Hello! My name is Scott Spencer and I am your State Director of Coaching. I’m here to assist in all aspects and levels of the game in Alabama. I’ll function as a liaison to the national governing bodies for Alabama as well.

I come from Memphis, TN where I played for the Memphis State University Tigers from 1990-92. I played for various professional teams going from the NPSL indoor season to the A-League outdoor season through 1996. During that stretch, I played for the Canton Invaders, Dayton Dynamo, Buffalo Blizzard, Cincinnati Cheetahs, Raleigh Flyers, and the Milwaukee Rampage. Always having a passion for the game and working with kids, I’ve worked various camps, clinics, and trained teams while playing for those organizations.

In 1997, I made the jump to fulltime coaching and hung up the boots. I returned to Memphis where I was the Director of Player Development for GSC/Fury. Overseeing both a competitive side (38 teams) and a recreational side (1100 players), gave me the experiences of the two major aspects of youth soccer in addition to the administrative components of a large soccer organization. I am very proud to have coached two teams to the regional semifinals and most of my players have gone on to play college.

Since 1997, I have coached at district, state, and regional ODP levels and have been the Tennessee Director of ODP for one year. I am a big advocate of the value of the program for players striving to accomplish their full potential in the game.

In 2001 and 2002, I helped bring a women’s premier W-League team (level below the WUSA) to the city. I will forever be proud of the accomplishments: average attendance of 1300; an example of professionalism in women’s athletics; national finalists in first year; exhibition games against the WUSA San Jose Cyberrays and Boston Breakers; 10 players have gone on to the WUSA from those two years of existence. More than those accolades, the impact the team had on the community was so valuable. The community was exposed to such great soccer and great role models to interact with.

I have also found the coaching community to be a wonderful resource to further my own education in the game and champion that cause. I have found every coaching course to be worthwhile as I have pursued licensing though both US Soccer- (USSF A license and National Youth license) and the NSCAA (Premier License). I’ve currently hold the UEFA (European) B license and am pursuing the UEFA A license. As a US Soccer national coaching instructor, Alabama has hosted 2 US Soccer C licenses and hope that will continue.

Youth soccer in Alabama and the nation is a pyramid with youth recreational soccer at the base and youth national team players at the top. In between, we have division 1,2, and 3 competitive soccer, district and state ODP teams. We have large organizations in big cities and smaller ones in smaller cities. Each has its own coaching, playing, administrative issues and all are important. I want to assist organizations in developing their own programs and implement quality programming for state run activities. State coaching education continues to expand and I encourage participation. ODP is a program both for the top players to be exposed to higher levels; but, also, to influence the competitive environment through coordinated, structured training statewide. Support for both recreational and competitive organizations will be accessible to follow national guidelines for development and thus enjoyment!

My time is always available to help with soccer at all levels of the Alabama Soccer Pyramid! I applaud the successes you have had in the past and I am excited about the new success that will be accomplished!

Scott Spencer