where I grew up as a player and developed as a coach,” said Krzisnik. “My hope is that I empower our girls to want and achieve more in soccer and in life. I am humbled to accept the role of creating and implementing our vision of player development. I look forward to serving the needs of all of the girls, families and coaches who are part of the Michigan Hawks.”
Krzisnik is the only female coach coaching a top-level girls’ team in Michigan and will become one of the few female D.O.C’s across the country. As the club’s D.O.C, she will be responsible for overseeing all the aspects of the day-to-day operation of the club, including staff development, coaching curriculum, game model and teaching methodology. Krzisnik has had a distinguished coaching career since joining the Michigan Hawks in 1997, being named NSCAA National Coach of the Year for Youth Girls and MSYSA Youth Coach of the Year in 2014. She has led teams to two Region II championships (2009,2014), as well as a national finalist in 2014 and ECNL Final Four in 2017. In addition, she has coached three Gatorade Players of the Year.
Krzisnik’s collegiate coaching experience includes serving as an assistant coach at Oakland University (2000-2001) and as women’s head coach at St. Mary’s College (1997-1998).
She began her youth playing career with the Michigan Hawks going on to play soccer at Livonia Stevenson High School in Livonia, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. She went on to play collegiately, serving as a team captain at the University of Michigan for two years and the University of Detroit for one year.
Serving our community of Livonia and the state of Michigan, the Michigan Hawks Soccer Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of female youth soccer. Since our inception in 1974, we have helped nearly one thousand young women achieve their potential in athletics and find a pathway to college soccer. Our staff of coaches is dedicated to providing a safe, fun and challenging environment where our players become elite soccer players and amazing young women.
