Lowry departs as Locomotive coach after three successful seasons
As he hinted a month ago after the season-ending playoff loss to Oakland, Mark Lowry has departed as Locomotive coach and technical director following three successful seasons, reportedly for a job with USL side Indy 11.
El Paso has begun a search for his replacement.
“Locomotive soccer will forever benefit from the foundation Mark established these past three seasons,” said Alan Ledford, president of MountainStar Sports Group. “His professionalism, intensity, and creative approach to the game were instrumental in establishing a remarkable culture of success for the Locos.
"The extraordinary connection with the community, our fans and supporters, the team, and its players were a direct result of and a reflection on Mark. We will certainly miss Coach Lowry personally and professionally and wish him and his family all the best in their next adventure.”
Hired from the Jacksonville Armada four years ago, the Englishman Lowry lead the Locomotive to the Western Conference finals in their first two seasons. This year El Paso had the third best record in the 31-team league at 18-4-10 but stunningly lost to Oakland 1-0 in the first round of the playoffs.
In the post-game press conference the 36-year-old Lowry sounded like someone on the verge of leaving.
“The three years I’ve been here have been great,” Lowry said then. “I felt the love from the fans every single time we stepped on the field, personally. I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done and what we created here over the three years. They are a huge part of that.
"We’ve won, we’ve scored goals, we’ve had fun, and celebrated with them. Those are memories that will live with me forever and will hopefully live with them forever as well."
Locomotive general manager Andrew Forrest praised Lowry.
"From day one speaking to Mark I knew he was the man for the job,” Forrest said. “I have appreciated our friendship both personally and professionally and wish him the best in the future. What he was able to accomplish with a new club has been nothing short of amazing.
"His passion for the game, his desire to compete and win, and his connection to the city of El Paso will always be a part of this club’s legacy. The foundation is strong as we prepare for the next chapter in our history."
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at 915-546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Lowry departs as Locomotive coach after three seasons
