OSHAWA, Ont. - Durham College athletic director Ken Babcock is pleased to announce that Dave Ashfield has been named the new head coach of the men's soccer program.
"Men's soccer has seen a lengthy run of success at Durham College. Dave's enthusiasm, soccer knowledge, approach to the game, and variety of experience from the local to national level is something we value at the school," said Babcock. "We look forward to our new coach quickly putting his thumb print on the program provincially and nationally."
Ashfield brings plenty of experience with him having been involved in all facets of the game including coaching, playing and officiating.
"I am looking forward to the challenge of building a championship program at Durham College," said Ashfield. "Throughout my soccer career, I have always been a student of the game. I have paid close attention to the details set out by my coaches that has allowed me to be successful in my career."
With the Ontario Soccer Association, Ashfield was the goalkeeper coach for all youth male and female all-star teams. He had instant success leading the squads to a number of podium finishes, while developing six goalkeepers in national programs.
He is also familiar with the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA), having been an associate head coach with Centennial's women's soccer team during the 1994-95 season and from 1998 to 2001. In the Colts inaugural outdoor season, the team won an OCAA silver medal and followed that up with a championship title during the indoor season. In 2000, the Colts once again reached the podium winning another outdoor silver medal. He was also an assistant coach with Durham's men's soccer team last year.
With the Scarborough Azzurri, he was an associate head coach with the women's team who were national bronze medalists in 1995 and 1996. The club also won the Ontario Cup, OWSL league and OWSL Cup in the same years. As an assistant coach with the men's club, they were Ontario Cup champions in 1996.
As a player, Ashfield represented the country as he was Team Canada's starting goalkeeper for the U16 team. At this level, he became the first goalkeeper in this age group to record consecutive shutouts at an international event. Provincially, Ashfield was the starting goalkeeper for team Ontario from 1983 to 1985. His team won national titles in back-to-back years and was bronze medalists at the Canada Games in 1985.
He also played professionally with the Toronto Blizzard of the Canadian Soccer League who won the regular season championship in 1990.
With the North York Cosmos, he was named goalkeeper of the year in 1984 and won the Ontario Cup silver medal in 1985. Ashfield also has experience playing for the Panhellenic Soccer Club (semi-professional), Toronto Italia, Scarborough Azzurri and the Markham Soccer Club.
He has also been a regional referee since 2001 where he has had the opportunity to officiate in the Canadian Soccer League for the past two seasons.
Ashfield is an officer with the Durham Regional Police Service and is looking forward to his new role with Durham College. The Lords will return to the pitch in January for the OCAA indoor soccer season.
Source: Durham College