Blackbear United Coaching Staff
Blackbear United Football Club provides the most experienced and diversified staff in Eastern Maine. Our staff includes some of the most well known and prominent figures in Collegiate, High School and Youth Soccer. Members originate from the United States, Canada and Chile and are licensed by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
Brad Ala
Felipe Arias
Coach Arias brings years of extensive playing and coaching experience to the Blackbear United staff. At the age of 16, Arias was selected by a professional club in Chile, but declined the offer to continue his education. A few years later, he accepted an offer to study in the US at Bryan College in Tennessee on a soccer scholarship. In his four years at Bryan, Arias earned two All-American awards and was named the Most Valuable Player. He graduated with a degree in Psychology and earned a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. He has coached the girl’s varsity soccer team at Maine Central Institute for the past seven seasons.
Coach Arias hails from Concepcion, Chile and resides in Pittsfield, Maine with his wife and four children.
MJ Ball
Coach Ball co-founded the club in 2001, serves as the Executive Director, the Youth Academy Director, and coaches multiple teams. Coach Ball .
Prior to becoming full-time Director of Operations with Blackbear United, he was the assistant men's soccer coach for two years at University of Maine, was a Head Coach in the Girls ODP program for SoccerMaine for four years, and coached the men's and women's soccer teams at the University of Maine at Machias for four years (2000 - 2004) where he was named 2003 NAIA Region X Women's Coach of the Year, and 2002 Sunrise Conference Men's Coach of the Year. Coach Ball draws upon his extensive experience as a player at collegiate level (Westminster College, PA), and as a coach. He current holds a USSF National 'A' license.
Coach Ball lives in Hampden with his wife Heather and son Aidyn James.
Seth Brown
Coach Brown is the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Husson College, led the Eagles to a 12-3-2 record and a berth in the NAC post-season in 2007 and is the Vice President of Operations for the Maine Tide and Sting.
Brown returns to his birthplace of Bangor, Maine after coaching throughout the country. Brown graduated from Searsport HS and played and earned his degree at Maine Maritime Academy. He continued his graduate work at the University of Mary.
Coach Brown has his USSF "A" and "Youth" licenses and brings a wealth of knowledge to Blackbear United with high school, collegiate and club coaching experience including; University of Mary, Rocky Mountain College, Arsenal Rome Soccer Club, the Atlanta Silverbacks, and ODP and Coaching Education in North Dakota, Montana, and Georgia.
Brown is married to his wife Mariko and resides in Frankfort with his son Wade and daughter Mayako.
Cid Dijak
Coach Dijak played collegiately at University of Maine Presque Isle. He is also the Girls Head Coach at Orono High School where he was named Maine High School Coach of the Year on two occasions. Has worked as a coach with the Maine Olympic Development Program, and Centers for Excellence. Coach Dijak has his Premier Diploma from the NSCAA. He lives in Orono with his wife Ann and daughter Annalies.
Travers Evans
Coach Evans co-founded the club in 2001 and is the past president of BUFC. Coach Evans draws from his extensive playing and coaching experience having played at the division 1 level at Northeastern University.
Coach Evans is the Head Coach of the men's and women's soccer programs at Maine Maritime Academy after coaching at the University of Maine for seven seasons. He was named 2003 America East Coach of the Year, after guiding the Maine Black Bears to the playoffs. He was an assistant coach for four years at the University of Maine, the only division 1 soccer program in the state of Maine, before being named the head coach in April of 2000.
He was a staff coach with the Maine ODP program from 1996-1999 working with the 82 boys, as well as the 82/83 superleague team for SoccerMaine. Coach Evans received his NSCAA national diploma in 1997. He was a featured clinician at the Maine AGM in 1998.
Coach Evans lives in Dedham with his wife, Johanna, son Riley and daughters Taylor and Acadia.
Jackie Gebhart
Coach Gebhart, a 1995 graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., was a four-year captain in addition to being named a three-time team Most Valuable Player, three-time All-South region and four-time All-Conference player. While at Sachem High School she earned All-State, All-County and All-Conference honors. Gebhart helped lead the 1987 squad to the state championship and her ’87 club team won the national championship.
Her coaching experience includes stints with an under-16 club team in Hickory, N.C., in addition to being director of the Catawba Valley Blast, a club team in North Carolina. She has has also coached with the Maine Olympic Development Program for two years and was recently named as an assistant coach for the ODP program. Gebhart is currently the Women's Assistant Coach at the University of Maine.
Dave Hamel
Coach Hamel played soccer at Bangor High School and finished his high school career in the top 15 all time scoring list before heading to the University of Maine at Presque Isle. While at UMPI, Hamel was named All Conference (3 times), All New England, All Region, and All
State during his collegiate career. Hamel scored over 100 points in career, and currently sits in Top 5 all time in goals scored in school history. Coach Hamel was the Bangor High School JV coach for 3 years and the Hermon High School varsity coach for 4 years.
Laura Harper
Coach Harper is a senior bio-chemistry major at the University of Maine and has been a four-year starter for the women's soccer team. She has captained the the Black Bears the past two seasons. In 2006 Harper was named to the America East First Team, the 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas NCAA Division I Women's Northeast All-Region Second Team, to the Soccer Buzz Northeast Region Second Team, to the America East All-Academic squad, and to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team. Harper led America East in points, points per game, goals and goals per game, and led Maine in scoring with 11 goals and two assists for 24 points. She was also named to the America East Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and was a UMaine Scholar-Athlete Award winner each year.
Prior to Maine, Harper played for the Ottawa Fury, was the youngest member of the Fury in 2003, helped lead the Fury to the W-League Final Four in 2003 and previously played with the Ontario Provincial and National Training Center Teams.
Mike Jeffrey
Rob Jones
Joe Kacer
Coach Kacer was raised in a military family and exposed to soccer at an early age. He was trained by a Spanish professional soccer player for three years in Syracuse, New York. Joe was a place kicker for the Brewer High School football team and has coached for Bangor Soccer Club levels Pre-K to U12. Joe has also coached baseball, basketball, tennis and skiing. Joe stressed conditioning and the use of both fee in passing and shooting skills.
He is a licensed commercial diver and diving medical technician. Coach Kacer lives in Bangor with his wife who is from South Hampton, England and their five children. He holds his USSF E license.
Pat Laughlin
Coach Laughlin is the Head Men's soccer coach at the University of Maine and is a graduate of the University of Maine where he was a four-year letterman for the Black Bears.
Prior to Maine, Laughlin was the assistant coach at the University of Rhode Island for one year, and head coach at Dean College for six years. During his six seasons in Franklin, Mass, his teams, which included four NJCAA All-Americans and four Academic All-Americans, combined to post a record of 69-36-6. Laughlin was named New England Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year in 2002. Laughlin helped take the program to new heights, which included its first-ever trip to the NJCAA National Finals in 2002. During his tenure, the Bulldogs captured the New England Region Championships in 2002 and 2003 and were finalists in 2005.
Before Laughlin's arrival at Dean, he built a program at Champlain College, improving each season he was there to post a 28-21-3 record. The Beavers were Northeast Region Champions in 1997 and finalists in 1998 and 1999. As a Division I Assistant at Cleveland State University he acted as the recruiting and travel coordinator as well as assisted in preparing and initiating training sessions for the perennial Horizon League contenders.
Laughlin presently is a member of the Region I Olympic Development Program regional staff. He holds a "B" Coaching License from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and an Advanced National Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
A native of Dallas, Texas, Laughlin is a 1992 graduate of the University of Maine, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. He earned his Masters of Education in Sports Management at Cleveland State University in 1996 while also serving as assistant coach.
Kurt Mathies
Coach Mathies is the Head Boy's soccer coach at Hermon High School and the Hampden Recreation Director. Coach Mathies played college ball at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (1991-1993). He has coached the Presque Isle boys soccer teams and was with the Hampden Academy Girls soccer program for 6 years. Coach Mathies has been the Recreation Director for the Town of Hampden since 2001. He currently holds his USSF “D” coaching license.
Mike McHugh
Coach McHugh
Dean Mekelburg
Coach Mekelburg joins Blackbear United as the coach of the Boys U12 team. Coach Mekelburg is a member of the NSCAA and holds a USSF National "D" license.
His coaching experience includes 4 years at the premier level in Northern Virginia and 7 years as a recreation volunteer before moving to Maine. Coach Mekelburg was a 2 year captain on the Colorado State Lacrosse team.
Chuck Morris
Coach Morris brings an enthusiam and passion for the game combined with coaching experience and expertise. For 8 years he coached the Winterport Soccer Team and the Phoenix Soccer Club. He is in his second season with BBUFC.
He holds a USSF "D" license, is a certified soccer official, and he has travelled across Europe with U.S. soccer teams.
Mike Noblet
Coach Noblet is the Head Goalkeeper Staff Coach and Head Coach of the U18 girls team. Coach Noblet brings extensive coaching and playing experience to Blackbear coaching staff. He has also worked as both goalkeeper and head coach of the U14 boys for Bangor Soccer Club travel team. A graduate of Thomas College coach Noblet helped lead his team to the NAIA Regional playoffs as both a keeper and midfielder in his senior season.
Coach Noblet draws on 27 years of playing experience at all levels of the game. Growing up in Texas and playing at the youth premier level for 8 years for such clubs as the Storm Soccer Club, Plano Wolves, and British Caledonian Diggers gave him a player’s view of high level club soccer. As a U16 Player Coach Noblet also was a goalkeeper coach for younger teams within the Diggers Soccer Club organization. Coach Noblet continues to play for an U30 tournament team out of Massachusetts and on local teams in the Bangor area including the Blackbear Coaches team.
Coach Noblet lives in Bangor with his wife Caroline.
Patsy Oversmith
Coach Oversmith joined Blackbear United in 2007 and is the coach and team administrator. Prior to joining Blackbear United, Coach Oversmith coached with the Phoenix Soccer Club. Oversmith is the President of the Bronco Travel Soccer Club based in Hampden and has been the president for the past three years. Oversmith has also coached the U10 Boys for the past three years.
Oversmith enjoys watching the game of soccer, has been involved in sports the majority of her life in coaching, playing and administration roles. Coach Oversmith has her E license.
Oversmith works full time at Stillwater Academy working with Autistic children and resides in Hampden with husband Tim and two boys Tyler and Paxton.
Chris Parsons
Coach Parsons is the assistant men's soccer coach at the University of Maine. Parsons also has over five years of college head coaching experience at the NAIA and NCAA Division III level.
Prior to Maine, Parsons spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Bowdoin College where he helped guide the Polar Bears to an overall 21-7-2 record and an NSCAA top 20 national ranking in both years. Prior to Bowdoin College he was the men's head coach at Saint Joseph's College from 2003-2004 where led the team to the 2004 NCAA Division III Independent Northeast Regional Tournament.
He began his coaching career as men's head coach at Notre Dame College (NH), posting a 48-11-1 record from 1999 to 2001. The team won the Mayflower Conference Championship in 2000 and advanced to the Northeast Region Championship in 2000 and final four in 2001. The team received NSCAA Top 20 National Rankings in both 2000 and 2001. He was named Mayflower Conference Coach of the Year in 2000 and was a Northeast Region Coach of the Year finalist.
As a player, he made two NJCAA National Final Four appearances with Ulster County Community College (NY). Parsons then played at Thomas College (ME) where his team won the Maine Athletic Conference championship in 1995 and advanced to the Northeast Region tournament. Parsons was a team captain in 1996 and was a two-time All-New England, All-State and All-Conference selection.
Parsons has a BS in Sports Management from Thomas College and holds the United States Soccer Federation National "B" license.
Jay Pyne
Coach Pyne joined Blackbear in 2006. Together with Laura Harper he coaches
the U12 Girls. Coach Pyne has coached fall Travel Soccer for the last 4
years and holds a USSF "E" liscence.
Coach Pyne is an Orthopedic Surgeon who lives in Dixmont with his wife Sandra and their 3 children.
Larry Smith
Coach Smith brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the club with years of coaching at the club, high school and youth levels. Coach Smith is the Girls Head Soccer Coach at Bangor HS and has led them to back to back eastern Maine title games and one state title.
Coach Smith played four years at Ohio State University from 1975-78. His coaching experience includes six years of fall travel soccer, three years assistant girls coach at Bangor High, many rec seasons and two years at the premier level. Coach Smith holds a "D"coaching license. For the past 16 years Coach Smith has been a Family Physician at Winterport Family Medicine. His son Austin played for the club for four years beforing attending college.
Kim Stephenson
Coach Stephenson is a junior engineering major at the University of Maine and plays on the women's soccer team where she has started for the Black Bears the past two seasons. Stephenson has been named to the America East Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and a UMaine Scholar-Athlete Award winner the past two years in 2005, was named a Maine Academic Rising Star.
Prior to Maine, Stephenson was a two-year captain for Dewey Martin at Hampden Academy, scored 46 goals and added 48 assists during her career, was a three-time All-New England selection, a four-time Penobscot Valley First Team All-Conference selection, a four-time All-East Regional and All-State First Team selection, named to the Portland Press Herald First Team in 2001, 2002 and 2003, named Hampden Academy Most Valuable Player all four years, played on several state and regional teams, and was a standout in basketball and track.
Al Tripp
Coach Tripp joins the Blackbear United staff as the U13 Girls Head Coach. Coach Trip played for Husson College from 1991-94 where he earned his Business Administration and Marketing degree. While at Husson College, Tripp was named to the Maine Athletic Conference All-Star team (93’), was a 3-year captain (92-94) and was inducted into the Husson College Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Coach Tripp has coached youth soccer the past 8 years and brings his soccer experience and expertise to our program. Tripp is an Account Representative Horizon Solutions - Electrical Automation and a Partner in Real Estate Development Company - Emerald Group, LLC. Located in Orono, Maine. Coach Tripp lives in Bangor with his wife Erica of 13 years and their two daughters Logan and Tanner.
Tom Violette
Coach Violette joined Blackbear United this past Fall and brings many years of both coaching and playing experience. He played his collegiate soccer at the University of Maine at Farmington where he graduated with a degree in Public Health. Over the years he has coached at both the travel and premier levels. He holds a USSF "E" license.
Coach Violette works for Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems where his focus is on Provider Relations and Business Development. He and his wife Mary reside in Bangor with their two daughters.
