Bruce C. Daniels, General Manager

as General Manager will be solely responsible for implementing the entire scope of services of this proposal and the contract.  He will be available in accordance with a schedule approved by the City.

Bruce Daniels has enjoyed a highly successful career in both government and the private sector where he has distinguished himself as an effective and innovative leader in the areas of economic and community development, redevelopment, housing, and management.  Mr. Daniels has been involved with youth, high school, college, adult and professional soccer for 33 years.  Most recently, he combined his profession with his lifetime passion, soccer, serving as General Manager for the Lancaster National Soccer Center for the past four years.  During his tenure, he has increased attendance to 8000 local players and 400,000 participants.  His personal efforts have resulted in documented additional revenues to local business in excess of $8,000,000 annually and he has participated in obtaining over $5,000,000 in grant awards to improve Lancaster’s soccer facilities. 

Mr. Daniels was responsible for bringing the following events to the Lancaster National Soccer Center:

AYSO 2004 National Games – The City of Lancaster competed against other national venues, eventually winning the award of the national games over Chicago, IL.  This was accomplished despite the fact that the AYSO National Meeting was being held in Chicago at the time that the decision was made.  Lancaster had previously submitted unsuccessfully for the week-long tournament featuring nearly 200 teams.  The City waived facility use fees in exchange for gate revenues, food concession and entertainment vendor income.  Projected income from hotel, restaurants and retail is estimated at $3-5 million.  In addition, AYSO National Office is seeking a naming rights sponsor for the Lancaster National Soccer Center for $1.5 million for a 10-year agreement. 

CYSA (Cal South) State and National Cup – The City of Lancaster imposed facility use fees for CYSA-South State and National Cup after three years of waiving fees as an incentive.  Cal South was prepared to relocate the games to other venues such as Bakersfield that did not charge facility use fees.  The San Bernardino Soccer Complex had a guaranteed commitment from the CYSA Foundation as part of its loan repayment program.  

Field lighting was identified as a top capital improvement priority for the Lancaster National Soccer Center because of limited space for evening practices during half of the year.  Bruce Daniels proposed that the CYSA Field Development Foundation fund the lighting project for approximately the same amount as facility use fees for five years, or $160,000.  In return, Cal South would guarantee for five years a minimum of nine (9) weekends of State and National Cup play per year with an average full use of 12 fields.  Furthermore, the Lancaster National Soccer Center would receive formal designation as an “Official Cal South Venue” and that the City of Lancaster would become eligible for membership in CYSA.  The City and Cal South formally executed an agreement to that effect.    The $160,000 grant was matched by an equal amount of County of Los Angeles and HUD Economic Development Initiatives grants.

The Lancaster National Soccer Center also received the very first grant ever awarded by the CYSA Field Development Foundation for tree planting in the amount of $48,000 that leveraged an additional $100,000 in State funds.  The combined total of grant funding under this initiative totaled $480,000.

Inaugural ODP International Tournament

Steve Sampson, CYSA Technical Director collaborated with Bruce Daniels, assisted by Bela Bircsak, to present the Inaugural ODP International Tournament at the Lancaster National Soccer Center.  The tournament featured top club and select teams from the United States as well as three teams from Mexico.  Messrs Daniels and Bircsak traveled to Guadalajara to recruit the Chivas and Atlas club teams.  The tournament was held in conjunction with AYSO Region 91 Memorial Day Classic tournament.  Both AYSO and CYSA collaborated to provide entertainment, a barbecue and a Los Angeles Galaxy exhibition match against local youth teams. Mr. Daniels negotiated with the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame to display a temporary exhibit at the tournament.

Mundialito, United Nations Soccer League

Bruce Daniels invited the unaffiliated, largely Hispanic, United Nations Soccer League to play league matches and host the Mundialito tournament at the Lancaster National Soccer Center.  This tournament hosts over 250 teams and has been held for the past three years.  The UNSL includes teams from throughout the greater Los Angeles area.  The tournament is sponsored by Tide.

Los Angeles Cup

The Los Angeles Cup will be held at the Lancaster National Soccer Center for the third year.  Owned by Steve Sampson, the tournament is sponsored by the Los Angeles Galaxy, Nike, KFC, Herdez and La Opinion. National teams from U.S. Mexico and Costa Rica featuring Freddie Adu played last year.

 Los Angeles Galaxy

Bruce Daniels initiated and negotiated contract for Galaxy spring practice, exhibition match, clinics and special appearances that included ticket sales at discounted prices.

 Inaugural Lancaster Cup at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Tournament

The City of Lancaster negotiated an agreement with Disney World to hold the inaugural Lancaster Cup tournament in Lancaster and Orlando, FL.  With less than four months to prepare flyers and recruit teams, Mr. Daniels was able to hold a successful tournament that included 75 teams from California and Florida.  This was accomplished through extensive Internet marketing and registration on the Lancaster Soccer Center web-site.

 FIFA Fields

Mr. Daniels obtained City of Lancaster approval to execute a change order to upgrade its international fields to prescription turf specification and provide KwikGoals at a heavily discounted price resulting in international box goals on the championship field.  Mr. Daniels also obtained approval to relocate grandstands seating 3,000 from the old fairgrounds to the championship field.  These changes have resulted in recruiting international tournaments, teams and Los Angeles Galaxy training as another revenue source.

 Other Initiatives

• Korean National University Champions (2 years)
• AYSO Section 10, Area 10D, Region 91 and 638 tournaments
• Southern California Community College Cross Country Championships
• Lancaster/Antelope Valley High School District boys/girls tournaments
• Antelope Valley College Women’s Tournament and league play
• Southern California United Nike Tournament
• AV Ambush Premier Cup
• AV Heat March Madness Tournament
• AV Sharks Challenger Cup

Awards

Communicator’s International Award for DVD chosen from a field of 1200 applicants representing all 50 states and 11 nations

Three (3) CPRS Showcase Awards for video, web-site, logo

Inland Empire Soccer Referees Association “Referee of the Year”

Bruce Daniels has been involved in every aspect of the game of soccer, including but not limited to:

Referee – USSF State Grade 5; AYSO National 1, NCAA, CIF Scheduler (Northern and Southern California); Recipient Referee of the Year Award, Inland Empire Referees Association

AYSO Region 165 (Mountain Resorts) – Board member, Chief Referee and coach, Region 50 (Redlands) referee

Rim of the World High School Lake Arrowhead, CA – Established boys and girls high school varsity soccer, participated in construction and funding of a soccer field.

CYSA-North – Organized Northern California college, high school referee association, Shasta, Siskiyou and Lassen Counties

 Mr. Daniels has held policy level positions in economic development corporations, cities, counties, and federal agencies where he has managed affordable housing development programs, major community development block grants.  As a past City Manager fluent in Spanish, he is intimately familiar with the governmental interrelationships and community dynamics necessary to bring success in developing projects and programs.  He was responsible for police department, fire department, water and sewer, community planning, park and recreation, redevelopment, housing and economic development.

 He served for eight years as Director of Housing and Community Development for the County of Riverside in charge of economic development.  In that capacity he created the Agua Mansa Enterprise Zone, the largest and only zone involving two counties (San Bernardino and Riverside) as well as the cities of Riverside, Colton and Rialto.

Important personal recognition he has earned include Outstanding Achievement Award from the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Outstanding Director from the California association of Recreation and Park Districts, and the U. S. Housing and Urban Development, Special Achievement Award.

His community service includes serving as a co-founder, Chairman and elected director of the Rim of the World Recreation and Park District, Lake Arrowhead, CA.  During his tenure, he helped obtain voter approval of a 2/3 majority tax measure and establishment of an independent district.  Under his leadership the District constructed two senior centers and three multi-purpose ball fields.

REFERENCES

1.      David Lamb, Director of State Tournaments, Cal South (CYSA);  1029 South Placentia Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92831 (888) 429- 7276

2.      Steve Sampson, Director, Costa Rica National Team; former U.S. National Men’s Team Coach and Technical Director of CYSA-South Olympic Development Program, San Jose, Costa Rica (011) 506 826 2006

3.      Tom Payne, Business Development Director, Los Angeles Galaxy, Home Depot Center, 18400 Avalon Blvd., Suite 200, Carson, CA 90746

5.      Larry Caplinger, AYSO National Games Director, (909) 867 2049

Fumie “Kit” C. Vigil, Administrative Assistant

Kit Vigil will assist Mr. Daniels in the administration of the program, most particularly:  office management, filing, schedules, applications, insurance, contracts, food concession and field administration.  She will also assist in liaison with the California Youth Soccer Association (Cal South), Coast League and local soccer organizations.

Kit Vigil has been engaged as a professional and volunteer soccer administrator for twelve years, most recently as assistant to the General Manager of the Lancaster National Soccer Center.  In that capacity she was responsible for preparing and updating the Master Schedule, utilizing Excel Spreadsheet and RecWare computer programs.  She administered facility use applications, insurance coverage, contracts and billings.  She organized the filing system and prepared reports, including an economic benefit analysis of the hotel, restaurant and retail trade.  She served as liaison with Cal South (CYSA) and Coast Soccer League on the State Cup Committee and field inspector.  

Kit Vigil operated a minority female-owned food concession business to the Lancaster National Soccer Center, serving major tournaments, league play, Olympic Development Program practices, soccer camps and meetings.  She provides catering service to the AYSO 2004 National Games Committee Meetings. She has twelve years experience in the grocery store and catering business, responsible for bookkeeping, payroll, inventory, purchases and sales. 

She is also an accomplished home loan specialist with over nine years working with FHA, VA, first time buyers, and conventional loans.  She also possesses eighteen years in banking experience, specializing in savings and loans, retail banking, commercial, personal, construction and car loans, and credit investigations. 

Kit Vigil is the consummate “soccer mom” and booster of  Cal State San Bernardino where freshman son Tony was a starter on the varsity team last year.  She also is a successful coach and team manager of her second son, D.J. and her “other boys”. She organized a Southern California Select Team to travel to Germany in 2003 as part of an annual cultural exchange program.  She has served as a volunteer for the Cal South State Cup Committee and Coast Soccer League, receiving a CYSA “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2002.  She is a former professional bowler and served as an instructor for youth bowlers for 10 years.

Bela Bircsak, Assistant Marketing Manager

Mr. Bircsak will assist Mr. Daniels in the recruitment of tournaments and other events, liaison with the U.S. Youth Soccer Administration, California Youth Soccer Association (Cal South), local Cal South clubs, international soccer organizations and in the general management of the program.

Mr. Bircsak specializes in the marketing of tournaments and events, international cultural exchange program and the training of competitive youth players. Mr. Bircsak has been involved in youth soccer throughout his career and at all levels. Bela Bircsak is a recognized international leader, marketing soccer internationally, and organizing international tournaments.   This year he organized an international cultural exchange program for the ODP Western Regional team to travel to Germany in preparation for World Cup 2006 youth tournament.  Mr. Bircsak assisted Steve Sampson, CYSA Technical Director, in recruiting prestigious Mexican teams for the ODP Inaugural International Tournament, attending trade shows and traveling to Mexico.

A member of the CYSA Hall of Fame for many years, he was also the recipient of the CYSA Tony Award for Volunteer of the Year.   Known throughout soccer circles in Southern California and the United States, he has been involved in all facets of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), serving in the highest positions as State Administrator,  Team Administrator, coach and scout.    He organized the prestigious NIKE International Premier Cup and served as U. S. World Cup National Team Administrator, and was Director of Coaches for the prestigious Junior United Soccer Association. He has also owned and managed an indoor soccer facility. As a coach, Bela Bircsak has produced champions at all levels including club, high school, college and select teams for international play.