Congratulations to Bob Gannon, D.C. United's June Coach of the Month!

D.C. United's Coaches Association is proud to honor Bob Gannon with our Coach of the Month Award for June. We receive many nominations throughout the season, and choosing our winners becomes a very difficult task. Bob Gannon is an exceptional coach and a worthy candidate for Coach of the Month. Here is a brief biography of his coaching accomplishments.

"The single most important thing I ever did was being involved in a young person's life as a Dad, mentor, father figure, motivator, and coach," says Coach Bobby Gannon this Month's DC United Coach of the Month - June 2008.

Holding a National "D" level license, "Coach Bobby" has been coaching youth sports off and on for 20 years, the last 8 concentrating on his son's various sports teams. Coach Bobby first got into soccer when his son wanted to play for the local Sterling Youth Soccer Association (SYSA) team at age 6. He knew nothing of the game. "At that age group, running to the correct goal was an accomplishment." Eight years later, Coach Gannon's SYSA U14 BOYS "SCOTTISH MAFIA" is a force to be reckoned with compiling an impressive 29-4 record in the past 4 seasons playing in the local Suburban Friendship League (SFL) which encompasses teams from all over Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. This past spring season, his team was 2nd out of 55 teams in the U14 Division. His Sterling U14 All Star Team looks to defend its title at the annual Fairfax Police Youth Club (FPYC) Father's Day Tournament.

While wins are important to Coach Gannon, it is much more than that. "My son has developed physical skills, friendships, work ethic, and team concepts that only youth sports can help foster". Coach Bobby takes great pride in his boys succeeding in the classroom, in life, being model citizens, developing into fine young men, as well as the wins and loses. His motto, "work hard in the classroom so you can work hard on the sports field," is a concept embraced and enforced by his team. Coach Bobby models his program on the local high school programs, which have been very successful. Speed work, soccer drills, conditioning drills, water balloon fights, Slurpee drinks and a mix of hard work and fun are key reasons for the Scottish Mafia's success.

As with any family involved in sports, it is truly a family activity. "My team's parents ROCK," says Coach Bobby. In the past few years, we've really grown as a tight unit what Coach Bobby calls "the Mafia Family". Parents work together to ensure kids get to and from practices, that we look out for each other at school, and that whatever needs to be done gets done from the practices, winter workouts, summer workouts, to the game days. None is more important than "the Gannon Clan" which routinely supports his activities - his wife of 19 years Noreen, his son Jonathan, and his daughter Callie. Family First - Mom's, Dad's, Siblings, Grandma's, Grandpa's , Aunt's, Uncle's, Cousin's, routinely roam the sidelines at Scottish Mafia games. "Success on the field begins at home, with good role models, and supportive families."

As many of his boys enter High School, Coach Gannon takes the time to reflect on the past, his influence on the players he's coached, and the future of U14 Boys Soccer in SYSA. "Nothing will please me more to sit back and watch a High School game (his son, Jonathan, is an upcoming freshman at Dominion High School in Sterling, VA) and say I coached that kid, that kid had skills at age 10, wow that kid really became a good player, or I coached that kid as well," that is when Coach Bobby knows he accomplished something special.

Coach Bobby credits his actions with growing up in a tight Sterling community. "I had good role models, solid foundations, involved parents, and a work ethic instilled in me at an early age." Coach Bobby fondly looks back on growing up in Sterling in the 70's and 80's and the various Mom's, Dad's, and folks that developed and grew the local sports leagues. Another generation later, he and others like him are doing the same. "I coached two years with a good friend of mine, Chris Jensen, he and his brother now coach in the same leagues we grew up playing in." He hopes his son's teammates continue to grow that tradition.

Coach Bobby would like to thank the following: his assistant Coach Dave Jarvis for his dedication and enthusiasm, his "Scottish Mafia Family" for their support to the program, SYSA and the countless hours and numbers of folks who coach and foster the league he loves, Tammy Ryan for her nomination, his players (past and present) for believing in themselves, his own "Gannon Clan," and DC United for all they do to support local leagues throughout the Washington Metro Area.

"When I got an email and call from Scott and Evan from D.C. United, I thought I was being Punk'd. I am so honored by this award. THANK YOU D.C. UNITED! I see all you do for SYSA and many local soccer clubs in our communities... you guys are the best."