The Alabama men’s club soccer team has added a new face to its program. Although the team’s failures far outweigh its successes, the Tide asked the most prominent soccer coach in the state to join its roster. John Carroll Catholic High School head coach David DiPiazza is now the new head coach of the men’s club soccer team.

DiPiazza has coached John Carroll Catholic High School to eight state championships. He has also coached a local club team to a state title. As a result, DiPiazza has been named State and Metro Coach of the Year, National Federation High School Sports Soccer Coach of the Year and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America State Coach of the Year.

DiPiazza has high school, club and college soccer coaching experience. His tendency to win has already been shown to the Tide’s players.

“Club soccer has always been serious, but I believe it was more recreation in the past,” midfielder Tim Pryor said. “With DiPiazza here, I feel like he has brought a sense of urgency to win and get better. His intensity is motivation to give our all every time we hit the field.”

The team is now 7-1-1 with their win margin growing even wider.

“The key to our success has been our great depth,” DiPiazza said. “We can sub out six players at a time if we need to, because our bench is not far behind our starters in talent.”

DiPiazza has previously coached and recruited several of the team’s players at John Carroll Catholic High School and at Wallace State Community College, which is perhaps the reason for the team’s great depth.

“I was intrigued by the idea of coaching some of my former players as well as some I have coached against in the past,” DiPiazza said. “I feel like I am coaching an all-star group.”

Last year, the team finished 13-5-3. DiPiazza has been working with the Tide to get them back to competing at a high level. He is quickly deciphering the problems that left the Tide out of the regional tournament last year.

“[DiPiazza] has changed our playing style to a more attacking one,” said midfielder Justin Boyington. “We are focusing on either holding the ball in the midfield or getting the ball wide to spread the field and stretch our defense.”

With the most state championships of any Alabama high school coach under his belt, DiPiazza has made a huge impact on the team. He has brought about a new discipline to the Tide.

With the previous head coach leaving mid-season last year, the Tide was forced to function on their own. The team was so unorganized that their aspirations of competing in regionals were lost.

“We are going to regionals this year, but I would also like to go all the way to the national tournament,” DiPiazza said. “That is the reason I coach and the reason [the players] play. There is so much commitment that this year could be the year. It is just a matter of getting used to playing together.”

The team is now ranked No. 4 in the region, the highest the Tide has been ranked in a while, and the team hopes to keep improving.