Tom Dutra Named Goalkeeper Coach

The Seattle Sounders FC have signed Olympia native Tom Dutra as goalkeeper coach

RENTON, WASH. – Tom Dutra has been named the Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper coach, becoming the second assistant on Sigi Schmid’s staff, it was announced today.

“We welcome Tom Dutra to our staff,” said Schmid. “He is a respected goalkeeper coach with great local connections. He has developed young keepers and also worked with experienced keepers like Kasey Keller.”

Dutra, 36, served two seasons as keeper coach under Brian Schmetzer for the USL Sounders. Schmetzer was named as Schmid’s top assistant Dec. 22. Schmid became head coach of Sounders FC Dec. 16.

“It’s a massive honor to be part of the first staff for Sounders FC,” Dutra said, “and it’s also a privilege to work with such quality coaches and people like Sigi and Brian, not to mention our management, Adrian (Hanauer) and Chris (Henderson).”

Dutra has worked with Keller, the Sounders FC keeper, since 2002. Dutra conducted 1-on-1 training sessions to prepare Keller for his return to Europe each summer. Under Dutra’s guidance the past two years, Chris Eylander twice led USL-1 in saves and finished second in shutouts.

At the amateur level, Dutra served two seasons (2007-08) as assistant coach for Saint Martin’s University and was an assistant for five seasons (2002-06) at Pacific Lutheran. He was director of goalkeeping for Washington ODP in 2008 and served on the state ODP staff from 2002-04. Dutra was the goalkeeping director for Washington Premier FC from 2001-06 and also at Black Hills FC from 2001-08.

During his time with Washington Premier, Dutra worked with more than a dozen keepers who have played at the Division I collegiate level. Among those was Tally Hall, a member of the U.S. Youth National Team pool and currently playing for Esbjerg of the Danish Superliga (first division).

Dutra played four seasons in the A-League, first as a backup to Marcus Hahnemann on the Sounders’ 1996 championship team. He later started for New Orleans and Lehigh Valley (Pa.).

Born and raised in Olympia, Dutra graduated from Timberline High School. He was a member of the youth national team program before sustaining a fractured leg. His career resumed in 1995 with the Oregon (Salem) Surge of the USISL Pro Division.

Tom is married to Molli and they have two children, Tanner and Maggie.