January 2010 - The TSC Maryland Red Devils will play their inaugural season in the Northeast Region’s Keystone Conference of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).
This highly competitive league, which competes at the "PDL" (Premier Development League) level, will include, but is not limited to National Team, former and current University and College, foreign, amateur, former professional and youth players.
The General Manager for the team will be Tony Corbett, who has been a long time coach in the Maryland area and will continue to serve as the Director of Coaching for all of Thunder's youth teams, as he has since 2001. Corbett also serves as G.M. for Thunder’s women’s team, the TSC Maryland Pride, which plays in the WPSL.
"Howard County has a long history of offering premier adult soccer teams, going back to the days of the Maryland Bays and the Maryland Mania, and I am convinced that the community will show their support for our women’s MD Pride, and for the men’s MD Red Devils," said Corbett. "There is so much talent coming through the youth soccer clubs and local Colleges/ Universities in this area, and once they graduate and come home, we are here to provide a place for those players to play in front of friends, family and soccer enthusiasts. It is our goal to field a top notch team, with professional coaching, and serious players that want to achieve more. We are hopeful that tryouts will be very competitive."
As part of the team organization, the new Head Coach will be Bulgarian native, Stefan Draganov. The former professional coach and player has made his home in the area for the past 9 years.
Stefan has played and coached professionally in Bulgaria and several other countries, before ultimately moving his family to the USA. Here in the United States, Draganov serves as Director of Coaching for Thunder, coaches youth teams, and is also Head Coach for the Howard Community College men’s team.
"I'm really looking forward to working with motivated players and such a quality coaching staff. This should be a wonderful experience for everyone in a very exciting league," said Draganov. "My aim is to create a successful, winning team that will complement our women’s MD Pride team, and completes Thunder’s program structure from 4 year olds through to premier adult soccer."
The men’s team will play its home games in Howard County, Maryland. The season starts mid-May and concludes with playoffs and a Championship match at the end of July.
