I am writing to respectfully request consideration of naming Wakeman B Field in honor of Dan Woog, whose lifelong contributions to Westport’s athletic, educational, and community life are both extraordinary and enduring.

Naming a soccer field in honor of Dan Woog would recognize not only an extraordinary coaching career, but a legacy of courage, leadership, and inclusion that has had a national—and lasting—impact on youth, athletics, and education.

Within the sport of soccer, Dan’s influence is especially profound. He founded the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s LGBTQ advocacy group and later served on the board of directors of United Soccer Coaches, where he oversaw advocacy and support for LGBTQ, Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, women’s, faith-based, disabilities, high school, and military servicemember coaching groups. Through this work, he helped reshape the culture of the sport to be more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

As head coach of Staples High School soccer from 2003 to 2021, Dan Woog built a program defined by excellence and integrity. His teams won four FCIAC championships and one state title. He is a member of both the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame and the FCIAC Hall of Fame. More importantly, he touched and guided the lives of countless young athletes and coaches, teaching lessons that extended far beyond the field.

A Brown University alumnus, Dan also co-founded Staples High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance—the first at any Connecticut public school—and co-founded the Triangle Community Center’s OutSpoken youth group, which he led for 23 years. Through these efforts, he created safe spaces for young people to be seen, supported, and empowered.

As founder and writer of 06880, Dan has further strengthened Westport’s sense of community by chronicling its stories, people, and values. Most recently, he was named to the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame, joining a class that honors trailblazers who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to equity, representation, and leadership in athletics.

A soccer field bearing Dan Woog’s name would stand as a permanent tribute to a person who elevated the game, expanded opportunity, and used sports as a force for dignity, inclusion, and positive change. It would remind every player who steps onto that field that excellence in sports is inseparable from courage, character, and community.

Please sign in support of this effort and feel free to email the following:

bos@westportct.gov 

boe@westportps.org

rtm-dl@westportct.gov