Visit a local soccer park on the weekend and you will find children of all ages playing soccer from pre-school through high school.  You will also find coaches and volunteers out at the field coaching and mentoring the children.  One such coach - Jim Dwyer - has been out at the soccer field at practices and games for over 14 years.   When his daughter, Elli, was 4 years old, she wanted to try soccer as a sport.  Little did Elli or her parents (Jim and April) know that Elli would continue to play soccer for the next 14 years. What started out as a new sport and adventure for Jim Dwyer turned into a 14 year run as one awesome soccer coach and role model.

Jim Dwyer began coaching youth sports when he was 19 years old in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  A friend had been coaching an 8-10 year old inner city baseball team for over 15 years and asked Jim to help coach in hopes that he would take over coaching the team. Jim saw the positive impact in his life by serving as a volunteer coach.  When Jim and April got married and started their own family, it was only natural that Jim serve as a coach for his children.   

Jim volunteered at a soccer league in Philadelphia and a few years later at Creeks Soccer located in St. Johns, Florida.   For the past 12 years at Creeks, Jim coached Elli and her teammates.   He saw his daughter and the other girls go from challenges of tying their shoelaces to the challenges of selecting the right college.  Jim learned to change and adapt his coaching style and techniques over the years to best fit the age and skill level of the players.   It was certainly a different dynamic coaching a 4-year-old versus coaching an 18-year-old.  Over his coaching career with his daughter, Coach Jim Dwyer led teams to many league and tournament victories.   

During the most recent season with Coach Dustin Siple and Coach Jim Dwyer, the U 18 team went undefeated.  As noted by Jim, "It was great to go out undefeated; however, as I look back at the last 14 years of coaching my daughter, what matters the most is the quality time we spent together. It was important to me to have made a positive impact on Elli and on her teammates as they grew from young girls into young adults." Coach Jim Dwyer is a "Championship Coach" not necessarily for the victories but for his dedication to the sport, the players, and the community.

One would think that Jim Dwyer has done his share of volunteering through the many years of coaching his daughter. However, his coaching career is far from over.  Jim has also coached his son, Jimmy, through the years.  Most recently in 2013, Coach Jim Dwyer and Coach Manny Pucci led the Fruit Cove Middle School Flyers to the Championship of the St. Johns Middle School Sports Association. In 2012, Coach Jim Dwyer and Coach Kyle Guthrie led the Swamp Life 3 v. 3 Soccer Team to the Championship (as National Champions) at the Disney Wide World of Sports 3 v. 3 Tournament.  

Despite a full work schedule as a web  and software developer for an international bank and as part owner of Swamp Life and Life Out Loud Apparel, Jim has always been able to find the time for coaching and, more importantly, his family.   Jim has a zest for life and this shows through in everything he does. Here is a link to see the product line for Life Out Loud Apparel which includes the Swamp Life product line: 

Life Out Loud Apparel

The Good Deed Brigade salutes Jim Dwyer for his steadfast dedication to volunteerism and sportsmanship.  Follow the example set by the actions of Jim Dwyer and go out in your community to do your share of good deeds. Remember, wherever you see the Good Deed Brigade, it's all good.