ST. PETERSBURG, FLA (August 22, 2025) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today the addition of John Pascarella to the club’s technical staff as an assistant coach.
“John is an experienced coach who has worked at just about every level of the professional game in this country,” said Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato. “Most recently he’s been with Forward Madison FC, but he’s been in the USL Championship and MLS a number of years. He’s been a head coach, an assistant coach, a goalkeeping coach, and a performance coach during his career. He’s coming here to strengthen our program. I’ve known John for several years now, and I think his attitude, personality, and energy is infectious. That’ll be great for the group and for the staff that are already here.”
Pascarella joins the Rowdies after serving as an assistant coach for Forward Madison FC in USL League One over the last three seasons. Following three straight seasons without a playoff appearance, Pascarella and the rest of the technical staff helped Forward Madison earn back-to-back appearances in the 2023 and 2024 USL League One Playoffs.
“I’m extremely excited to be joining the Rowdies organization,” said Pascarella. “I have great memories of watching the Rowdies play against the New York Cosmos when I was a child growing up in New Jersey. The team has always played an exciting brand of football, and I’m looking forward to contributing to that and helping add to the legacy and tradition that’s already been established in Tampa Bay.”
A native of New Jersey, Pascarella started his coaching career in 1998 as a goalkeeper coach for the University of Maryland before taking a head coaching role with Herndon High School for several years. During this period, he also participated in the U.S. Olympic Development Program as a coach with the Northern Virginia Royals.
In 2009, Pascarella moved to the professional level to become a goalkeeper and fitness coach for the Kansas City Wizards, now known as Sporting Kansas City. He was promoted to assistant coach two years later and served in that role under head coach Peter Vermes through the 2016 MLS season. From Kansas City, Pascarella led Des Moines Menace to the USL League One Conference Finals as head coach for the 2017 season before moving on to serve as goalkeeper coach for Minnesota United FC the following season.
Pascarella also has prior experience coaching in the USL Championship. In 2019, he was appointed head coach of OKC Energy ahead of the 2020 season and remained in that role until June of 2021.
