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posted 06/02/2009 
| | Kate Cortis - New Stingers Director of Coaching | | |
Kate Cortis – New Stingers Soccer Club Girls Director of Coaching
The Stingers Board of Directors is excited to announce the hiring of Kate Cortis as the new Girl’s Director of Coaching. Kate will begin with the club on July 1.
With over 400 girls in our Stingers programs, Kate’s broad experience, deep technical knowledge and great energy will provide an extraordinary new leadership and role model for our girls and young women both on the field and off.
As you know, one of the most important aspects of the recent club restructuring was a renewed focus and commitment to the needs of our Stingers girl’s program. Kate’s addition will not only strengthen our girl’s program but also provide new ideas and new energy throughout the club.
We look forward to Kate continuing her love for soccer and enthusiasm to teach the game with the Stingers Soccer Club. We hope you will join us in welcoming Kate to Colorado, our community and the Stingers Soccer Club.
Below, please find Kate’s bio.
Kate Cortis - Bio
Kate Cortis joins the Evergreen Stingers Soccer Club after five years on the staff of the women’s soccer program at the University of Minnesota. After four seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Kate was promoted to associate head coach of the Golden Gophers squad in 2008 – a year that saw the team win the Big Ten Championship and an NCAA Division I playoff berth.
In addition to her position with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, Cortis was active in the Minnesota soccer community as a Minnesota Olympic Development Program (ODP) state coach and as a club coach with the Woodbury Soccer Club and Bangu FC. In 2007, she coached the MN ’91 team to the Region II ODP Tournament Championship. Her team also represented the region at the ODP National Championships.
Prior to joining the Minnesota staff, Kate spent the 2003 season at the University of Missouri under head coach Bryan Blitz and helped lead the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999. She spent the 2002 season as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator at Colorado College. Prior to joining the staff at Colorado College, Cortis earned her first coaching opportunity at the NCAA Division I level as Director of Soccer Operations also at the University of Missouri.
Kate entered the collegiate coaching ranks during the 2000 season as an assistant at the University of Chicago. Cortis spent her collegiate playing days at the University of Chicago from 1996-99. The two-year captain helped lead the Maroons to conference championships in 1996 and 1999 and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1996. She earned a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Chicago in 2000.
Cortis owns NSCAA Advanced National Coaching License as well as a USSF ‘B’ License. Kate is a native of Birmingham, MI and has recently relocated to Colorado with her husband.
