Staff

Dana Stumpf - Owner/CEO

Samson, LLC, owned by Dana Stumpf, was founded in order to facilitate soccer camps and community programs for local youths.  In 2008, she took the opportunity to acquire and manage the New Orleans Shell Shockers soccer franchise.  Although new to the sport, Stumpf has developed numerous soccer contacts across the country including top youth/MLS coaches, management staff and players.  She believes that the vision of her head coach can soon become reality in New Orleans by combining her business background with Coach Farrell’s soccer passion and know-how. 

Stumpf has grown up in the New Orleans area and in the construction industry.  After graduating from Mount Carmel Academy, she obtained a BA in Mass Communications and a minor in Political Science from Louisiana State University.  She currently is president of the company that operates the Gentilly Landfill Type III for the City of New Orleans.  In addition, she continues to work in a management role for other businesses owned by her family including Durr Heavy Construction, AMID Landfill and Stumpf Stables.  She is actively involved in various business and community organizations including, but not limited to, being the 2008 Chair of Associated Builders and Contractors’ Bayou Chapter, a board member of the Young Leadership Council, a board member of the Urban League of New Orleans, a member of Vistage International’s Group 116 and a manager of the Salutare Deum Foundation.  In her spare time, she continues to compete in national equestrian events, where she has been a top competitor for the past 15 years.

Kenny Farrell – Head Coach

In 2003, Kenny Farrell co-founded the Shell Shockers Soccer Team and was named Head Coach.  Coach Farrell has a wide range of contacts in the soccer world, both nationally and internationally.  He received the PDL’s prestigious “Coach of the Year” title after a spectacular first season in 2003, winning more games than any other team in the country.

Coach Farrell played soccer for the Shelbourne Football Club in the League of Ireland and crossed the Atlantic to star for Salem State College in Massachusetts.  He also competed in the NCAA Final Four.  After settling in New Orleans, he became Director of Coaching for Lafreniere Soccer Club, leading them to 25 State Championships.  In 2002, Coach Farrell was one of the first Board Members for the U.S. Club Soccer Association.  He was also U.S. Soccer Region III coach of the Olympic Development Program for the Louisiana Soccer Association.  Coach Farrell was the head scout and coach for the USL Olympic Development Program for the Gulf South Region.  Currently, Coach Farrell represents our division by serving on the Executive Committee for the Premier Development League.

Stephen McAnespie – Assistant Coach

Stephen McAnespie grew up in a household of soccer players – his father, brothers and cousins have all played professionally.  Macca’s professional playing experience includes both the English and Scottish Premier Leagues.  He was selected Scottish Young Player of the Year in 1991 when playing for Aberdeen FC where Alex Ferguson was his first coach.  Macca shot the winning goal in a shoot out against Celtic to make Raith Rovers FC the Scottish Cup winners and League champions in 1994.  He was voted Players’ Player of the Year, Player of the Year, and Young Player of the Year.

The following year, Macca was transferred to the English Premier League team, Bolton Wanderers FC.  After 3 successful years with Bolton, he moved on to Fulham FC, where in 2000 he assisted his team in promotion to the Premiership.  Macca moved across the big pond to the United States to team up with Kenny Farrell and the New Orleans Shockers, where he led the team to the USL PDL Conference Championship as Player Captain and Assistant Coach in 2003.  Beyond Macca’s passion for being on the pitch as a player is his desire to teach young soccer players.  He was Director of Coaching and Head PDL Coach of the Indiana Invaders.  He has coached at Lafreniere Soccer Association and currently coaches Carrollton Soccer Association (CSA) U11 Girls and U17 Boys Premier Teams.  Busy man that he is, Macca is also the Head Junior Varsity (JV) Coach for the Brother Martin Crusaders.

Michael Nicol – Assistant General Manager

Nicol graduated from Springfield College in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Sport Management and BusinessManagement.  He has a vast knowledge in the world of soccer, having worked with the New Orleans Shell Shockers in 2005 as the Director of Operations, with the Western Mass Pioneers of USL Division 2 in 2006 as a season coordinator, and with the United Soccer Leagues (“USL”) as an operations intern for the Super 20 and Super-Y League program in 2007. 

Born in Liverpool, England, Nicol grew up watching his father play soccer at the highest level for Liverpool FC of the English Premiership. Soccer ultimately led to Nicol’s arrival in the US, when his father took over as head coach of the Major League Soccer team, the New England Revolution.  Responsibilities as the Assistant General Manager for the Shockers include, but are not limited to, the day to day running of the team, scheduling travel for the season, communicating with USL, coordinating opposing teams and game day operations.

Joe Martinez – Equipment Manager          

This father-of-two lives in Metairie and takes his Shell Shockers' role as seriously as his other job as a buyer for the US Army. When not looking after the players' drinks and gear he can be found polishing his collection of porcelain pigs and Victorian snuff boxes. He says his two favorite things in life are chasing after wayward soccer balls and playing with his model train set.