Our Team
Harry A. Rothmann
PRESIDENT
Southern Maryland Athletic Alliance
Harry serves as the President of Southern Maryland Athletic Alliance, on a volunteer basis. He has worked most of his twenty year career as an executive in the non-profit industry.
Harry’s current full-time role is as the Chief Technology Officer at the Association of the United States Army. He is passionate about working at a military service organization, because he grew up living as an Army brat and enjoys giving back to soldiers.
Harry has a deep enthusiasm for youth athletics. Having played baseball and soccer from the age of 5 years old, in high school, and up until the fraternity leagues at the University of Maryland. He is the father of four young athletes and has been an active coach in the Southern Maryland community since 2008 having coached baseball, soccer, football, and wrestling. He has seen first hand, the struggles and challenges that our local teams and clubs come across and wants to help improve the experiences of youth athletic participants.
Harry has a BA from the University of Maryland in Communication, and previously worked as the Director of Internal Operations at Society for Science & the Public, where (as shown in the picture above) his work was recognized at the White House by President Barack Obama as part of the prestigious Science Talent Search program.
In addition, Harry has had roles as a Consultant for the technology firm Accenture, and as a Sr. Technology Specialist at the American Society for Cell Biology.
Harry serves on the Board of Directors for CAUSE, Comfort for America's Uniformed Services, a non-profit which organizes programs that promote recreation, relaxation, and resilience for wounded, ill, or injured members of the U.S. Armed Services.
Nick Catena
VICE PRESIDENT
Southern Maryland Athletic Alliance
DIRECTOR OF COACHING
Southern Maryland Rush Soccer
Nick serves as the Vice President of Southern Maryland Athletic Alliance, on a volunteer basis. Nick is Southern Maryland born and raised and has lived in Charles County most of his life.
At the age of 8 after a couple of seasons of rec soccer with Waldorf Soccer Club, Nick joined the newly formed Waldorf select (travel) team. He was a core member of that team, The Renegades, until they aged out at U19.
The Renegades were a competitive team competing in the top division of the areas top league at the time. They competed in many tournaments and were Maryland State Youth Soccer Association State Cup Finalist and competed in the US Youth soccer Region 1 tournament. As a Student Athlete at LaPlata High School, Nick was a 3 year starter on the Varsity Soccer team, and as a Senior played a role in the team being 3A State Championship Finalist. After high school Nick attended Charles County Community College (currently known as CSM) and played for the college’s Men’s Soccer team.
After two years at the college Nick began his Career in the International Union of Elevator Constructors. After working for a handful of major Elevator companies in for the first two years Nick settled in and has worked for the same independent elevator company for the last 18 years where he has become a key part of the companies success.
As a father of two female athletes who also enjoy playing soccer and other sports, Nick began coaching in LaPlata around 2010. In 2015 Nick earned his USSF E coaching license and in 2018 he earned his USSF D coaching license.
Andre Newsome
HEAD COACH
Southern Maryland Rush Wrestling
Andre has been a resident of Waldorf from a very young age and graduated from Thomas Stone High School, where he wrestled as a varsity wrestler for four years. After graduating he had the privilege of gaining more experience as an assistant high school wrestling coach at several Southern Maryland High Schools.
After a hiatus Andre returned in 2008 and assisted as a youth league wrestling coach until 2011 when an opportunity presented itself which allowed him to return to Thomas Stone as the head wrestling coach of the Thomas Stone Wrestling Club, since renamed Southern Maryland Rush Wrestling Club.
1990 Maryland Regional Champion
1990 Maryland State Wrestling Champion
1990 Maryland High School All Star Champion
1990 All Metropolitan Team
1989 Third Place Maryland State Place Finisher
2002 Thomas Stone High School Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee
3 time Southern Maryland Athletic Conference Champion
2 time Maryland Regional Runner up
3 time Maryland State Qualifier
Robert Grollman
BOARD MEMBER
Southern Maryland Athletic Alliance
Robert serves as a Board Member on a volunteer basis. Robert is a lifelong Charles County resident and graduate of McDonough High School in 1999.
Robert has played organized soccer since the early age of five and continued with competitive soccer through his senior year in High School.
Robert completed his undergraduate degree at College of Southern Maryland, he transferred to University of Maryland University College (UMUC) to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Robert started his career in Washington, D.C. as an Account Receivable/Accounts Payable Specialist for a Patent law firm.
In 2007, Robert accepted a position as a Survey Statistician with the U.S. Census Bureau working on the Economic Census and has been with the Department of Commerce since.
Robert is the father of two daughters who also enjoy his passion for athletics. He has been coaching organized soccer since 2014 and earned his USSF E coaching license in 2016.
Ralph Garner
BOARD MEMBER
Southern Maryland Athletic Alliance
ASSISTANT SOCCER COACH
Southern Maryland Rush Soccer
Coach Ralph Garner has more than 35 years of experience in the sport of soccer. After playing in college, he focused his passion to coaching and refereeing and today is assisting in establishing the Maryland Rush in Southern Maryland.
He has coached teams ranging from recreational to high school to competitive youth. Over the years, he has helped guide and advance elite players who have gone on to play in top youth sides, college and on youth regional teams. Coach Garner has also served on several travel club boards and as director of goalkeeping.
Coach Garner has managed teams in various youth leagues, including Elite Development Program (EDP), National Capital Soccer League (NCSL), Super Y, Washington Area Girls Soccer (WAGS) and futsal. His teams have claimed titles at some of youth soccer’s biggest tournaments.
Brandon Owens
HEAD SOCCER COACH
2005/2006 Girls and 2009 Co-Ed
Southern Maryland Rush Soccer
Brandon Owens graduated cuma sum laude from Bowie State University in 1998 with a B.S. in Political Science. He attended the University on a full Presidential Scholarship completing his degree in three years. He earned the Charles V. Hamilton Award for excellence in political science three times, was selected a Harry S. Truman Scholar finalist and a Gillette All American Scholar Athlete. Brandon concluded his formal studies at American University in Washington, DC where he earned his M.A. in International Relations.
Brandon worked in intelligence and defense before leaving to pursue opportunities in the private sector. He developed and founded multiple businesses in the green energy, e-commerce and real estate sectors.
As a boy, Brandon played travel soccer and baseball from a young age. He played varsity baseball and soccer in high school before going on to play NCAA DII baseball in college winning two CIAA championships. Brandon played NCAA DII and D1 soccer culminating in a trial period with the Tercera Division and Segunda Division B teams of Atletico de Madrid.
As a coach, he was awarded the USSF D License, coaching at the travel and high school level. Most recently he assisted in leading the Calvert High School Women’s Soccer team to their second state title in 25 years. He is currently coaching the 2006 and 2005 girl’s teams for SOMD Rush as well as the 2009 boy’s team.
Brandon is married to Tatiana Owens, an educator in Calvert County. They have three children who all enjoy playing soccer, two of whom play in the Southern Maryland Rush organization. Their family has resided in Calvert County for nearly twenty years.