(by Don Meador, Public Relations Coordiantor, Allen County Schools)
Emily T. Williams has been selected to launch the soccer program in the Allen County School District. Williams will coach the first co-ed soccer team at the James E. Bazzell Middle School, scheduled to start play after school resumes in August.
“I’m excited to get started and get the program going,” Williams said.
Williams’ background in soccer began at the age of five in Michigan. As a youngster, Williams fell in love with the sport---a sport that became a vital part of her life.
“I grew up in Huntington Woods Michigan, a small little town 15 minutes north of Detroit,” Williams explained. “Soccer was huge. My parents signed me up to play at the age of five because they knew the importance of being in a team sport and building team work. I started playing in a rec league and played travel soccer when I was old enough.”
Despite the sport not being offered in her middle school, Williams was able to play high school soccer during her days at Berkley High School.
“I was a member of the varsity team from my sophomore through senior years,” Williams added. “Soccer was a fall sport so during the spring I played on a travel team and in the winter I played indoor soccer in a dome. So I played year round.”
Williams’ high school career was impacted by a foot injury in the spring of her junior year, forcing her to see limited action as a senior. In college, Williams played soccer in intramurals while earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Therapy at Michigan State University. She continued to play intramural soccer while attending Graduate School at the University of Tennessee.
Her career brought Williams to the Allen County School District. She is currently a Speech/Language Pathologist serving the Allen County Primary Center and the Allen County-Scottsville High School.
Williams’ love for soccer led her to offer her assistance to the soccer program at the CORE in Scottsville. Since 2015, Williams has worked with the CORE’s growing soccer program ---including serving as a third through fifth grade coach in the fall of 2016.
Earlier this year, the Allen County Board of Education approved the creation of a middle school soccer program and, soon after, the search started for the school’s first coach.
“I fell in love with coaching as I helped at the CORE,” Williams said. “I’m excited to coach the first school team. I think that being able to be a member of the first team will be so memorable for the kids. They can always remember being on that first school soccer team in Allen County. I have no doubt that the program will build and expand. I imagine that there will be a high school team if everything goes as planned.”
Williams will soon begin the prep work to field the first co-ed team.
“I will be talking to the seventh graders that will be eighth graders next year and then talk to sixth graders that will be coming to the middle school next year to promote the program,” Williams noted. “Then, before school is out this year, I hope to have a couple of open field days to get the kids out. Then, we will have one or two days of tryouts. I’m hoping for big numbers.”
Williams is planning team-building and team-bonding events over the summer prior to starting practice following the Kentucky High School Athletic Association-mandated Dead Period in late June and early July. Games will follow after the start of the new school year.
“My goal is for us to play between six and eight games,” Williams explained. “At this time it seems like the majority will be away but I’m still hoping to have one home game. We will build toward the overall goal of playing games successfully and hopefully we will get a couple of wins. But, it’s not about the winning, it’s about playing, and sustaining, and building a program.”
Williams adds that her coaching philosophy is centered on helping each participant learn the game, improve skills, and enjoy the sport.
“I will focus on providing a safe and supportive environment in which to teach the skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship necessary to succeed in soccer and in life,” Williams said. “We will strive to improve, to work together, to have fun, and ultimately build a strong program that provides a new extra-curricular opportunity for students to participate in.”
Soccer interest in Allen County has grown tremendously in the past several years---evident by the participation numbers at the CORE. Williams is not surprised of the interest of kids in the sport.
“From birth, kids love to kick things because kicking is fun,” Williams pointed out. “I think soccer is a great sport for all kids. A lot of times the other sports you have to be tall or real strong. Soccer is great for any kid that wants to get out there and run and be with their friends. Soccer gets kids outside running and playing. Soccer teaches kids to work together as a team, that it’s not just a single person sport. ”
Dates and times for field days and try-outs will be announced in the coming weeks.