2023 Coach of the Year – Dan Droen

Dan Droen came to AYSO United after looking for a club to move his 2007 girls to. After deciding on AYSO United, Coach Droen jumped in with both feet. He quickly accepted the core philosophies of our organization following the guidelines carefully. He was open to inviting some of our returning players to try out for his core group of excellent players.

Coach Droen helped with our summer camp and his demeanor and experience were appreciated by all of the staff and players in attendance. He has led his APL 2007 girls’ team to some outstanding victories this season resulting in many of his players have been invited to play with the AYSO United Southern California Elite 64 teams this past November, where they were recognized for their excellent attitudes and work ethic.

What is more important than the success Coach Droen has made on the pitch, is the impact he is having on the players off the pitch. One nomination for Coach Droen said:

“Coach Droen has had an amazing impact on my daughter. She gets in her head a lot and he can help her in the greatest way to get out of it and believe in herself. His leadership abilities are consistent and you can see he is invested in each player.”

Part of the selection process was to get feedback from officials who work with and see coaches regularly. One referee shared an observation about a match he officiated with Coach Droen and his team.

“My first encounter with Dan Droen as a United coach was during a tournament. His players had just given up a score and appeared to be frustrated. Coach Droen said ‘It’s alright. We will get it back.’ He then just let the girls play. You could tell they were well-coached and sure enough, they came back and won the match. It is a rare thing for coaches to allow kids to play because you know you have done the real work in training.”

Coach Droen’s name is frequently brought up as one of our coaches who can be relied upon to meet deadlines and who we hear very little about regarding complaints and or issues related to his team.

Being selected for the AYSO United Coach of the Year is a tremendous honor and I truly appreciate the support of my soccer family in nominating me for this award. Deciding to move our team to AYSO United was a bit of a risk, but necessary to find the best environment for myself and my team and fortunately, the risk paid off. As promised, AYSO has provided the support, tools, and philosophy to develop players without being a pressured, win-at-all-cost club. This aligns with my coaching approach, while wins and success are the target (and we have been successful) it is equally important to build individuals’ self-esteem. This comes through positive reinforcement and providing players the opportunity to improve and showing that improvement through quality playing time for all in a competitive environment which is exactly what players want and AYSO United provides.” Dan Droen.

“I think what I appreciate most about Coach Droen is his willingness to buy into the culture of the organization. We have seen coaches who have wanted to join our club, only to promote themselves, and had no respect for what the badge stands for. I feel that Dan has embraced what our brand of youth soccer is and has developed a true United team. He accepts feedback, meets deadlines, and conducts himself in a manner consistent with the values of our club. It gives me great pleasure to name Coach Dan Droen as our 2023 Coach of the Year.” Ed Alameda, AYSO United AZ Director of Coaching.

2023 Coach of the Year – Dan Droen

United MVPs

Congratulations Coach