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	Photo by David Casadei
	PVCC women’s head soccer coach, Amy Garelick, sits with her two daughters, Gracie (left), and Katherine-Anne.
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For five years Amy Garelick has been apart of the Paradise Valley Community College family, guiding and leading the Puma girls soccer team as the head coach.

Garelick was born in Seattle, Washington and has been involved in soccer, playing or coaching, since she was 5-years-old. Garelick played competitively in high school back in Seattle where she earned All-Conference honors for her junior and senior seasons. She then traveled southeast and gained All Western Athletic Conference honors her junior and senior seasons as a member of the University of New Mexico Lobos soccer team.

Garelick began her coaching career as an assistant at Phoenix College, and later held the same position at Grand Canyon University before taking the reigns as head coach of the Pumas.

Along with her love for soccer, Garelick also is a caring mother who is family-oriented and loves her children. Garelick says, “If I wasn’t coaching, I would be a stay-at-home mom.”

The Garelicks just welcomed their newest edition to the family four months ago, a new baby girl named Katherine-Anne. In addition to Katherine-Anne, 3-year-old Gracie, and husband Todd make up the rest of the Garelick family. Garelick was away from PVCC on maternity leave for 4 months. Barry Van Patten coached the PVCC women’s soccer team in her absence.

Coach Garelick believes that the women’s soccer program is progressing in the right direction and she is enthusiastic in her beliefs. “We’re not that far off from competing for a national title,” she says. “We just have to make it through our conference, one of the toughest conferences in the National Junior College Athletic Association.”

Things to know about coach Garelick

• Favorite food —Little Debbie snack cakes
• Favorite movie —“Sweet Home Alabama”
• Favorite TV show—“CSI-Las Vegas”
• Hobbies—Running, watching movies, and hanging out with friends.
• Next year’s team goals—Win conference and place a good number of kids in four-year schools.
• Soccer mentor—Former University of New Mexico and present University of Washington head coach, Amy Griffin.
• Soccer Idol—15-year Team USA member Joy Fawcett.
• Ideal coaching experience—“Coaching here at PVCC. The school is very supportive, and at a community college, you’re able to really make a difference.”