Girls Soccer

Varsity Girls Soccer Schedule 

JV Girls Soccer Schedule

Jim Bruno Bio Continued... 

Bruno’s coaching record stands at 549-122-72 heading into 2025. In 1998, the Falcons posted their best season at 22-0-3. His most recent squad finished 9-8-2.

Over the years, Bruno has coached nine Washington Post All-Met Players of the Year, more than any other regional coach. That list includes Midge Purce, a two-time honoree who now plays for the U.S. Women’s National Team and NJ/NY Gotham FC, alongside fellow Falcons Imani Dorsey and Megan Hinz.
Bruno’s program has consistently produced top college talent and dozens of scholarship athletes. In 18 of the past 21 seasons, at least one Falcon has earned first-team All-Met recognition.

He has earned a long list of coaching honors, including National Private School Girls Coach of the Year (1998), Washington Post Coach of the Year (1994), seven Maryland State Coach of the Year awards, and five WCAC Coach of the Year selections. He was inducted into the Good Counsel Hall of Fame in 2001.

Bruno was Good Counsel’s first girls' head coach in any sport. In his debut season, he led a team with no seniors to the Division II championship game and a 12-5-2 record. He holds the Premier and Advanced National Diplomas from United Soccer Coaches and coaches two girls' travel teams with Potomac Soccer Club. He also runs summer camps at Good Counsel and teaches a leadership course for athletes.
Bruno’s coaching philosophy centers around what he calls the “4 C’s”:

• Competence – teaching the technical and tactical aspects of the sport
• Confidence – developing athletes’ self-belief, self-worth, resilience, and mental toughness
• Connection – building social bonds between teammates and coaches
• Character – instilling empathy, respect, and integrity so athletes grow into strong role models

Bruno attended DeMatha Catholic and graduated from Walter Johnson High School in 1966. He served in Vietnam as an Army medic, then studied criminal justice at the University of Maryland, graduating in 1978. He retired from the Montgomery County Police Department in 1988 and served as athletic director at St. Peter’s Parish in Olney until 2006.

Bruno was born in Bethesda and lives in Brookeville, MD., with his wife Maggie. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2021. Their sons, James (’96) and Christopher (’99), played soccer at Good Counsel.

During his first five seasons, Balsamo has contributed to the Falcons posting a record of 58-16-11 (.747 winning percentage).

“He brings enthusiasm, is a really good X’s and O’s technical coach and a great motivator,” said Bruno, who’s in his 34^th year at Good Counsel. “He brings an added dimension and a voice. He sees things a little bit differently than I do. It’s a good balance.”

Other highlights during Balsamo’s tenure include The Washington Post naming Heather Hinz 2018 All-Met Player of the Year and two Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships (2018, ’19).

Balsamo began his coaching career in 2004 as co-founder of the Vitoria Football Club with mentor Joao Carlos Martens. The Rockville, Md.-based organization, which lasted until 2012, featured boys and girls teams from U11 to U17.

From 2012-14, Balsamo was head coach of the Montgomery Soccer U9 and U10 boys academy program. He spent his first three years at Good Counsel as an assistant JV boys coach (2013-15).

Since 2014, Balsamo worked with the Potomac Soccer Association as head coach and age-group coordinator for 2009 and 2011 girls. His teams compete at the highest level in the United States Youth Soccer (USYS) National League and South Atlantic Conference, as well as Club Champions League.

Balsamo enjoyed his greatest success when he led the Potomac Blue 2004 boys to the 2017 and ’18 Maryland State Youth Soccer Association State Cup Championships. His 2017 club also won the USYS Eastern Regional League title.

In 2018, United Soccer Coaches honored him as East Region Boys Youth Coach of the Year.

Balsamo has also since 2015 coached in the Maryland Olympic Development Program. The goal is to identify high-caliber U13 to U17 players to vie for spots on U.S. youth national teams that compete internationally. In 2022, he will be in his third year as head coach of the program’s U15 boys.

“He’s a terrific coach,” Bruno said. “He does a great job with his teams. You can see through his developmental skills that he’s able to bring kids to a higher level.”

Balsamo holds the following certifications: United States Soccer Federation C License and United Soccer Coaches National and Goalkeeper Diplomas.

At the Sound School in New Haven, Conn., Balsamo was a member of the sailing team for four years, played hockey for three and soccer for one. He graduated in 1999.

Balsamo was born and raised in New Haven. He and his wife, K-Lee, live in Silver Spring, Md.