Aaran “Kiwi” Lines :: Advanced Training Instructor
Sahlen Sports Park welcomes its newest member of staff!!
Read up on Kiwi's career and fun cool facts about him below...
Playing Career:
International Experience:
An experienced international that has 41 appearances for his New Zealand full national team, 9 with the U-23 squad, 8 with the U-20 and 10 with U-17’s. Kiwi participated in the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Confederations cup with the NZ National Team and has played full competitive international games against 5-time world champion Brazil, Germany, France, and the USA.
Professional Experience:
1993-97: Moved to Germany at the age of 16 to join the SV Werder Bremen Youth team of the German Bundesliga. Played 80 games with the Werder Bremen youth team, 60 games with the reserve team and 14 matches on the first team. 1997-2000: Played 80 matches with VfL Osnabruck in the German First and Second Bundesliga 2000-02: Joined the Auckland Football Kingz (now the Wellington Phoenix) of the Australian National League for 40 games 2002: Appeared in 20 matches for Dresdener SC of the German second Bundesliga 2003: Played 30 games with Ruch Chorzow in the Polish first division 2004: Spent the season with Arka Gdynia of the Polish first division appearing in 24 matches 2005:Played 23 games for the Portland Timbers of the USL 1st Division 2006+ 2007: Appeared in over 50 matches for the Rochester Rhinos, helping lead the team to the USL 1st Division Championship in 2006.
Coaching Experience:
Kiwi has earned his UEFA B Coaching license in Germany and has coached various levels of youth at German and Australian soccer academies. Kiwi was recently named the Technical Director of Empire United Soccer Academy Buffalo and will be coaching the U14B team for the 2008-2009 season.
Did you know???
- Kiwi has played against world class greats such as Ronaldinho, Lothar Matheus, and Thierry Henry!
- Aaran is called "kiwi" because he is from New Zealand, and their national bird is called the kiwi! Click here to see a photo of a kiwi.
- Kiwi can speak 3 languages-English, Polish, and German. Kiwi even recieved his coaching badge in one of them-German!
- Kiwi's only trip to the United States prior to his arrival in 2005 to play for the Portland Timbers was his family vacation as a child to Hawaii.
- Kiwi left home at age 16 to sign professionally in Germany for one of the worlds biggest clubs, Werder Bremen.
- Kiwi is here on one of the most distinguished visas a foreigner can work in America on, an O-1 Visa which is for aliens of extraordinary ability.
- Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, is the southern most capital city in the world.
- Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to reach the peak of the Mount Everest. He is a new Zealander and his face is on the $5 bill.
Can you find Kiwi in the New Zealand Starting 11?
