Norfolk SharX name Jim Gooley General Manager

Norfolk SharX Press Release:

SHARX NAME JIM GOOLEY GENERAL MANAGER

Lucy Gimbel named Director of Operations

Troy Catindig named Director of Group Sales

Norfolk, Virginia – The Norfolk SharX are pleased to announce that Jim Gooley has joined the staff as General Manager. Other staff appointments also include naming Lucy Gimbel Director of Operations and Troy Catindig Director of Group Sales.

Gooley comes to the SharX with over 45 years in the game of soccer. A goalkeeper by trade, he began playing for Brick Township High School in New Jersey. With a degree in electronics from Ocean County College in the 1970's Jim worked for a small electronics company and then joined Eastman Kodak in 1978. During his 21 years as an imaging specialist at Kodak he continued to play and coach youth soccer for various clubs. He joined Nikon Microscope Instruments in 2000 as a technical sales rep in the pharmaceutical and university markets.

Gooley became part of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) as an announcer and salesman for the Division III Central Jersey Riptide and the Central Jersey Splash W League team. He became Vice President of Sales and was then named General Manager of the franchises. In 2003, he joined the New Jersey Wildcats of the W League helping the team win franchise awards including USL Franchise of the Year in 2005. The same year the Wildcats were W League Champions and ranked as high as 4th in the world.

Jim Gooley

Gooley, along with Wildcats head coach Charlie Naimo and communications director Patric Santo Pietro, left the Wildcats to form a new team, Jersey Sky Blue. This W League franchise earned the 2006 W League Franchise of the Year award as well and the team moved directly into the new Women's Professional League (WPS) as Sky Blue FC. Gooley still announces games for Sky Blue.

Gooley’s work with Sky Blue was recognized by the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League and he was asked to help build a new MISL team, the New Jersey Ironmen. He worked as Director of Gameday Operations for two years.

He joins the SharX with experience and awards at every level of the professional game. Jim has a daughter Karen, a speech pathologist who is married to Joseph Ficarra. Both reside in New Jersey. Jim enjoyed 36 years of marriage to his late wife Pam.

“Jim has worked with USL, MISL, and other professional teams. He is known for hard work, creative ideas, and for building successful franchises,” said SharX President Marcie Laumann. “His enthusiasm for the team and the community are exactly what we need.”

Lucy Gimbel

Gimbel has been a member of the Hampton Roads soccer community since 2000 as a team organizer for the Neighborhood Youth Soccer League (NYSL) as well as a team manager for her son’s rec team. In 2003, she joined the Hampton Roads Piranhas organization working on game day set up, then adding game day music and atmosphere during the following season. She was appointed Director of Operations for the W-League and PDL teams in 2011. She started with the SharX as Director of Game

Day Operations working with volunteers, scheduling team travel and appearances as

well as managing the SharX office. Gimbel and her husband Brian have two children, Amanda 21 and Nick 15. A native of New York, Gimbel and her family have called Virginia Beach home for 20 years.

Laumann has been working with Gimbel for a long time. “Lucy is one of the hardest working people I know and a true sports nut,” Laumann said. “She has proven over and over again that she earns her nick name The Magician because she always seems to pull everything together when the team needs it.”

Catindig, a lifelong resident of Hampton Roads graduated from Old Dominion University with a degree in communications. He has been a life-long soccer fan and player, is a fan of the indoor game and is excited about Major League Sports coming to Hampton Roads. He and his wife Pam have two daughters, Taylor and Haley, and they reside in Virginia Beach.

Troy Catindig

“Troy is a polished professional that loves working with community organizations and groups,” Laumann said about Catindig. “He shares my passion to see the SharX involved in our community.”

Laumann went on to say that these staff additions are the shot of adrenaline the SharX organization needs. Laumann has been serving as both General Manager and President of the SharX and the appointment of Gooley will allow her to focus on the development and promotion of the franchise both on and off the field.

The SharX are on the road to Baltimore on Friday for a 7:35 kickoff with the Blast at 1^st Mariner Arena. The team returns home Saturday night, January 21 at 7 p.m. at Norfolk Scope Arena. Tickets are available at the Scope Box Office or online at www.norfolksharx.com and $2 discounts are available by using code JAWS5.

For more information about the Norfolk SharX, Norfolk’s newest professional sports team, including sponsorships, tickets, internships or to volunteer, please call 757-419-3317 or visit www.norfolksharx.com.