Welcome
My name is Stewart Borthwick. I am the Director of Coaching for the Panthers. I would like to share with you my vision of what our club offers to the community through our sponsorship of select soccer teams.
First of all, we exist for only one reason and that is the benefit of young soccer players in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area who participate on our teams. We are a non-profit organization, which means that we strive to keep our costs low and the quality of services high.
Player development is our mission. This means developing a love of the game, good sportsmanship, and strong work ethic as well as soccer skills. We are a club that seeks to be inclusive not exclusive. This is reflected in the diversity of people found within our organization and teams. We emphasize that winning is not everything and that there are valuable lessons learned through failure as well as success.
Success can be measured in many different ways, and our coaching philosophy is that player improvement in all aspects of the game is success regardless of a win/loss record. Skills learned today will provide an enjoyment of soccer for a lifetime. That is success of a far greater magnitude and league position.
I am proud of the many players who started with the West Michigan Panthers, have gone on to compete at the highest levels of youth soccer, and are still enjoying the game today.
Last, but not least, I believe that I am a players' coach. I have played soccer competitively for more than thirty years and hope that I bring that perspective to the club. Soccer should always be fun for the player, and coaches must always remember that the game is not only for themselves, but for the players as well.
I invite you to contact me if your son or daughter is interested in playing for the Panthers or if you are interested in coaching or assisting in any way. My phone number is (616)891-6268.
Thank you.
Stewart Borthwick, Director of Coaching