08/22/2026
Coach Pama has built a distinguished career spanning professional soccer administration, collegiate coaching, player development, and international soccer leadership. His career reflects a unique combination of on-field expertise, executive leadership, and a long-standing commitment to developing players, teams, and soccer organizations.
PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEADERSHIP IN THE NETHERLANDS
Coach Pama learned the principles of championship-level leadership through the renowned Dutch soccer system. He went on to apply those lessons at the highest levels of professional soccer administration as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of SC Cambuur-Leeuwarden, serving in that role for more than five years.
During his tenure, Pama transformed Cambuur’s business and organizational framework and helped establish the foundation for the club’s sustained growth. Under his leadership, SC Cambuur became one of the most respected professional soccer organizations in the Netherlands. The club came within reach of promotion to the Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ top professional division, in both 2009 and 2010.
Pama placed a strong emphasis on developing local and young Dutch talent. As a result, SC Cambuur held transfer rights to several highly regarded young players in Dutch soccer. His leadership also coincided with numerous organizational milestones, including the club’s longest winning streak, highest average attendance, most replica jerseys sold in a single season, and highest playoff television ratings.
Beyond the field, Pama emphasized community engagement and social responsibility. SC Cambuur was recognized by the Dutch government and the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) as one of the most community-involved professional sports organizations in the country. Pama resigned from SC Cambuur in 2011.
During his time in the Netherlands, Pama also served as a voting member of the Executive Board of the KNVB, the Dutch Soccer Federation. In that capacity, he contributed his business and organizational expertise to the framework supporting the Netherlands’ bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He also served on several KNVB and Jupiler League committees, including the Sales and Marketing Committee, the Executive Management Advisory Committee, the Future Platform Committee, and the Clubs/Players’ Union Negotiating Committee.
TRANSFORMING LIFE UNIVERSITY MENS SOCCER
In January 2017, Pama took over a Life University men’s soccer program that had finished 1–15 the previous season. He immediately began rebuilding the program and, within two years, guided the Running Eagles to a Mid-South Conference Regular Season Championship.
In 2019, Life University finished 13–5–1 overall and a perfect 8–0 in conference play. The team advanced to the conference tournament final, earned a No. 21 ranking in the NAIA National Coaches Poll, and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Pama was selected by his peers as the 2019 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year and was later named Life University Athletic Department Coach of the Year in 2020.
Under Pama’s leadership, Life University players consistently earned conference and national recognition. Numerous players were selected to All-Conference teams, while multiple student-athletes earned All-American honors. Thierry Jules was named the 2019 Mid-South Conference Player of the Year, while Danny DeLorijn was selected as the conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2021.
Academic achievement has been an equally important component of Pama’s program. His teams have produced more than 101 NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete award recipients, reflecting his commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field.
In 2022, Pama led Life University to the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Tournament Championship and another appearance in the NAIA National Championship. The team reached as high as No. 12 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, while defender Lars Van Der Steen was named Tournament MVP. Three additional players earned All-American recognition, and numerous players were selected to All-Conference and All-Freshman teams. The team also posted a 3.45 cumulative GPA.
The program continued to produce elite individual talent. In 2024, freshman forward Thomas Rodella was named SSAC Freshman of the Year and won the Golden Boot as the nation’s leading goal scorer and points leader. He was also selected to the First Team All-Conference and First Team All-American teams. Three additional Life University players earned Second Team All-Conference honors.
Academically, the program maintained a team GPA above 3.5 over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, extending an impressive streak of 32 consecutive quarters with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher.
A HISTORIC 2025 SEASON
In 2025, Pama guided the Life University men’s soccer program to its most successful season in program history, winning both the SSAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships for the first time.
The Running Eagles finished 16–1–3 and advanced to the Round of 16 at the NAIA National Championship final site, marking the program’s first appearance at that stage since 1998. The team was ranked among the nation’s top five in multiple NAIA polls.
The 2025 season also produced an extraordinary collection of individual honors. Andrei Apostu was named SSAC Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Golden Boot winner. Devin Koorn was named MVP of the SSAC Tournament. Apostu and Koorn earned First Team All-American honors, while goalkeeper Wolny and midfielder Hidalgo were selected Third Team All-Americans.
Pama was once again recognized by his peers as the SSAC Coach of the Year.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Pama’s influence extends well beyond his own teams. He served four years on the NAIA Men’s Soccer Executive Committee and five years on the NAIA National Tournament Committee, contributing to the administration and development of collegiate soccer at the national level.
He also spent four years as a volunteer assistant coach with the Kennesaw State University women’s soccer program, an NCAA Division I program.
For more than 15 years, Pama has served on the staff of the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP) in Regions III and IV. He was also a head coach for the Georgia ODP program for more than a decade.
Pama has served as a U.S. Soccer instructor and has accumulated more than 23 years of experience as a Director of Coaching with soccer organizations in Idaho, Arkansas, and Georgia. He has also consulted with several CONCACAF nations on youth and senior national-team development.
Throughout his career, Pama has helped produce more than 364 collegiate players across the NCAA and NAIA levels, along with more than 47 professional players and 11 FIFA World Cup participants.
COACHING EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
Pama holds a valid KNVB Trainer Coach II and III License, equivalent to UEFA B and C qualifications, as well as United States Soccer Federation A and B Licenses and a U.S. Soccer National Youth License. He also holds a KNVB Referee License.
His coaching philosophy is rooted in the Dutch model of player development, combining technical excellence, tactical intelligence, disciplined team organization, individual accountability, and long-term player development.
COMMUNITY SERVICE & PERSONAL LIFE
Pama has also devoted significant time to community service. He served as an ambassador for the Kika Foundation, a Dutch organization dedicated to fighting childhood cancer.
Coach Pama and his wife, Karen, reside in Powder Springs, Georgia. Their son, AJ, is a graduate student athlete of Mercer University, where he plays NCAA Division I soccer after spending three years playing at Georgia Southern University and four years with Atlanta United. Their daughter, Sydney, attends the University of Georgia as a junior in Athens.
Away from soccer, Pama enjoys hiking, deep-sea fishing, long walks on the beach, and studying history.
Across more than three decades in soccer, Coach Pama has remained committed to one central principle: developing people through the game. Whether leading a professional club in the Netherlands, rebuilding a collegiate program, mentoring young players, serving on national soccer committees, or helping develop players who go on to compete at the collegiate, professional, and international levels, Pama’s career has been defined by leadership, development, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
08/22/2026
08/20/2026
08/18/2026