Roy Lassiter to Lead New Era of PacNW-OSA FC

Record-breaking MLS player Roy Lassiter is now gearing up for his newest challenge: serving as head coach of PacNW-OSA FC.

“It’s a huge privilege for me to help that group of boys and help their development,” Lassiter said. “They all aspire to get to that next level and I want to get them there.”

Lassiter brings a great deal of experience along with him to the head coaching position, including 315 club appearances and 34 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team. Lassiter also holds the record for most goals scored in a single season, when he scored 27 for the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996. Whether it’s his biggest successes or his toughest failures, Lassiter uses it all to help his coaching.

“I’m going to bring them all my experience, good and bad,” Lassiter said.  “If I’m just giving them my successes, that’s really not realistic. I was able to be successful, in many ways, because I failed in certain things, so I want to be able to give them that and continue to inspire them.”

Lassiter also knows his experience can help keep players going in what is a tough environment.

“It’s always important when you can use your experience…it’s almost invaluable to have that experience,” Lassiter said. “It’s a tough game, and it doesn’t get any easier as you climb the ladder, so I’m going to bring all of my experience, whether it be from Major League Soccer or the coaching ranks.”

Lassiter’s experience in coaching includes several years coaching youth programs, including PacNW, a group of youth soccer academies in the Northwest that recently entered into a partnership with OSA FC. Lassiter is excited for the collaboration and expects it to help both player development and the NPSL first team.

“It gives players a good roadmap to see where the possibilities are,” Lassiter said. “It also allows different layers of development within our youth club so players can find themselves a place in all areas of development throughout our program.”

PacNW-OSA FC General Manager Giuseppe Pezzano is excited for the partnership between the two clubs and the impact Lassiter will have on it.

“Roy is also the Boys Director of Coaching and US Academy Director for PacNW, which will offer a complete development program throughout their career, starting from the youth age,” Pezzano said. “With this collaboration the young academy players will have the opportunity to improve their soccer skills and ultimately join the first team like in the pyramid model used throughout the rest of the soccer world.”

With a full plate on the development side and the first team side, Lassiter still holds high expectations for PacNW-OSA FC’s NPSL side in the upcoming 2018 season.

“I want to see consistency, I want to the see the style that I implement developed, and I want to see success,” Lassiter said. “Our first priority is winning our conference and then from there to get on to regional and national play in the playoffs and I want to help my players achieve that.”