Bushey Becomes Shadow Coach Spokane Usisl Soccer Team Chooses Whitworth Mentor

Give Sean Bushey credit, his first day on the job and he knows what he’s facing.

Bushey, 28, was introduced as the new soccer coach for the Spokane Shadow on Tuesday afternoon. He replaces Einar Thorarinsson, who guided the Shadow to a 17-3 record and within one game of making the USISL Premier Division finals in their second year of existence.

“Einar obviously had a terrific season last year,” Bushey said. “He accomplished many goals, one of which was putting his successor under immediate pressure.”

Bushey just completed his first season as the Whitworth men’s coach. Thorarinsson, the Gonzaga men’s coach, resigned so players on his team can try out for the Shadow.

“It’s an NCAA rule that a coach cannot coach his players in the summer,” he said. “I feel there are maybe one or two players off my college team that may be able to play for this team. I’d really love to see them play.”

Bushey graduated from Belhaven College in Mississippi, an NAIA soccer power, in 1990, and attended graduate school at Eastern Washington, assisting Thorarinsson at Whitworth one year. When Thorarinsson moved to Gonzaga, Bushey went to Tacoma Community College and The Evergreen State College before landing back at Whitworth.

In two seasons at Tacoma, Bushey’s team went 23-3-5. He was named coach of the year in 1994. Evergreen went 10-8-2, and Bushey was coach of the year in his only year there. His first Whitworth team had an 8-8 record. His teams have been in the playoffs every year.

“I wanted to be able to work with a higher level of player,” Bushey said. “It’s the next level of soccer for us after college. These players are the best of the college level. I want to work with them. It’s a challenge. You’re able to do more with more talented players. It’s an exciting opportunity for me.”

The majority of the Shadow players are Spokane natives or students at one of the area colleges. Up to five undergraduates from an NCAA team can play for a USISL team, as long as their college coach isn’t the head coach. The same restrictions do not apply to NAIA schools.

Many of the players from the team that lost to Colorado Springs in the finals of the West Regional last August are expected to return.

Bushey’s hiring was announced in the new Shadow offices at Albi Stadium. The soccer team recently signed a lease to play at the refurbished facility.

Team owner Bobby Brett reported the team has retained an architect to continue developing the Albi Stadium property. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo