March 6, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer coaching staff and team members continue to give back to the local soccer community after running a Coaches Clinic for the volunteer coaches of the Lexington County Girls Soccer Association (LCGSA) from Feb. 22-23.
“The work we have done with the coaching clinics have been a great success,” head coach Shelley Smith said. “Lexington has a great organization in place to help younger players have the chance to participate in youth soccer. These coaches volunteer their time to the program, and it is so wonderful to see them take more time out of their schedules and take advantage of the coaching clinic we have offered to gain some further knowledge about the sport. They are dedicated to giving the young girls a great experience and we are happy we can help them with some ideas and answer questions they have about coaching their youth players.”
Over 40 coaches attended the two-day session in Lexington that is designed to help tutor the recreational coaches in the area. Head Coach Shelley Smith, Associate Coach Jamie Smith and players ran an hour session to educate the recreational program youth coaches on skills and games for U6 (under six) to U14 (under 14) coaches. In addition to field soccer training, assistant coach Mat Cosgriff held a goalkeepers clinic to provide assistance in techniques in coaching youth keepers.
“Coach Jamie Smith has done the most work with the club and provided clinics for the coaches over the past three years,” Shelley Smith said. “I was glad he created an opportunity for our coaching staff and players to join him in helping educate the coaches and allow the youth players to learn from great role models like our athletes here at USC.”
The Lexington County Girls Soccer Association, comprised entirely of volunteers, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of girl’s soccer in and around the Lexington, South Carolina area. It is the goal of LCGSA to provide an opportunity for girls to participate in soccer at the level that is best suited for each individual. It’s the hope of each LCGSA officer and coach that through soccer each girl can develop self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of teamwork.
