Wolverines Add Grassie as New Assistant Coach
8/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Head coach Steve Burns of the University of Michigan mens soccer team announced the addition of Chris Grassie as the team's new assistant coach Tuesday (Aug. 21).
Grassie
"A key to winning consistently is to surround the players with the right staff," said Burns. "Coach Grassie is passionate about the game and has a history of developing players through positive relationships and an advanced coaching philosophy. He is the right fit at the right time for our players and will help us find even more success as a program."
Grassie brings a great deal of experience to the Wolverines, having played professionally for four different clubs in England -- most notably with Northwich when it was part of the Alliance Premier League and semi-professionally with Kidsgrove Athletic.
Grassie worked as an assistant coach at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., from 2004-06 where he focused on training goalkeepers and recruiting student-athletes. While at Marshall, he also earned his masters of science degree in exercise science with a focus on athletic administration. Grassie also worked as the head goalkeeper coach for West Virginias Olympic Development Program during his time in Huntington.
Prior to coaching at Marshall University, Grassie was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Alderson Broaddus College in Phillippi, W. Va., during the 2003 season. While playing in college at Alderson Broaddus, he won multiple all-conference awards as well as taking the lead as team captain. He was a double major in political science and history.
Grassie was recently married to Kara from Windsor, Ontario, and the couple resides in Ann Arbor.
The Michigan men's soccer team begins its 2007 season with exhibition games at Western Michigan Thursday (Aug. 23) and at Pittsburgh Sunday (Aug. 26) before hosting Rutgers in its first regular-season contest Friday, Aug. 31, on the U-M Soccer Field.
Contact: Stacey Schwartz (734) 763-4423
