PITTSBURGH (Feb. 23, 2023) — The Riverhounds Academy is pleased to announce that longtime professional goalkeeper and former U.S. international Jon Busch will be taking charge as the academy’s Director of Goalkeeper Training.
Busch, who was hired as the goalkeepers coach for the Riverhounds SC professional team at the start of January, will oversee and coordinate training and curriculum for academy goalkeepers of all ages. Drawing from 21 years of professional playing experience, including more than a decade as a starter in MLS, Busch will provide top-class instruction to enhance the development of young goalkeepers, both boys and girls, coming through the Hounds system.
“We are delighted to welcome Jon into the club and Academy. Jon brings a wealth of experience from a playing and coaching perspective, both in the U.S. and Europe. His knowledge and attention to detail will provide a wonderful opportunity for our goalkeeping platform to flourish, and we are looking forward to having Jon as part of our team,” said Scott Gibson, Riverhounds Academy Director.
In his role with the Riverhounds Academy, Busch will lead an impressive staff of goalkeeping coaches, both in the RDA’s team model and in the Goalkeeper Academy training programs open to players from across the region.
“I’ve enjoyed my start here in Pittsburgh with the First Team, and I’m very excited to start working with the goalkeepers in our Academy. Our goal is to establish a unified pathway in our goalkeeping department, which will start with our youngest players in the Academy and extend all the way up to our pros on the First Team,” Busch said.
Busch’s duties with the Riverhounds professional team remain unchanged, and he will officially begin his duties with the Riverhounds Academy on March 1.
About Jon Busch
A native of New York, Jon Busch began his professional playing career in 1997 and played for four clubs in the second division A-League before signing with the Columbus Crew in 2002. Busch spent five seasons with the Crew before joining the Chicago Fire from 2007-09, and he was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008. His playing career continued with the San Jose Earthquakes, a return to the Fire, and two years with Indy Eleven in the NASL before retiring. He then began his coaching career with Indy and later served as the goalkeeping coach for Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership before returning to the U.S. in 2022.
