Recent Club & Team News
05-06-08
The 2008/2009 Beach FC Travel Coaching Staff...
2008 Girls Coaching Staff (New Staff in Bold):
U10 Piranhas Hurlbert - Joe Hurlbert
U10 Piranhas Mercy - Mercy Akide-Udoh – Women’s World Cup Player (Nigeria) – FIFA World All-Star and FIFA Ambassador and W-League Player (Hampton Roads Piranhas)
U10 Piranhas Futtrel - Teresa Futtrel – Beach FC Alumnus and College Player (Methodist College)
U10 Piranhas Beeman - Laura Beeman
U11 Piranhas Powers - Craig Powers
U11 Piranhas Barr - Jenn Barr – Beach FC Alumnus and College Player (UNCW)
U11 Piranhas Harrison - Julie Harrison – Beach FC Alumnus and College Player (George Washington Univ.)
U12 Piranhas - Juice Pantophlet
U12 Piranhas Elite Red - Ashley Godfrey
U12 Piranhas Elite Black - Sara Butsavage – HS Coach, Beach FC and College Player ( Lynchburg College)
U13 Piranhas - Florence Omagbemi Onuja – Women’s World Cup Player and Captain for Nigeria, W-League Player (Hampton Roads Piranhas)
U13 Piranhas Elite - Melissa Rusak
U14 Piranhas - Max Moore
U14 Piranhas Elite - Laura Jackson – HS Coach, W-League and College Player (Virginia Wesleyan College)
U15 Piranhas - Karl Greaves
U15 Piranhas Elite - Rachel Ankey – USSF “D” License and NSCAA National License and College Player (ODU)
U16 Piranhas - Max Moore
U16 Piranhas Elite - Jenn Denkler
U17 Piranhas - Robbie Gobble/Shelly Cohn
U18 Piranhas - Mike Gyori/ Bruce Hatfield
U18 Piranhas Elite - Kevin Robinson
Goalkeeper trainer - Vasit Leidy
- Directors
- Gerry Sharpe, Director of Soccer at insidefrwd@aol.com
- Steve Danbusky, Boys DOC at docboys@beachfc.com
- Karl Greaves, Girls DOC at docgirls@beachfc.com
04-30-08
Brittany Michels (Kellam HS/Virginia Tech) is named in Soccer Buzz Top 150 College Recruits...Beach FC congratulates all of our 2008 graduating student athletes! We recognize all of our player’s efforts inside and out of the classroom. We are very proud of every graduating senior who has spent their club soccer careers at Beach FC. Click here for full listing.
04-28-08
Eddie Pope -free program in Virginia Beach on June 5...
Eddie Pope will be presenting a "Goals for Life" program on June 5, 2008 from 7 -8:30 p.m. at Landstown High School in Virginia Beach. CHKD is sponsoring this program. I ask that you let your friends know about it via email and/or place it on your web page for your club/organization. Eddie will also be here all weekend for the International Sand Soccer Tournament. Our program is for the athletes, coaches and parents. Click here to view the program brochure.
04-25-08
Women’s World Cup Stars Join Beach FC/NYSL Coaching Staff...
Beach FC/NYSL welcomes two Women’s World Cup Stars to the Coaching Staff:
Mercy Akide Udoh was the first African Women's Footballer of the year (2002) and was a 1999 and 2004 FIFA World All-Star.
She has played for Nigeria in the last three FIFA Women's World Cups and also helped Nigeria's Super Falcons to three African Women Championships (AWC) titles in 1998, 2000 and 2002. In November 2004, in 2005, she was named by FIFA as one of its 15 Ambassadors for Women Football around the world.
Mercy Akide is the continent's best player and the first African to play in the US Women's Soccer League (WUSA), for the San Diego Spirit.
Florence Omagbemi, who has been captain of the Nigerian national team and represented her country in over 80 games, more than any other player. Florence played in the WUSA with both Boston and San Diego. Merci and Flo played together in Nigeria on the national team and club soccer."
The duo of Akide and Omagbemi also led the Hampton Roads Piranhas to an undefeated W-league 14-0-0 season in 2003 and the club’s first National championship title in 9 seasons of play. Akide finished 10th in the league in scoring with seven goals and five assists for 19 points, but scored her most important goal of the year in overtime of the championship. In a scoreless match, in which Akide and Omagbemi controlled the play and had several dangerous chances, Akide’s 96th minute strike earned her the W-League Championship Most Valuable Player honor.
Gerry Sharpe, Director of Soccer says, “Experience, top-class playing ability, tremendous knowledge of the game and a great desire to pass on their qualities to our youth players made hiring Mercy and Flo a distinct pleasure. I trust that everyone connected with Beach FC and indeed the whole area soccer scene will take note of these prestigious appointments.”
Karl Greaves, Girls Director of Coaching states, “We are very fortunate to have two of the world’s most famous international soccer players on staff. They both have a gift of working with young people. Both players are great role models and our young players will have the ability to interact with Mercy and Flo on a daily basis.”
Andy Walker, Beach FC Executive Director, adds, “Hiring Mercy and Flo further supports Beach FC/NYSL’s commitment to hire the highest qualified and experienced coaches. Our player development model is supported by our top class coaching staff on the boys and girls side, and the addition of Mercy and Flo to the staff further acknowledges this priority.”
Mercy and Flo will be working with the travel players during Wednesday night Technical Training and will be coaching specific age group teams yet to be determined. In addition to these responsibilities, both Mercy and Flo will be working some of the 2008 summer camp dates for NYSL & The Piranhas, The 2008 Beach FC Academy and 2008 NYSL STAR Academy and are available for individual training. If you are interested in training with either player, please contact Karl Greaves at docgirls@beachfc.com.
04-21-08
Beach FC - Chelsea FC ID Program...June 16-20 at Shipps Corner...Registration Now Open! We cordially invite you to one of this summer's exciting talent ID - The Chelsea ID Program. Click here to view the program brochure.
Beach FC is proud to host Shaun Gore, Director of Chelsea FC "Football in the Community" programs, and members of his elite coaching staff. This is a great opportunity to be trained and evaluated by some of the top coaches from the Chelsea Academy. Additionally, a select group of players from the camp will be invited to train with Chelsea FC in London, next spring. Seven players from the 2006 camp and 12 from the 2007 camp where given this amazing opportunity. The camp includes a Chelsea FC training shirt, ball and giveaway. Enrollment is restricted to travel players only and will be limited so please register early to avoid disappointment.
This will be the 5th year of running the Chelsea program in the USA. From last summer's talent programs, over 80 girls and boys were chosen and traveled to Chelsea FC training ground in Cobham, England for a week of intense training. The Chelsea FC coaching staff then traveled with the players to Italy, representing Chelsea USA for an international tournament at Sportilia, Italy for an experience of a lifetime. - This summer this player could be you!
At Chelsea FC Team ID Camps you experience something different. Most camps are the same, a few fun activities where the coach impresses the players with his knowledge of coaching. Chelsea Camps are different. We expect you the player, to impress us. The Chelsea coaches will coach you throughout the week, and implant their knowledge to improve your talent, but ultimately we will be assessing your talents.
I hope you will take up the challenge at one of our Talent ID programs for 2008. Register Now!
04-14-08
Keegan Named CNU Women's Soccer Coach...
New women's soccer Head Coach Ruth Keegan
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Christopher Newport University Director of Athletics, C.J. Woollum, today announced the hiring of RUTH KEEGAN as the school’s new women’s soccer coach.
“We are thrilled to have Ruth join our staff,” Woollum said. “Her vast experience and knowledge of the game assures us that our women’s soccer program will remain among the elite in Division III.”
Keegan’s coaching experience has come at several different levels. She served as an assistant at Old Dominion University from 1996-2006, and was the head coach of the soccer squad at Granby High School in Norfolk last season.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to lead the Christopher Newport women’s soccer program,” Keegan said. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach at the collegiate level, and I look forward to continuing the great tradition of the program.”
Keegan, a native of Dublin, Ireland, graduated from Methodist College in 1995, and was an All-American and Dixie Conference Player of the Year while with the Monarchs. Her playing experience also includes five years with the Republic of Ireland national team.
Keegan takes over the CNU program following the departure of Kwame Llloyd, who recently became head coach at the University of Vermont. Lloyd led CNU to an overall record of 91-40-8 over the last seven seasons. His team reached the NCAA Tournament three times, including an “Elite 8” appearance in 2004 when the Captains finished 16-4-3.
“From what I’ve seen, we’ve got a good core group,” Keegan continued. “The players have worked hard in the off-season and we’re ready to begin our official spring workouts on Monday.”
Back to top.
