TAMPA, Fla. (June 20, 2017) — Former Tampa Bay Rowdies defender Blake Wagner has joined Keith Fulk’s technical staff as an assistant coach for the Rowdies U23 team, the club announced Tuesday.
Wagner took in his first match from the bench Monday night, overseeing a 2-1 win over Weston FC in USL PDL play.
“It’s an honor to work with coach (Keith) Fulk and the rest of the U23 staff,” Wagner said. “I’m from Tampa so I grew up rooting for the Rowdies so it’s awesome to now be a part of the organization. I’m here to not only help the players improve on the field but also off the field and prepare for a pro career and life after college soccer”
Wagner is no stranger to the Gulf Coast, having grown up in Tampa and attending high school in Bradenton as a member of the U.S. Under-17 national team residency program. He was drafted No. 18 overall in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas and went on to play for Dallas, Vancouver and Real Salt Lake in MLS, as well as San Antonio, Carolina and Tampa Bay in the NASL.
Wagner made 21 appearances for the Rowdies in 2014, scoring three goals.
More recently, he was a member of John Hackworth’s staff with the U.S. U17 team in Bradenton.
The Rowdies U23s are 3-0-3 (W-T-L) this season. Their next match is Thursday night away to the SIMA Aguilas.
