PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College has named Kanyon Anderson its new head women’s soccer coach — and he is wasting no time building a team for the Pirates’ inaugural season.
Peninsula hired from its own ranks. Anderson was an assistant coach for the Pirates’ men’s soccer team.
Despite only accepting the job offer this week, Anderson is working with his new assistant, Alle Petty, and men’s soccer coach Andrew Chapman to recruit a competitive team for the 2010 fall season.
The Peninsula coaches will hold an informational meeting for prospective women’s soccer players Monday at 6 p.m. in Room M134 at the college.
“I am very excited to be named the head coach for the women’s team,” Anderson said.
“I think, following the model set by the men’s program, we will be able to build a successful program quickly.”
Anderson brings collegiate and high school coaching experience to the new Pirate sports program.
As an assistant coach for the Pirates, Anderson played a major role in the team’s success, which has included five straight playoff appearances and two trips to the NWAACC Final Four.
“I moved to the Peninsula five years ago and have loved being here,” Anderson said.
“Helping the men’s program grow into what it is today has been one of the biggest career achievements in my life.”
Anderson also has experience coaching girls soccer at Cheney High School.
“My experience coaching girls soccer at Cheney High was great,” he said.
“I learned a lot from the two women who have developed Cheney High into one of the best programs in the state.”
First five Pirates
The Pirates already have five players committed to the new program.
“We currently have five solid commitments, which is a great start considering the program didn’t even exist a week and a half ago,” Anderson said.
“We have some good local talent already. In the past, women from the [North Olympic] Peninsula have had to leave to continue their playing careers.
“I hope to get the talented players in the area to stay. In addition to that, I suspect that my connections to the Spokane area and the men’s connections to Alaska and Oregon will help as well.”
In addition to coaching, Anderson will teach part-time at the college.
He has a BA in English Literature from Western Washington University and an MBA in Rhetoric and Composition from Eastern Washington University, where he played on the men’s club soccer team.
He also played for Everett Community College prior to transferring to Eastern.
He holds a National C coaching license.
Petty, Peninsula’s new assistant coach, played four years of varsity soccer at Port Angeles High School — where she was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2004 and team captain in 2004 and 2005.
She went on to win an NWAACC soccer championship as a member of the Clackamas, Ore., Community College team in 2007 where she played center midfield.
“I’m really excited about women’s soccer coming to Peninsula College,” Petty said.
“I’m honored to be able to be part of the program from the beginning, and really looking forward to coaching with coach Anderson.”
Peninsula College Athletic Director Rick Ross said he is very pleased with the new coaching staff.
“To have people like Kanyon and Alle right here in our own backyard is the ideal situation,” Ross said.
“They both bring soccer experience, connections, a desire to win and a very positive spirit to our program.
“This is a very good time for women’s soccer on the North Olympic Peninsula.”
The Peninsula women’s and men’s soccer teams will play on a new artificial turf field, to be located at the college.
Construction for the new field is expected to begin in late May.