The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce Chattanooga FC head coach Bill Elliott as the recipient of the 2015 Alexander Arellano Memorial Trophy. The award, given to the league’s top head coach, was voted on by NPSL teams throughout the country.
"Bill Elliott has been such a positive force with us for the last four years,” Chattanooga FC General Manager Sean McDaniel remarked. “His on the field record speaks for itself, but his ability to relate to his players and connect with the Chattanooga fans is what's been so outstanding."
NPSL Title Match Saturday at Finley Stadium: Coach Elliott will lead his second-seeded Chattanooga FC squad against the top-seeded New York Cosmos B (11-0-1) in the NPSL championship match Saturday at Finley Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
In four seasons, Elliott has led Chattanooga FC to a 50-11-12 record and three appearances in the national finals and one appearance in the national quarterfinals. The club has been one of the most dominant programs in the entire NPSL, claiming four Southeast Conference titles (2012-2015) and two South Region titles (2014-2015) in addition to finishing as South Region finalists in 2013. Elliott also received the 2014 Alexander Arellano Memorial Trophy after leading Chattanooga to the national title game.
“It's a tremendous honor to win this award for the second year in a row, especially considering how many outstanding coaches there are around the NPSL,” Elliott added. “I feel extremely blessed that the Chattanooga Football Club and the University of West Florida have allowed me to have a role in the exciting soccer culture that is exploding onto the sports scene in Chattanooga, Tennessee.”
Under his expert tutelage, Chattanooga has appeared in the national title game three times.
“Obviously the club would not have had this kind of success without hard-working, committed players,” Elliott concluded. “I think a lot of credit also should go to General Manager Sean McDaniel and Assistant Coach Jimmy Weekly, who have both been involved with CFC since the beginning. One other huge component is the atmosphere created by the Chattahooligans. Their enthusiasm is contagious and as a result our players are never lacking motivation. I understand that an award like this is simply a reflection of the hard work of many people.”
Elliott has been an instrumental figure in the collegiate game as well, leading West Florida men’s and women’s soccer to a combined 323-130-39 record over 26 seasons. During his tenure with the Argonauts, he has been named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year eight times and NSCAA South Region Coach of the Year four times.
The Alexander Arellano Memorial Trophy is an award with a very special meaning. Alex Arellano was a young man who touched the lives of many in the NPSL, so much that the league crafted an award in his memory. Alex, the middle son of Real San Jose owner Nick Arellano, passed away in 2012 at the age of 25.