Imagine my surprise when I showed up for the Desert Vista girls soccer team’s semifinal game at the Arizona Soccer Showcase and the Thunder’s head coach was nowhere to be found.
Marvin Hypolite returned to his home country of Trinidad and Tobago for a family wedding.
It left the coaching duties in the hands of Bruce Hough, who is a longtime Ahwatukee Foothills presence in the club soccer scene.
In fact, he has been coaching at some level for 31 years, including three years as Mountain Pointe’s junior varsity boys coach before coming over to the Thunder.
He has been involved with just about every East Valley soccer organization from the Ahwatukee Foothills Soccer Club, Kyrene School District, Tempe Pros, San Tan, AYSO, AYS and outside as well with the Phoenix Firebirds, City of Phoenix and Metro Indoor League.
Hough, who is retired after 41 years in the law enforcement, also was a member of the Phoenix Police soccer team that qualified for several Police Olympics.
So clearly he was more than qualified to run the show with Hypolite out of the country and that was cemented by the fact the Thunder went 4-1 on the tournament.
Anyway, just thought I’d introduce Hough after I had the pleasure of unexpectedly meeting him.
Contact writer: (480) 898-7915 or JSkoda@ahwatukee.com. Follow him on Twitter @JSkodaAFN.
