FC Tucson’s Sebastian Pineda has completed the soccer club prominence hat trick: player, assistant and now head coach.
In March, FC Tucson named Pineda head coach after he played for the Men in Black, coached for their professional and pre-professional teams and led their Pro Academy team.
“It’s been exciting,” Pineda said after Friday’s training about being head coach. “I think it’s a proud moment for me and my family just being the head coach. Here I’m two days in, so I’ll tell you more in a couple months but so far it’s a big responsibility and I’m ready for the challenge.”
Pineda played for FC Tucson in 2015 and 2017 and then played professionally. In 2022, the San Andres Islas, Colombia, native returned to FC Tucson to serve as an assistant for the USL League One team and led the USL Pro Academy side.
Before coming back to FC Tucson, Pineda was a college assistant, and now he’s also an assistant for the University of Arizona’s women’s soccer team.
Back in July 2015, FC Tucson midfielder Ozzie Ramos (9) and defender Sebastian Pineda (23) amp up the crowd after FC Tucson’s first goal (scored by Cylos Sandoval) in an eventual 2-1 FC Tucson win against Albuquerque Sol FC in a USL PDL play-in game at Kino Sports Complex. Pineda played with FCT in 2015 and 2017. He returned in 2022 as an assistant coach, and ascended to head coach ahead of the 2024 campaign.
“We think Seb is perfect for the job,” FC Tucson president Jon Pearlman said. “He has a history here as a player, as a captain, as an assistant coach both at the professional and League Two levels and his attachment and connection to our academy program and our youth program here made him the obvious choice.”
FC Tucson opens the 2024 season Sunday night with a Cinco de Mayo friendly against the Guanajuato Selección XI, an all-star team from the local Guanajuato AZ Soccer League. Former FC Tucson star Edgar Reyna is expected to play for Guanajuato.
Pineda replaces Mark Biagi, who went 7-1-4 in his one season at the helm; FC Tucson missed out on the playoffs last year despite closing out the season with five straight wins and a nine-match unbeaten streak due to goal differential.
“We thought Mark did a tremendous job last summer but for me in terms of the overall vision for the club and where we wanted to go on the technical side it was always an opportunity I was hoping to offer (Pineda),” Pearlman said.
Last season’s FC Tucson’s academy side went 6-3-3, often playing teams from bigger cities and leagues higher on the soccer pyramid, like Phoenix Rising FC and San Diego Loyal.
Back in July 2017, FC Tucson’s Sebastián Pineda, left, and Rapids U23’s Andre Shinyashiki challenge for a ball in the second half of a game at Kino Sports Complex. Pineda’s long knowledge of both the FC Tucson organization, and the league FCT plays in, USL League Two, has been recognized as an asset in Pineda’s most recent ascent from FC Tucson associate coach to the program’s head coach ahead of the 2024 season.
This year’s FC Tucson first team features players from college programs like Wisconsin, Louisville, UNLV, Missouri State, UNC Asheville, Utah Tech, Colorado State-Pueblo and Pima College. Pima All-American Brandon Sanchez, a midfielder, and D’Andre Pickett, a defender, moves to the first team after playing for the academy last year.
Sanchez, who went to Canyon del Oro High School, said a lot of people trust in Pineda.
“I think it’s something great, coming from his home ground, his roots. I know he played around here in 2015 and it’s just exciting for him to come back,” Sanchez said.
FC Tucson will have four alumni of the academy on their League Two team this year in midfielder Jerod Allen, forward Diego Ruiz, defender D’Andre Pickett and Sanchez.
Sanchez said Pineda’s experience helps out a lot.
“He knows what the expectations for Tucson for the fans, for the club, for the organization and what it means to them,” Sanchez said.
Corner kicks
Pearlman, an FC Tucson founder, is also serving as technical director and as an assistant coach.
He previously served as head coach for FC Tucson at the League One and League Two levels.
“We have a great staff. They don’t need me but I’ve been around long enough where I can give the guys some advice on some things and be a calming presence, I hope — which is a weird role for me as that’s not usually my MO but most importantly just to support Sebastian,” Pearlman said. “He doesn’t need any help from me but I think we all want to at least feel supported so I’m out there moving cones, doing whatever needs to happen.”
The FC Tucson Women will hold tryouts on May 14. More information is available at fctucson.com. The team opens the 2024 season May 29 at RSL Southern Arizona, and at home on June 1.
