Camunas:  USF Rewards Soccer Coach

[Brad]

The Oracle

Men's soccer coach in for the long haul

Mike Camunas, Sports

Coach George Kiefer led the Bulls to a NCAA appearance in just four seasons at USF.

Men's soccer coach George Kiefer came to Florida with very few state connections. But now after four years at the reigns, a 41-26-7 career record and a NCAA tournament appearance, he'll have plenty of time to plant deep roots.

Kiefer signed a contract extension on March 22, raising his base salary from $41,711 to $60,000. The contract will run through the 2010 season. It becomes effective on July 1 and includes Coach of the Year and NCAA invitation incentives.

"I'm glad that (Athletic Director) Doug (Woolard) is committed to me," Kiefer said. "It's good news for me and my family, and I'm glad to be in for the long haul."

Kiefer, entering his fifth season, is coming off a year in which the Bulls clinched a Big East Red Division regular-season crown only to fall in the Big East Championship to Connecticut 1-0. The Bulls advanced to the their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2001 under Kiefer, then lost in the second round of the tournament to Virginia 7-6 in a shootout.

But Kiefer can't take all the credit.

While he has been influential bringing in nationally ranked recruiting classes, he also feels he acquired a good program.

"The program has always been very strong," Kiefer said. "I inherited a good program with a lot of history, and we've been able to build on it what we want here."

Kiefer, who is running clinics and camps this summer, said he has been using the recent success of the program to bring some the better talent from around the country to USF.

"(That's a) big statement of the program," Kiefer said. "The regular season title is not an easy thing to do. Are we going promote it? We sure are."

Midfielder Simon Schoendorf - a player Kiefer never saw when recruiting him - said he's happy to finish out the last two years of his collegiate career with Kiefer.

"Glad to see (the extension) happen," Schoendorf said. "It's a big step for the program, in which when he started here, he has gone about to build it the way he wanted to have it - to bring in players he wanted to have.

"I think he's at a point where he has a team he wants to have, where he understands how to motivate his team, because the team chemistry is very good right now."

Added forward Jordan Seabrook, "I think it's great. What he's done with the program is outstanding and he's got us going in the right direction, so he obviously deserves it."

Story Link at The Oracle

[Cubanbull]

Good news, glad to see we are starting to raise salaries of successful coaches. Its your BCS dollars at work

[Jewbull]

Kiefer signed a contract extension on March 22, raising his base salary from $41,711 to $60,000. The contract will run through the 2010 season. It becomes effective on July 1 and includes Coach of the Year and NCAA invitation incentives

I wonder where this ranks among Big East coaches and other top soccer programs in the country. Just curious how we are stacking up, now that we have a little more money to work with being in the BE.

[TyBull]

Sweet.........

[SRQ]

I wonder where this ranks among Big East coaches and other top soccer programs in the country. Just curious how we are stacking up, now that we have a little more money to work with being in the BE.

Good question.   I'm liking DW better all the time.

[Rabbi Bull]

congrats to coach

[Brad]

I'm not sure I really care where it ranks.  We are just one year into a BCS conference and 10 years into a major revenue producing sport like football and we are still trying to fully sell football to the community and our own alumni.

I do not hold USF salaries up to any scale at this point.  I like paying for performance however and am glad to see Kiefer get a sizable increase regardless of what other BCS schools are paying.

[bulls96go]

congrats!

go DW!

[USFan]

Great news!

[Bullpride08]

I'm not sure I really care where it ranks.  We are just one year into a BCS conference and 10 years into a major revenue producing sport like football and we are still trying to fully sell football to the community and our own alumni.

I do not hold USF salaries up to any scale at this point.  I like paying for performance however and am glad to see Kiefer get a sizable increase regardless of what other BCS schools are paying.

Bravo, well said Brad.  

As long as DW continues to reward the coaches that have success then everything else will take care of itself.