United Soccer Coaches announce Ray Reid Family Fund

There may be no magnificent debut for a delightful-looking Morrone Stadium, but that hasn’t stopped UConn men’s soccer head coach Ray Reid from doing some good in the community. On Wednesday, the United Soccer Coaches Foundation announced the Ray Reid Family Fund, its latest endowed fund focused on helping minority coaches break into the collegiate ranks.

The scholarship includes an immediate contribution of $25,000 and a $75,000 estate gift to a minority coach to attend either a United Soccer Coaches education course or the annual convention. The fund will be available to any minority coach at the collegiate level until Reid retires from college coaching, at which time the scholarship will become opened up to minority coaches at any level of the game.

In 2020, Reid was set to begin his 24th season as the head coach of the the Huskies and his 32nd season overall as a college head coach. He carries a 450-142-76 career record and has led UConn to 18 NCAA tournament appearances, including a 2000 NCAA title.

Here’s what the Husky boss had to say about the fund:

“Our sport desperately needs more diversity in all of our coaching ranks,” Reid said. “Hopefully, this donation will help provide more opportunities for minority coaches to attend coaching education courses, furthering their ability to mentor and impact players while growing the game we all love. I also want to thank United Soccer Coaches for providing me a pathway to help others. The association does a fantastic job of engaging coaches and promoting soccer at all levels throughout the United States.”

The Ray Reid coaching tree is extensive; over 25 of his former players and assistant coaches are coaching in the collegiate and professional soccer ranks. Then there’s the 41 MLS players during his tenure, including current Philadelphia Union stalwart Andre Blake and Vancouver Whitecaps defender Jake Nerwinski.