Mt. Abram boys soccer coach Darren Allen was named the Small Public School Boys National Coach of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches, the association announced last week.
Darren Allen, head coach of the Mt. Abram Regional High School boys’ soccer team, holds the state championship trophy after the Roadrunners’ 1-0 victory over George Stevens Academy in the Class C title game in Topsham on Nov. 11. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
Allen, who completed his 17th season as the Mt. Abram head coach this fall, guided the Roadrunners to their first Class C state championship in November. Mt. Abram went 18-0, allowing just three goals while securing 15 shutouts.
Allen will receive his award at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Anaheim, California, in January.
Allen shared the news on his personal Facebook page earlier this week, saying: “I am honored and pleasantly surprised. This award does not happen without the contributions of our players, assistant coaches, my wife and my sons, our school athletic director and our principal. … This award is about our team and our school. It is because of them I am being honored.”
The award announcement noted that Allen is the third coach from Maine to receive national coach of the year honors from the United Soccer Association, following Falmouth’s David Halligan (Large Public School) in 1998 and Bangor Christian’s Aaron Wilcox (Private School) in 2016. The news release also mentioned NFHS national coach of the year honors going to Camden Hills girls coach Meredith Messer (2018-19), Halligan (2020-21) and Yarmouth boys coach Mike Hagerty (2021-22).
Allen mentioned that trio on Facebook, commenting: “To be mentioned with Maine coaches Dave Halligan of Falmouth, Mike Hagerty of Yarmouth and Merideth Messer of Camden Hills is mind blowing. These are people I aspire to become.”
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