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By RAMA PEROO
Cowley College

Roberto Dos Santos, head soccer coach at Southwestern College, recently resigned his position to become the new head coach of the men and women's soccer teams at Cowley College.

The opportunity to lead the new soccer programs at Cowley excited Dos Santos, who had spent the previous seven years as the Moundbuilders' head men's soccer coach.

"The transition will be good for my family, we don't have to leave Cowley County," Dos Santos said. "This is a great opportunity to spearhead this program from the ground up and get it started. I love the support I have received so far and there is no doubt Cowley is an amazing athletic program."

Dos Santos is a native of Brasilia, Brazil. He came to the United States in 1991 to play soccer at Saint Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, where he was awarded first-team all-conference and first-team all-region honors. In 1992 he transferred to his alma mater, Bethany College in Lindsborg.

At Bethany, he was a first-team all-conference selection all three years at the school. He capped his collegiate career by being named an all-American in 1994.

In Brazil, Dos Santos played for CR Guara, AA Internacional de Limeira, and Santa Fe FC. In the USA he played in the Premier Development League with the Wichita Jets and Sioux City Breeze.

Prior to coaching at Southwestern, Dos Santos served as assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Spit Fire - PDL team, and was an assistant men' soccer coach at the University of Evansville. He also served as the head women's coach at Bethany College.

Cowley athletic director Tom Saia believes Dos Santos' background playing and coaching soccer made him an ideal candidate for the position of leading the newly formed soccer program.

"He's familiar with Cowley County and has great experience and knowledge when it comes to soccer," Saia said. "He is a terrific coach and educator that will fit in well and help us build a foundation here."

Dos Santos will help Southwestern through the coaching transition and see to it that the recruits honor their commitment to the Moundbuilders.

"I had some great experiences with the kids I worked with at Southwestern," Dos Santos said. "I want to build this bridge between us and Southwestern and make this county stronger,"

Southwestern athletic director Mike Kirkland said the search for a new men's soccer coach will begin immediately.

"We appreciate all the success and hard work that Coach Dos Santos instilled in our programs here at Southwestern, and we wish him the best of luck in his opportunity with Cowley," Kirkland said.

At Cowley, Dos Santos' top priority will be recruiting talented players to the men and women's soccer teams.

"We need to establish the program from the ground up, from the facility, the equipment, the system and getting situated in the conference," Dos Santos said.

"Getting the kids here will be the main goal. We want to bring the kids here and show them the campus and all we have to offer them."

With some well established soccer programs in the Jayhawk Conference, Dos Santos wants his teams to be competitive in the program's first year and then ready to battle for conference titles down the line.

"We will have some hardships the first year, but there is no doubt that it will be a good fight on and off the field," Dos Santos said. "Once we establish the program with the support from the athletic department and the administration we will be able to have a well structured soccer program."