PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan native played a crucial role in coaching the U.S. women’s soccer team to victory at the 2019 World Cup.
B.J. Snow was an All-American soccer player at Portage Central High School before playing at Indiana University, where he won two national championships. After college, he returned to Michigan to start his career as the Portage Central head coach.
Now, he is the director of player identification and development for theU.S. Women’s National Teamand the head coach of the women’s under-23 national team. He also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s team when they won the World Cup Sunday in France.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Snow told 24 Hour News 8 Tuesday in a video call from New York. “It was a remarkable journey when you’re having to play such quality teams.”
He credits much of his success as a coach to the foundation he built playing soccer in West Michigan.
“It’s remarkable the tradition that a community like Kalamazoo has and West Michigan in general. There’s a rich soccer tradition there and tremendous players and coaches that have come out of that area. I think that was where my passion was ignited by all of those people,” Snow said.
Snow will take part in the victory parade for the team Wednesday morning in New York City.
Find more stories like this at WOODTV.com