2007 Coaches

Head coach Steve Smucker enters his fifth year at Bluffton University where he will continue to build as deep and talented freshmen classes look to bolster the soccer program in 2007. The men finished the 2006 campaign with a 4-12 record, including a 3-5 mark in the Heartland Conference, while the women went 3-14 last year.

Prior to coaching at Bluffton, Smucker taught physical education and coached boys soccer at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, located in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. In 2002, he led Dock to its first ever state soccer title, earning five separate Coach of the Year honors in the process, including recognition from the Pennsylvania State Soccer Coaches Association, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the Philadelphia Inquirer. During his tenure as the head coach at Christopher Dock, Smucker also led his team to six district titles in eight years, including the school's first district title in 1996, accruing a record of 118 wins, 67 losses and 12 ties.

An Ohio native and graduate of Central Christian High School, Kidron, OH, Smucker went on to earn all-conference honors as a player both at Hesston and Goshen. Smucker's education includes degrees from Hesston College (KS), Goshen College (IN), and Temple University (PA).

He is also a fully licensed coach with the United States Soccer Federation and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Smucker has extensive soccer clinician experience and is also very involved in his church and community. 

Smucker resides in rural Pandora with his wife, Judy, and children, Tristan and Sophia.

Arnie Sharp joins the Bluffton University soccer program as the graduate assistant coach for the 2007 season. Sharp comes to Bluffton after spending the previous six years as head coach at Hesston College.

Sharp rebuilt the program at Hesston during his tenure as head coach. The season prior to Sharp’s first at Hesston, the Larks had won only one game and scored only three goals for the season. During his fourth year at the helm, Sharp led the team to a huge win over #5 nationally ranked Johnson County. Hesston’s soccer program has seen tremendous growth as a result of Sharp’s recruiting skills and his ability to teach the game.

Sharp played soccer while he was a student at Lewis Palmer High School in Monument, Colorado. He continued to play at Hesston College, where he earned all-district honors, and then at Eastern Mennonite University where he graduated in 1990. At EMU he earned first-team all-conference honors and VISSA second team honors. He was voted offensive player of the year following his junior season, and named captain and MVP during his final season.

He holds an Advanced National Diploma and a Level II Goalkeeping Certificate from the NSCAA.

Sharp currently resides in Bluffton.

Mustaq Ahmed joins the Bluffton University soccer program as an assistant coach for the women's team in 2007. He is also the buildings and grounds supervisor at Bluffton University.

Ahmed played soccer for Bluffton from 1974 through 1977 after arriving in the United States as a foreign student through MCC from Dhaka, Bangladesh, so he is very familiar with the University and the community of Bluffton.

From 1983-93, Ahmed coached youth soccer for Bluffton Family Recreation in the Black Swamp Soccer League (BSSL) during both the spring and fall seasons, developing his love for teaching the game to young players. He started the Under-14 travel teams for boys and girls in Bluffton, directing squads in the Northwest Ohio Youth Soccer League. (NYOSL) His first girls' team took home the Spring Championship trophy in 1993.

In 1996, Ahmed started the girls' high school program at Bluffton and he led the team until 2002. While coaching at Bluffton High School, he was named the Division II Coach of the Year by the Ohio High School Athletic Association for District 4. Four times his squads competed in the district championship game and the Pirates were a regional finalist once during his tenure at Bluffton.

Recently, Ahmed led the Under-14 travel team for the West Central United based in Lima from 2004-07.

Ahmed resides near Bluffton with his wife of 30 years, Becki. They are the parents of 26-year old Sarah, who lives in Columbus, and 22-year old Sabrina who was a two-time all-state selection from the Bluffton High School girl's soccer team and is now a third-year nursing student living in Findlay.