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BUILDING A TRADITION - UAB HEAD COACH - MIKE GETMAN
During Coach Mike Getman's career as the Head Coach at UAB, he has been named Conference "Coach of the Year" 3 times, with the additional honor in 2005 of Conference USA "Coach of the Decade". The Blazers have been ranked in the National top 25 in each of the last 12 years and have made 5 trips to the NCAA tournament. The Blazers have also had many players receive national recognition. In fact UAB has had more players receive All-Conference USA honors than any other team. Six of the last ten Freshman of the Year have been Blazers. Under Coach Getman, UAB Soccer went from an unknown soccer program to a National Contender. Through the years, Coach Getman has seen many of his players work hard and through training and development, join the ranks of professional soccer teams. (Seventeen Blazers have been drafted or are now playing professional soccer.) Many of his current college players have chosen to come to UAB after getting to know him through his soccer camps. Getting high level training will make the difference for those high school players who hope to play college soccer. "It was the summer of 1992 when a young, quiet, and focused Indiana native Named Mike Getman arrived on the campus of UAB with the unenviable task of turning UAB's soccer program into a winner. That September...a new era began not only for UAB soccer but for the sport as a whole in Birmingham. " (PORTICO Magazine) "When Mike Getman arrived in Birmingham... it was merely a question of time before the Blazers would be thrust into the national spotlight." (The New York Times) "...Coach Mike Getman has turned around the program at the University of Alabama Birmingham, where the Blazers are making a run at the NCAA tournament." (Soccer America) Before coming to UAB Mike Getman led his Harvard Univ. team to the NCAA "Final Four". A program that had not won the Ivy League title in 17 years, did so in Getman's first season. The team finished the year undefeated, losing only in the National Semifinal in penalty kicks. At the age of 28, Mike Getman was the youngest coach in NCAA history to lead his team to the Division I "Final Four". Coach Getman has coached or played in four NCAA Division I Final Fours. Before starting his coaching career, Mike Getman played professionally as a defender for the Detroit Express. He was named the team's "Rookie of the Year" in 1982 as he helped the Express win the ASL Championship. In college he played for Indiana University, twice finishing as the NCAA runner-up. 2008 Anticipated Residential Camp Staff
Many of our current college players on the UAB Soccer Team also work at camp. This can be very motivational for young players and it is a great way for the high school age players to gauge themselves. Below is our tentitive 2008 camp staff list. Keep in mind that changes may need to be made to this list.
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