FC Tucson Women celebrated another victory of sorts this week when Team Administrator Paloma Paez was hired away to work for MLS program Houston Dynamo FC. Paez became the third staff member of the FC Tucson organization to advance in their career this season according to club president Amanda Powers.
“Paloma always displayed a ‘can do’ attitude and this has been part of her dream and we are happy and excited to help her on her journey,” Powers explained. “We have a vibrant internship program with high school kids, students from the Eller program and professional staff and we can’t think of another sports program in Tucson that has helped put this many staff and players on to the next level.”
The FC Tucson Women went undefeated this year to earn a Desert Conference championship and the program took home multiple honors including in the front office with another Franchise of the Year recognition to go along with several social media awards. In addition, Paez was named All-West Region Personnel by the WPSL.
“I’m grateful for the experience and opportunity that FC Tucson gave me especially with their women’s team,” Paez said. “I’m ready to grow and expand my knowledge at the Houston Dynamo with their Academy team!”
The work Paez did in the front office also spilled over to the pitch and it showed with her partnership with head coach Kelly Pierce who won her second Coach of the Year award.
“Paloma was amazing,” Pierce added. “Hands-down the reason we were so organized and successful, she literally did the job of three or four people, probably more at times. Great multitasker, hard worker, eager to help with anything and everything. The girls loved her, our staff more than appreciated her and I adore the kid…she is so kind, genuine, funny, and overall a pleasure to be around. I know from the players to the staff we respected her and appreciated her more than my words could ever say. I wish her nothing but luck and love on this next chapter in her life, Houston is lucky to have her.”
Paez graduated from Nogales in 2017 where she played high school basketball.
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019, became a member of the Sunnyside Los Mezquites Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2021 and he was a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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