Coach Pama learned about winning championships as a product of the famed Dutch soccer (sports) scene.
As SC Cambuur-Leeuwarden’s Chief Executive Officer / General Manager for 5 years, Pama took his lessons learned from the field and applied them administratively at the sports highest level to help spur SC Cambuur’s growth into one of the most respected Dutch professional soccer organizations. Through his tireless efforts, Pama was been responsible for instilling the groundwork for SC Cambuur’s success in his five years at the helm and well into the future.
In his five-plus years as the organization’s CEO and GM, Pama overhauled Cambuur’s business framework, leading to, among other things a near promotion in 2009 and 2010 to the Eredivisie, the highest professional league in the Netherlands. He emphasized the development of local talent and as a result, SC Cambuur had the (transfer) rights to some of the most talented young players in Dutch soccer. Several records were broken during his tenure at Cambuur (longest winning streak, highest average attendance, most replica jersey’s sold in single season, highest play off TV ratings etc). Furthermore, the club was recognized by the Dutch government and KNVB as one of the most involved professional sport franchises in the community. In 2011, Pama resigned from SC Cambuur.
During his stay in the Netherlands, Pama served as an Executive Board voting member of the KNVB, the Dutch Soccer Federation. In that role he put his strong (business) background to work in preparing the framework to help the Local Organizing Committee try to bring the 2018 World Cup to the Netherlands. He also served on several other committees at the Dutch Soccer Federation and at the Jupiler League. Some of the committees involved were the sales and marketing committee, the advice committee for the Executive Management of the KNVB, future platform committee and Clubs/Player’s Union negotiating committee.
Pama took over a 1-15 Life University program in January of 2017 and immediately turned the program around resulting, a short two years later, in capturing the Mid-South Conference Regular Season Championship compiling a 13-5-1 overall record and a perfect 8-0 in conference play in 2019. In 2017 and 2018 his team also reached the semi-finals of the Mid-South Conference Tournament and in 2019, the team reached the conference tournament final. In 2019 the program was ranked number 21 in the NAIA National Coaches Poll. The team reached to the second round of the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Coach Pama was voted Mid-South Coach of the Year by his peers in 2019 and in 2020 he was selected Life University Coach of the Year in the Life U Athletic Department. Many of his players received accolades as well with selections to the first and second team All-Conference in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Three players received All American honors. Life U junior forward, Thierry Jules was selected Player of the Year in the Mid-South Conference in 2019. Life U freshman forward, Danny DeLorijn was selected Freshman of the Year in the Mid-South Conference in 2021. Academically his team(s) received many NAIA Daktronics awards, meaning that they kept a high GPA while being a student-athlete. In total over 89 of his players received this prestigious award. In 2022, his team captured the Southern States Conference Tournament crown and therefore qualifying for yet another National Championship appearance. The team was ranked as high as number 12 in the United States NAIA Coaches Poll. Defender Lars Van Der Steen was MVP of the Conference Tournament. Three more players received All American honors and several players got selected on the First, Second All conference team, while others made the All-Freshman Team of the SSAC. The team again maintained an average GPA of 3.45 throughout the year. In 2024 another player of his team received Freshman of the Year honors, Thomas Rodella. The freshman forward also that year won the golden boot trophy by becoming not only the leading goal scorer in the country, but points (goals and assists) winner as well. Rodella was selected for the First Team All-Conference and also got selected on the First Team All-American. Three other players were selected on the second team All-Conference. The team also reached a team GPA of above 3.35, which makes for an astonishing streak of 25 quarters in a row of accomplishing a 3.0 of higher team GPA.
He also served as an ambassador for the Kika Foundation (Children’s Cancer Foundation) in the Netherlands. Coach Pama served 4 years on the NAIA Men’s Soccer Executive Committee. He also has been a member for 5 years of the NAIA National Tournament Committee. He served four years as a volunteer assistant coach for Kennesaw State University Women's Soccer program (NCAA Division I). He has been a member of the boys and girls Region III and IV ODP staff for more than 15 years and he was a head coach for Georgia's Olympic Development Program (ODP) for over 10 years. He has been an instructor for US Soccer and served for more than 22 years as a director of coaching for various soccer organizations around the States (Idaho, Arkansas, Georgia). He consults several CONCACAF countries on youth and senior football development. He has produced over 356 collegiate players (NCAA/NAIA) in all those years as well as 11 World Cup participants and over 44 professional players.
Coach Pama holds a KNVB (Dutch Federation) Trainer Coach II and III License (UEFA B and C), an United States Soccer Federation A and B License, an US Soccer National Youth License as well as a KNVB Referee License.
Coach Pama resides in Waleska, Ga. His son, AJ is a junior soccer player at Georgia Southern University (NCAA D1). His daughter Sydney is a sophomore at UGA in Athens. In addition to his passion for soccer, he enjoys hiking, fishing, long beach walks and history.
