Since the turn of the century, at least, the success and/or failure of the East Providence High School girls' soccer program has hinged almost solely on the stability of the coaching staff in place to lead the Townies.

In the early aughts with Dave Axelson at the helm, East Providence enjoyed a fruitful few years in the Division II ranks, reaching a couple of league championship finals, in 2001 and 2003, before unfortunately losing to Cumberland both times.

It wasn't until about a decade later and after the Townies went through a few coaches before the program once again found good fortune under the direction of the husband-wife duo of Angelo and Stacie Pizzi.

With the Pizzis guiding the squad for the 2010s and a bit beyond, EPHS girls' soccer had its greatest triumph, the Division III championship in 2016, as well as another appearance in that league's title game the following year and another in D-II in 2020.

The core group of players from those teams, and the Pizzis themselves, soon departed, leaving the program in the hands of former all-time EPHS great Melissa Resendes. Resendes took over a club not only attempting to rebuild, but trying to do so in the state's top tier of Division I. It wasn't pretty. The Townies went 0-15-1 in 2022 and then 1-11-1 last fall as they dropped back to D-II.

As the 2024 season dawns, so does the next EPHS girls' soccer coaching era. Another school alum, Mateo Andrade, has been given the reins of the program.

A 2018 EPHS grad and former keeper on the boys' team, Andrade, 24, comes to the job after spending the last six years coaching under a couple of other notable Townie soccer all-timers, John Mark Andrade and Tony Vieira, for the Bayside United youth soccer club.
"I was born here. I've played since I was young. I started with AYSO (the former East Providence American Youth Soccer Organization), then I played at Bruno United (in Providence) and at the high school all four years," said Andrade. "I've known Tony forever. I started coaching, helping Tony out as soon as I got out of high school. I've always wanted to coach at the high school level. I've been coaching girls at the club level, so this is a nice transition."

Around this time last year, Andrade applied for, but was not selected to fill the then-vacant EPHS boys' soccer coaching job, a position left open following Vieira's resignation after 13 years at the end of the 2022 season. The post eventually went to another EPHS alum Tim Calouro.

Instead, Andrade continued to coach the Bayside Under-13 Division girls' travel team, and applied for the girls' job upon Resendes stepping away.

Knowing a bit of the history of the EPHS girls' program, Andrade said his first endeavor is to bring "continuity to the program."

"It's almost like when you're building a house. You have to start with the foundation," Andrade continued. "I think we need to start from the younger ages, from the youth program, trying to get kids from EPYSA (East Providence Youth Soccer Association) to our games. Even us reaching out to EPYSA, helping coach the kids there to create interest in our program. If we can bring the community together, get everyone to understand the high school soccer program is back around, I think that will help us out as well."

Andrade admitted to not being too familiar with the players returning to the EPHS fold, but he does have a general grasp of the roster.

"We're a younger group, which is OK. I think it's beneficial for the program. And from what I know about them, it's a very good group of kids. They seem like they want to learn. They want to be coached. I think if we put them in the right positions and help them out, I think we'll be OK," Andrade explained.

Of his coaching style, he continued, "I think especially at this level you have to use what you have. You have to adapt to the kids. It would be selfish of me to try to play a way that doesn't suit them. So it's about finding the best way to play. I think I kind of have it in my mind already, but obviously you have to see it on the field, rather than on paper. So the way we're going to play is going to suit the kids."

Andrade has enlisted the services of two names very familiar to EPHS soccer followers to help him implement his plans.

Former All-Division keeper Mia Jackson, a star in the six-yard box on the most successful of the Pizzis' sides, is his top aide. Jackson is a recent graduate of Stonehill College where she continued her soccer career. She's now a Mathematics teacher in North Providence. And the aforementioned Vieira is serving as a volunteer aide, assisting when available to share his vast knowledge.

"Mia's new to the coaching world, but she can relate to the girls. And I think she has a lot of positive energy that she can bring. And she's very enthusiastic. She wants to learn. It's going to help her, help the kids, help me. I think she'll be a great addition," Andrade said. "And Tony is there to challenge my thoughts, to help me where he can. He's been around high school soccer forever, so he knows what goes on."

As to what his players can expect from an Andrade-led program in their first few weeks working together, he added, "In the preseason, the main goal is to be one of the fittest teams in the league. I think that's going to help us out a lot. I think the only way we're going to be beat most teams is because of what we've done on the training pitch. So we're going to work hard in the preseason, get fit, figure out our way of playing and we'll see where it goes from there."

EPHS has a pair of scrimmages and a non-league on tap to conclude their first full week of training, all at home at the Townie Stadium. North Smithfield visits for a practice outing Saturday, Aug. 24, at 1 p.m. Neighboring Seekonk crosses the state line for an informal gathering Monday, Aug. 26, at 3 p.m. And St. Raphael heads down Pawtucket Avenue for a non-league affair Thursday night, Aug. 29, at 6:30.