Mark Pulisic, the father of United States international Christian Pulisic, is returning to the U.S. to become an assistant coach with the Rochester Rhinos, the USL club announced on Thursday.
Pulisic had been working for his son's club, Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, ever since Christian made the move overseas in late 2014. But with his son now firmly established at Dortmund, Mark has returned stateside.
The elder Pulisic's decision was made easier by the fact that he and Rhinos manager Bob Lilley were teammates with the Harrisburg Heat in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1990s.
"I wanted an opportunity to come back and coach in the United States," Pulisic said in a release. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be and nobody else I'd rather learn from than Bob. I'm excited to work with a coach that is an MLS caliber coach, so I'm very fortunate that he's here in Rochester and this opportunity came along for me to work with him."
Mark Pulisic Named Rhinos Assistant Coach https://t.co/bohSxpQMfq
- Rochester Rhinos (@RochesterRhinos) February 23, 2017
Pulisic also coached in the MISL following a playing career that saw him score 296 goals for the Heat. He was named the 2007 MISL Coach of the Year for the Detroit Ignition as he led the side to the league's championship game. He later served as the Ignition's director of soccer operations.
Additionally, Pulisic previously served as an assistant coach in the USL for the Harrisburg City Islanders in the club's inaugural season in 2004.
Pulisic also founded the women's soccer program at NCAA Division III Lebanon Valley College, and served as both the men's and women's coaches at the school until 2005. He also was a longtime youth coach with the club PA Classics based in Manheim, Pennsylvania.
