The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack have hired the third head coach of their women's soccer program since they entered Canada West athletics in 2014.
TRU Athletics and Recreation Director Curtis Atkinson announced this afternoon that Mark Pennington will take over the program effective immediately.

The 39 year old native of NewCastle Upon Tyne, England  (Northeast part of the country) is looking forward to taking over the reins of the WolfPack.  ' I am really excited about this opportunity I think this is a great school in a great area with huge potential.  I feel that I'll bring a fresh perspective and approach to the team and I believe that I can push this program to the next level.  I am really lucky to be here and can't wait to get started."

Pennington has a distinguished and diverse resume.  His most recent positions: assistant coach with the UBC Thunderbirds and  Club Technical director of the SurDel Soccer Club in Delta, BC.  Previously, Mark was the Head coach of the Coastal FC U18 and U13 girls programs in South Surrey, BC .

Pennington has been with the UBC program for three seasons and helped them capture the Canada West title and silver at the CIS nationals in 2016.   His previous Canada West experience was with the Trinity Western University Spartans where he was an assistant coach for two seasons (2014-16). During that time, they won the Canada West championship (2014) and were runners up (2015) and won two silver medals at CIS Nationals (2014-15).

Aside from observing the WolfPack while coaching against them, he also ran the current crop of players through a training session as part of the interview evaluation process.   " I definitely think there are some talented players here, and some good recruits coming in. I feel my experience in this division will allow me to change the tactical approach of the team in some specific areas to be more competitive ultimately looking to challenge for a playoff spot. It's going to take time but with a shift of team identity, belief and tactical preparation there's no reason we can't be a more competitive team in the Canada West Pacific Division."

Pennington is honest about his biggest challenges,  ' It's no secret that we are in one of the most competitive divisions in the country and from that perspective it's always going to be a challenge, every game is tough-but this is also what excites me about the role. The program is currently not at the level I feel it could be at and that makes it more challenging to attract the top players here, however one of the biggest strengths I bring to this position is the recruiting network I possess. I will be working very hard to bring the right players to this program to compliment the talent we already have here."

So what would a Mark Pennington team look like?  " My philosophy is definitely that of a player first approach. I truly believe that finding the right balance between building a solid team culture within an environment that the players enjoy being a part of-with a tactical understanding and preparation are the keys to a successful team."
In the past, Pennington spent time as a guest coach with the National U-17 team (June 2014), was a Vancouver Whitecaps prospect coach, a coach  with two winning programs in the Pacific Coast Soccer League and a guest coach at Tottenham Hotspur FC with their U-18 program.  

Pennington also has a B.A. with honors in Sports Development and Coaching from the Univeristy of Northumbria at Newcastle Upon Tyne, England (where he was also captain of the school's soccer team during his four year studies) and has a BTEC  in Sports Science from West Cumbria College in Cumbria, England.   He also has an English F.A. Coaching certificate. Since coming to British Columbia, Pennington has earned a BC Soccer Technical Diploma, a BC Soccer Learning Facilitators course, has a Canadian Soccer Association National "A" and "B" coaching license.
Pennington also was a youth professional player with Sunderland AFC.

He is looking forward to moving to Kamloops and Thompson Rivers University.  "It will be a big change from living in Vancouver for sure, but I am really looking forward to it. The strong community feel I get from the area really appeals to me and I can't wait to get integrated into the area. I love the outdoors and from that perspective, Kamloops definitely has a lot to offer.  The campus and facilities at TRU are fantastic. I have been very impressed with all the staff in the Athletics department, and I get the feel that it is a very supportive and tight knit group that I am looking forward to being a part of."

Says Atkinson about the hiring of Pennington, "This was very competitive search, but throughout the exhaustive process, Mark separated himself as the ideal candidate to lead our program. He checks all of the boxes we were looking for – experience working with high performance women, in depth understanding of Canada West,  tactical expertise, recruiting contacts, and ability to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders. Mark's experience with two winning and reputable programs – Trinity Western University and the University of British Columbia – was very appealing to the committee. For the past five years, he has worked with these two top programs in the conference and we are confident he is the right choice to move us forward. As we did our background work, we spoke to several people – former employers, head coaches he has worked with, administrators, respected colleagues from across the country, and mutual contacts. Without hesitation, everyone spoke highly of Mark's ability to connect with student-athletes and recommended him as the ideal choice to lead our program. He was described as someone who will bring passion, positive energy, and enthusiasm to the program. I am excited to work with Mark and am pleased to welcome him to TRU and the WolfPack."

UBC head coach Jesse Symons was pleased to learn that Pennington will join him among the Canada West head coach fraternity.  " Mark has a tremendous understanding of Canada West and what it takes to be successful in the very competitive division,"  he says.  "Mark has a great tactical understanding of the game and will influence and motivate all the players He works with to get the most out of them on the field. He brings a great personality to encourage the players on and off the field. From all the players and staff at UBC we wish him all the best in his new role. "
 
Pennington takes over a WolfPack team which finished 3-9-2 in 2018 and were tied for last place in the Canada West Pacific Division. They haven't qualified for the playoffs in four years.