SANDPOINT — A former college and semi-pro soccer player, a successful head high school and college assistant coach, experience leading a soccer club and a masters in education: The résumé of new director of coaching for the Sandpoint Strikers is a strong one.

Mike Pellicio, 29, will take over a position held by Adam Tajan for the past three years, essentially overseeing a soccer club that features more than 250 kids on 17 teams, a remarkably high number for a town the size of Sandpoint.

The former Santa Clara University player has been a high school head coach, an assistant for the Idaho Vandal women’s team, and hopes to bring a lot of energy and new ideas to the position.

“I’ve been coaching for 10 years at pretty much every possible level. In that time, I developed a philosophy of how youth soccer should operate in order to be successful,” says Pellicio. “I believe that players, parents and coaches have to work together to create a comfortable yet challenging environment so that players can develop all aspects of their game.  

Pellicio takes over a post held by Tajan, who had a successful three-year run with the Strikers. Tajan, who teaches at the high school and is also the varsity boys head coach, felt the job was simply taking too much of his time.

“My family and I haven’t been able to keep up with the demand. To put as much time and energy into those, and spend time with my family, was too much,” says Tajan, who is excited to see Pellicio take the reins. “He’ll be out there every day working with the kids.”

Pelicio has been playing recently with Sandpoint native Brian Farber and Evan McNeley in men’s league and with the San Diego Sockers, and his wife is from Coeur d’Alene, so Sandpoint had a strong pull.

“Both guys care very, very deeply about the Strikers so the fact that they were so supportive when I told them I was interested meant a lot,” says Pellicio. “I already knew plenty about the Sandpoint soccer community, but it was nice being able to run ideas by them twice a week about where the program is and where it can go.”

Pellicio will take over the Next Level soccer camp directorship from Farber, while McNeley and the usual host of coaches will continue.

Sandpoint Soccer Association president Chuck Mione feels the time is right to segue to a new director.

“He’s not walking into a troubled club, we’re solid, thanks to all of the work that Adam has done,” says Mione, lauding the new hire. “With his background, a  masters in education, he knows how to deal with kids.”

Pellicio has a deep love of soccer, which goes a lot way. Asked what he loves most about soccer, he listed a bunch of upset moments. Wigan won the 2013 FA Cup in the same season that they finished in the bottom three in league. In San Diego this season, the lowest seeded high school team won a section championship by beating four of the top five seeds. The U.S. beat Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup one year before they were World Cup champions.

“The thing I love most about soccer is that any team can beat any other team in any competition,” answers Pellicio. “Nothing feels better than beating a favored team and I can’t wait to experience it with the Strikers.”