Augusta soccer loses two coaches

Waynesboro JV girls soccer coach Glenn Anderson died of a heart attack shortly after hip replacement surgery on Tuesday morning, Waynesboro school officials said.
“Glen was a passionate advocate for girls soccer,” said Waynesboro Athletic Director Mel Morris. “He was a travel coach and spent his own time and money. He loved girls soccer.”
Anderson also coached the Augusta United girls travel team and his death came the day after fellow Augusta United coach Mike Dattilio’s. Dattilio, 61, died of a heart attack in his home Monday morning. Dattilio was one of the founding members of the Staunton AYSO and also helped coach the Riverheads’ girls varsity program for two years.
“He was one of the original soccer coaches for Riverheads on the girls side,” said Riverheads varsity girls coach Homes Tehrani. “He was helping me for the ’05 and ’06 season in the girls. He has a great love for the soccer. The whole family is soccer crazed.”
Anderson was a math teacher at Kate Collins Middle School.
Little Giant girls varsity coach Robin Hersey has known Anderson and his family for decades. Both coaches grew up together in Waynesboro and attended St. John’s Episcopal Church in Waynesboro together.
“He was a great JV coach,” Hersey said. “He made a great impact on the girls as a coach and as a teacher.”
The Riverheads girls soccer team beat Stonewall Jackson on Tuesday in the first round of the Shenandoah District tournament.
“This game was dedicated to him,” Therani said. “The players dedicated [the] rest of the season.”
School officials notified parents and students of both Kate Collins and Waynesboro High around 2:45 p.m. of Anderson’s death. School Superintendent Robin Crowder said Hersey and varsity assistant coach Dani Almarode also told the soccer teams of the news.
“Dani [Almarode] and Robin Hersey came to Kate Collins and went to Waynesboro High School to talk to those soccer players,” Crowder said. “Those soccer girls are family and act like a family. [Hersey and Taylor] were saints today.”
Crowder said that Anderson’s death was a major loss for the community, not just the soccer team.
“He was an absolutely wonderful individual,” Crowder said. “He was someone kids connected to and wanted to be with and the fact is he wanted to be with them. I would say that this community is a better place because of Anderson.”
Anderson’s funeral arrangements and services were unknown to The News Virginian at presstime.
Dattilio’s funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Henry Funeral Home Chapel