Reyes Earns Prestigious Coaching Appointment
7/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
March 28, 2007
Spartanburg, S.C. - USC Upstate head women's soccer coach Kendall Reyes has been named the State Technical Coordinator for Coaching Education by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
Reyes's appointment is monumental because he becomes the first and only person of color to be selected as a state technical coordinator by the NSCAA.
Reyes started the women's soccer program at USC Upstate. The Spartans played their inaugural season in 2000, won the Peach Belt Conference regular season championship in 2001, and have won 63 games in seven years. Reyes earned Peach Belt Coach of the Year honors in 2001.
Reyes has been instrumental in bringing national exposure to the USC Upstate campus. He helped arrange for the Canadian National Team to use Upstate as its U.S. training site in preparation for international competition in 2004, and has worked to bring the top three coaches certification and instruction seminars offered by the NSCAA to the campus each summer. Last year, North Carolina head coach Anson Dorrance and Notre Dame head coach Randy Waldrum served as instructors at the clinic.
Below is a feature article written by Dan Armonaitis for the Herald-Journal. Click here for more coverage from the Herald-Journal on goupstate.com.
by Dan Armonaitis Published on Mar. 26, 2007
Spartanburg, S.C. - USC Upstate women's soccer coach Kendall Reyes can add a new title to his resume.
Reyes was recently appointed State Technical Coordinator for Coaching Education by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the largest coaching organization in the U.S.
Reyes will be responsible for the promotion and coordination of all NSCAA courses in South Carolina and will assist the regional technical director with the identification of potential associate staff coaches within the state.
"(Being selected) is based on experience and recommendations, so it's definitely an honor," said Reyes, who was lauded for a session he conducted at last year's NSCAA convention in Philadelphia.
Reyes, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, becomes the first and only person of color to serve as a state technical coordinator for the NSCAA.
"In so many aspects of the working world, there are still some avenues where minority people are still becoming pioneers, so I think it is significant," said Reyes, a member of the Black Soccer Coaches Leadership Council who holds the NSCAA premier diploma.
Sam Okpodu, a former Virginia Tech women's soccer coach who now serves as the men's coach at Newberry College, was among those recommending Reyes for the position.
"I've seen what (Reyes) has done (in the coaching profession) for long time now, and I felt like he was absolutely the right person for the job," Okpodu said. "He's a humble person who is willing to serve, and he helps everybody who comes his way. I was elated when he eventually got the nod."
This summer, USC Upstate will host the NSCAA's three top courses for the second straight year. Reyes said that last year's participants included Notre Dame women's coach Randy Waldrum and North Carolina women's coach Anson Dorrance.
"The fact that I can bring this level of expertise to our program at (USC Upstate) and here in the community is great," Reyes said. "There's no rocket science to what we -- as coaches -- do, but there are some in-depth analyses and studies in terms of how you present things and how you can continue to help develop players."
