PDL Piranhas announce assistant coach

Virginia Beach, Virginia - The Virginia Beach Piranhas are pleased to announce that Martin Burwell has joined the club as the new assistant coach of the PDL Piranhas. Burwell was born in New Orleans but grew up in Virginia Beach and played his high school soccer at Tallwood. He is currently the assistant coach at Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in Virginia Beach and holds a USSF D license.

Burwell grew up playing for Beach FC and FC Delco in Eastern Pennsylvania. He was a four-year member of the Virginia State Olympic Development team and was twice selected to the Region I ODP team. He was a four-year letterman in varsity soccer at Tallwood and earned All-Beach District Honors his junior and senior years. He also attended the ESP (Elite Soccer Program) designed for the top 150 high school senior players in the country. He started his college career at the University of Massachusetts where he played for two years before transferring to the University of Virginia for his junior and senior seasons. He played professionally for the USL's Division I Miami FC.
"Martin is a great addition to our coaching staff," said PDL Piranhas head coach Cesar Rizzo. "I asked him to be my assistant this season based on his personality and soccer knowledge and based on his experience with high level soccer at the University of Virginia. His dedication to our sport demonstrates that he will be a huge asset in 2011."

Burwell is active in the community as a youth coach, with AC Norfolk, the Smithsonian Soccer Academy in Norfolk and Virginia Beach and Elite Soccer Training, LLC. He resides in Virginia Beach.