WHAT A YEAR-Thank you CASL Management Team
Part 2: Michael Milazzo-Chief Operating Officer
By Charlie Slagle-CASL CEO
About one year ago Jay Howell, CASL’s excellent Director of Coaching, left CASL to become the Executive Director of Birmingham United in Alabama. Jay is doing well and we all wish him continued success with his club! I had been with CASL for nine years then and worked closely with Jay on the direction of the club and his departure meant that CASL’s organizational chart needed to change. I did this quickly as CASL, I thought, already had the personnel in place to make a seamless transition for the years to come. CASL added and/or changed a few job descriptions and titles and the “new” management team was devised. This management team consists of Business Manager, Lisa Stevenson, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Michael Milazzo and Director of Coaching (DOC), Rusty Scarborough. I, as CEO, am the fourth member of this group. Michael also serves as CASL’s marketing director.
The transition to the “new” management team has gone, in my opinion, even better than my “pie in the sky” expectations. The last year has been a wonderful year for CASL, on the fields, in the office and with improvements to CASL’s infrastructure. Some of these accomplishments are more visible to a member’s eyes than others. It is easy to see the success on the field and it is easy to see the improvements to WRAL Soccer Center but the differences in the way CASL operates is a little more difficult to see.
Over the next couple of weeks, in three separate articles, I will comment on the contributions of each of the three CASL management team members. Today, I am writing Part 2 and will highlight Chief Operating Officer, Michael Milazzo. The first article was about Director of Coaching, Rusty Scarborough, and next week’s will highlight Business Manager, Lisa Stevenson. For “semi” bios on these three, please refer to my CASL blog, which is accessible from the CASL home page. Each of these three was highlighted in a blog entry earlier this year.
Michael Milazzo has been the Chief Operating Officer for just over a year. Prior to this, Michael filled many different positions in all aspects of CASL from the coaching side to the business side. Becoming the COO meant not only would he have to handle and add to his duties on the business side of CASL but that he would have to relinquish many of his duties on the coaching side, which is easier said than done. Michael has handled this transition in remarkable fashion. Michael still has input in all areas of CASL through his suggestions and expertise in CASL Management meetings.
Michael’s new duties include many facets of CASL. All activities at the CASL office fall under Michaels’s bailiwick. He, therefore, works very closely with Jean Hogshead who heads our administrative team of all the CASL playing divisions. This includes registration and tryouts in all the applicable divisions. Michael has done a great job working with and leading this veteran group as well as being their advocate.
Michael also works closely with CASL’s new Events Manager position, which is manned by Bill Hanckel. This responsibility not only covers all of the various CASL tournaments but all special events including the CASL AGM, the CASL Hall of Fame Banquet, Senior Night, etc. These events have all run efficiently and smoothly under Michael and Bill’s leadership.
The COO is also in charge of CASL’s Communication Department which encompasses not only communications but also IT plus game and practice scheduling. Scott McGuinn is CASL’s Communication Director. On Michael’s watch, a new web site is being adapted in order to better inform CASL members. Also, more blogs and other social media sites have been developed.
Michael’s job also includes monitoring the CASL Maintenance Department headed by Ben Woltz. This year, WRAL Soccer Center has made many improvements. This was a major project for the COO. A new turf field, new fencing, building improvements have all occurred in this last year and more is to come. As these positive changes happen at CASL fields, please know that Michael Milazzo has had his finger in all of these decisions plus the hard part of getting the ideas to reality! The improvements of WRAL Soccer Center is a labor of love for Michael and the results will show his commitment and talent.
The last duty of the COO is marketing. Michael Milazzo serves a dual capacity as he is also the Director of Marketing. Michael works closely with his assistant, Lindsay Vera in this regard. Many great marketing initiatives have been started and many more will be seen in the near future as Michael has much on the drawing board.
I have been impressed and really appreciate the job Michael has done for CASL in his first year as the COO. His ability to divorce himself from the coaching side of the business was not easy and Michael handled it with class. It is always tough, when someone has expertise in an area, to step back and let other capable folks handle that section of an organization. But Michael had to step back in order to put his energy to the very difficult position of COO, and what a job he has done!
Michael bounces ideas off me almost every day and also handles the day to day operations, for which he is in charge. He has learned to understand and appreciate the veteran staff with which he works. He has added new ideas and programs such as the adidas uniform contract which he has helped CASL to implement. The 10 year adidas contract extention is the longest that CASL or adidas have ever done and that would not have come to fruition without Michael and also CASL DOC, Rusty Scarborough. The adidas contract’s benefits will permeate all levels of CASL and will afford many opportunities for this organization locally, nationally and internationally.
I can’t wait for the future as Michael continues to learn the various facets of the COO job and also expands its influence throughout the league. It is my hope that Michael will be helping me improve CASL for many, many years to come. If so, the league and its members will be the benefactors!
WHAT A YEAR-Thank you CASL Management Team
Part 2: Michael Milazzo-Chief Operating Officer
By Charlie Slagle-CASL CEO
About one year ago Jay Howell, CASL’s excellent Director of Coaching, left CASL to become the Executive Director of Birmingham United in Alabama. Jay is doing well and we all wish him continued success with his club! I had been with CASL for nine years then and worked closely with Jay on the direction of the club and his departure meant that CASL’s organizational chart needed to change. I did this quickly as CASL, I thought, already had the personnel in place to make a seamless transition for the years to come. CASL added and/or changed a few job descriptions and titles and the “new” management team was devised. This management team consists of Business Manager, Lisa Stevenson, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Michael Milazzo and Director of Coaching (DOC), Rusty Scarborough. I, as CEO, am the fourth member of this group. Michael also serves as CASL’s marketing director.
The transition to the “new” management team has gone, in my opinion, even better than my “pie in the sky” expectations. The last year has been a wonderful year for CASL, on the fields, in the office and with improvements to CASL’s infrastructure. Some of these accomplishments are more visible to a member’s eyes than others. It is easy to see the success on the field and it is easy to see the improvements to WRAL Soccer Center but the differences in the way CASL operates is a little more difficult to see.
Over the next couple of weeks, in three separate articles, I will comment on the contributions of each of the three CASL management team members. Today, I am writing Part 2 and will highlight Chief Operating Officer, Michael Milazzo. The first article was about Director of Coaching, Rusty Scarborough, and next week’s will highlight Business Manager, Lisa Stevenson. For “semi” bios on these three, please refer to my CASL blog, which is accessible from the CASL home page. Each of these three was highlighted in a blog entry earlier this year.
Michael Milazzo has been the Chief Operating Officer for just over a year. Prior to this, Michael filled many different positions in all aspects of CASL from the coaching side to the business side. Becoming the COO meant not only would he have to handle and add to his duties on the business side of CASL but that he would have to relinquish many of his duties on the coaching side, which is easier said than done. Michael has handled this transition in remarkable fashion. Michael still has input in all areas of CASL through his suggestions and expertise in CASL Management meetings.
Michael’s new duties include many facets of CASL. All activities at the CASL office fall under Michaels’s bailiwick. He, therefore, works very closely with Jean Hogshead who heads our administrative team of all the CASL playing divisions. This includes registration and tryouts in all the applicable divisions. Michael has done a great job working with and leading this veteran group as well as being their advocate.
Michael also works closely with CASL’s new Events Manager position, which is manned by Bill Hanckel. This responsibility not only covers all of the various CASL tournaments but all special events including the CASL AGM, the CASL Hall of Fame Banquet, Senior Night, etc. These events have all run efficiently and smoothly under Michael and Bill’s leadership.
The COO is also in charge of CASL’s Communication Department which encompasses not only communications but also IT plus game and practice scheduling. Scott McGuinn is CASL’s Communication Director. On Michael’s watch, a new web site is being adapted in order to better inform CASL members. Also, more blogs and other social media sites have been developed.
Michael’s job also includes monitoring the CASL Maintenance Department headed by Ben Woltz. This year, WRAL Soccer Center has made many improvements. This was a major project for the COO. A new turf field, new fencing, building improvements have all occurred in this last year and more is to come. As these positive changes happen at CASL fields, please know that Michael Milazzo has had his finger in all of these decisions plus the hard part of getting the ideas to reality! The improvements of WRAL Soccer Center is a labor of love for Michael and the results will show his commitment and talent.
The last duty of the COO is marketing. Michael Milazzo serves a dual capacity as he is also the Director of Marketing. Michael works closely with his assistant, Lindsay Vera in this regard. Many great marketing initiatives have been started and many more will be seen in the near future as Michael has much on the drawing board.
I have been impressed and really appreciate the job Michael has done for CASL in his first year as the COO. His ability to divorce himself from the coaching side of the business was not easy and Michael handled it with class. It is always tough, when someone has expertise in an area, to step back and let other capable folks handle that section of an organization. But Michael had to step back in order to put his energy to the very difficult position of COO, and what a job he has done!
Michael bounces ideas off me almost every day and also handles the day to day operations, for which he is in charge. He has learned to understand and appreciate the veteran staff with which he works. He has added new ideas and programs such as the adidas uniform contract which he has helped CASL to implement. The 10 year adidas contract extention is the longest that CASL or adidas have ever done and that would not have come to fruition without Michael and also CASL DOC, Rusty Scarborough. The adidas contract’s benefits will permeate all levels of CASL and will afford many opportunities for this organization locally, nationally and internationally.
I can’t wait for the future as Michael continues to learn the various facets of the COO job and also expands its influence throughout the league. It is my hope that Michael will be helping me improve CASL for many, many years to come. If so, the league and its members will be the benefactors!
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