Bonnie Young, the former head women’s soccer coach for North Central College, recently accepted a coaching position with the Chicago Red Stars, a professional soccer club in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Her replacement is Andrew Gamarra, who has been the head coach of the women’s soccer team at Sage Colony of Albany in New York since 2014.
Gamarra will be returning to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), having played soccer at Carthage College and serving there as an assistant men’s soccer coach as well.
“I’m looking forward to coming back,” says Gamarra. “I went to school at Carthage College and I’m familiar with the area; my wife is from Chicago.”
The women’s soccer team has not been in the CCIW tournament since the 2012 season, and Gamarra hopes to get them back there.
“I hope to contend for conference championships and make it into the NCAA tournament,” said Gamarra.
Gamarra believes in hard work and hopes to instill that mindset when coming to NCC. “I’m a big believer in putting in the work at practice and being the right person on and off the field,” says Gamarra.
Putting in hard work isn’t all that’s important to Gamarra; he has philosophies on team-building as well. “We’ll do team hikes and dinners, and talk about leadership styles,” says Gamarra. “I want (the team leaders) to be humble and gracious, but have certain characteristics that set them apart from other people.”
A positive interaction with the team has given Gamarra high hopes.
“I had lunch with the team,” says Gamarra. “I had a great experience, they seem like a great group of girls. I think we’re going to pick up on a great level and the girls are going to train hard.”
Aside from the team, Gamarra is excited to be at North Central in general.
“I’m looking forward to being at a great institution that’s recognized at a national level,” says Gamarra. “And it’s great to be close to Chicago.”
Although he used to play and coach at Carthage College, Gamarra is neutral about coaching against them. “I’m more looking forward to building up North Central (than facing Carthage),” says Gamarra. “I’m excited, but it’s certainly not the one game I look forward to every year; it’s just another game on the schedule.”
Gamarra’s official start date at North Central was May 9, 2016.
