Daniel Struk (1955-2026)

Daniel Struk, for decades a revered and selfless youth coach out of Tacoma, died in Boston on January 22, 2026, just two days after his 71st birthday.

After his father, Roman Struk (and originally spelled Strug), moved the family to Tacoma in 1966, the family soon became synonymous with soccer coaching excellence. Daniel played for one of the first Pierce County youth powerhouses, the Hustlers, coached by his father. In 1971, the Cheney Studs Hustlers became one of the first local youth sides to travel abroad, playing six games in England, Daniel’s birthplace.

In 1977, Struk accepted a scholarship offer and played at UCLA, when the Bruins reached the NCAA quarterfinals. While at UCLA, he met Sigi Schmid, and they became lifelong friends.

Following his collegiate career he returned home and began following in his father’s footsteps by coaching youth and soon earning his national ‘A’ license. Both would work with aspiring players individually, in groups and as teams.

According to Mark Schuur, a neighbor of Struk who played with the vaunted Norpoint Royals, Daniel would coach players of all abilities. “The only requirement,” wrote Schuur, “was you had to want to work hard and seriously. Daniel impacted hundreds of players this way, meeting them at a random field and training them in a customized manner that fit them … Incredible dedication.”

Stated legendary Stanford and Notre Dame coach Bobby Clark, “(Dan) was a real soccer disciple and a wonderfully warm and sincere person.”

Struk’s final coaching involvement in the Puget Sound region was with Snohomish United, After that, he relocated to the Boston area. He experienced health issues while in Massachusetts and ultimately lost his battle with Melanoma.

A GoFundMe drive has been initiated to assist his life partner Amy in light of his sudden passing.