The Houston Dash have added Michael Balogun and Sara Lowdon as assistant coaches to the technical staff, the team announced today.
Balogun joins the Dash as an assistant coach from El Paso Locomotive FC, where he served as the Youth Soccer Club Coordinator. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Balogun grew up in Houston and played for various clubs in the greater-Houston area. Balogun played collegiately at Akron, where he won a national championship in 2010 as a player. Since transitioning into a coaching role, Balogun has worked with several youth teams in Houston and El Paso and currently holds the United States Soccer Federation A and B licenses.
Lowdon joins Houston as an assistant coach from Penn State University, where she served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Nittany Lions women’s soccer program. Lowdon brings 10 years of experience at various levels of the sport including time as an assistant coach, director of team operations as well as an instructor at Sam Houston State and the University of Florida. A native of Newcastle, England, Lowdon has previously served as an assistant coach with the Dash from 2014 to 2016. Lowdon holds USSF A and B licenses and several professional certifications, including the Athlete Development Specialist certification from the Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialists.
Balogun and Lowdon will be on the bench for Houston’s next match on April 15. The Dash return from the international break with a road trip to Children’s Mercy Park to face the Kansas City Current.
