Team registrations are set to open for the exciting and new futsal program at Roger Williams University. The program is designed to accommodate youth teams in a clinic format for team ages U8 and under and for futsal competitions for U10 and older teams.
The Clinic is for coaches and players to run through a training regiment supervised by US Futsal Director of Coaches, Bill Sampaio and his staff with assistance provided by Roger Williams Men's Soccer Team players. Players will be taught the basics of ball control, passing, receiving and shooting. This is an excellent skills development program for our youngest of players. After a 25 minute training session teams will match up for a 20 minute scrimmage.
Competitions are designed primarily for town league teams ages U10 and older and will comprise 6 games guaranteed over a 7 week period. The top three teams in each age group shall advance to the playoffs conducted in week #8. The top two teams in each age category will receive medals and the championship team will also receive a team trophy!
Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Roger Williams University since 1990, Jim Cook, will be the director of the new Roger Williams Futsal propgram. Cook, in only his second year at RWU, led the Hawks to the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship. In the spring of 1993 he moved to the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth where he stayed for four years. In the 1994 season he was named Little East Conference Coach of the Year.
The opportunity to return to Roger Williams University presented itself in 1996 when Cook was hired as the Director of Intramurals and Recreation. In 1997, the University offered him the soccer head coaching position again. That same year, the team advanced to the conference semifinal game. The following year, the team made it to the championship game of the conference.
Over the next ten seasons the Hawks have won six CCC championships (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006). They also won two ECAC New England championships in 2002 and 2003. In those eight consecutive championship years the Hawks produced an overall record of 131–38–15. The Commonwealth Coast Conference has honored Cook as Coach of the Year four times since 1998.
The 1999 squad became the first team in school history to qualify for the Division III NCAA National Championship tournament. The Hawks qualified twice more in 2000 and 2001, where they advanced to the New England Regional semifinals. In 2004 and 2005, they advanced to the second round of the NCAA national tournament. In 2006, the team qualified again, falling in penalty kicks in the first round.
Currently, he serves as the Director of Club Sports at the University, to go along with his soccer coaching responsibilities. His teams have produced the most victories by a male team in the school’s history.
Cook graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1967, where he served as team captain his senior year. In 1973 he started the boy’s soccer program at Tiverton High School (R.I.) where he won two state championships, numerous league and county titles, and two “Coach of the Year” awards. In 1989 he was inducted into the Rhode Island Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 1995 was inducted into the New England Hall of Fame.
Cook has an Advanced National Coaching Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, where he has served as an associate staff coach. He also holds licenses from United States Soccer, and is a former coach with the Rhode Island Olympic Development Program.
In the 16 years of coaching at Roger Williams University, Coach Cook’s program has produced 6 All Americans, 1 Academic All American, 28 All New England, 9 Academic All New England, and 82 All Conference selections. Coach Cook’s overall career coaching record of 396-229-96 includes his 16 year record of 217-98-28 while at Roger Williams University.
