The St. James Unveils Center For Soccer Excellence

SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The St. James announced today the launch of its Center for Soccer Excellence.  Based at the 450,000-square foot sports, wellness and active entertainment destination in Fairfax County, Virginia, the Center for Soccer Excellence will provide athletes of all ages and abilities with access to one of the most comprehensive soccer programs in the Greater Washington region.

The Center for Soccer Excellence is led by Director of Soccer Doug Homer, former executive director of DC Stoddert Soccer.  Hermann Award winner and former U.S. men's national team member Bruce Murray will serve as director of player development and parent engagement.  

"Doug and Bruce bring years of experience with them to these important leadership roles, and we look forward to seeing them do what they do best for families and athletes here at The St. James," said Craig Dixon, The St. James co-founder and co-CEO.  "Doug, Bruce and their team of best-in-class coaches have an exciting vision for The St. James soccer programs, including pro-player development, youth leagues, student athlete training programs and so much more."

Homer has coached winning teams in national and international competitions including the USASA National Amateur Cup and the US Club National Cup.  In 2009, he was honored by the U.S. Adult Soccer Association as National Coach of the Year.  As a player, Homer has represented his country in international soccer events on the US Maccabi Over-35 and Over-45 National Teams, winning a bronze medal at the 2017 Pan Am Maccabi Games in Chile and serving as captain in more than 30 international matches in Asia, Europe and South America.

Homer also boasts many years of executive leadership in sports and marketing, previously serving as chief advancement officer and chief operations officer for Next Gen USA and executive director of DC Stoddert Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in DC serving more than 6,000 children.  He was also founder and president of Footprint Solutions, LLC, a sports marketing and fundraising firm.

Murray's career as an elite athlete spans 10 years.  He was a forward/midfielder at Clemson University, where he helped lead his team to two NCAA Division I National Championships and received a number of accolades, including the 1984 Soccer America Rookie of the Year award and the 1987 Hermann Award.  He was named an NCAA First Team All American player in 1985 and 1987 and was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame. He went on to play on U.S. Olympic and World Cup teams as well as professional clubs in Switzerland and England.

Murray has been coaching soccer since 2002, working with a variety of programs around the country including Atlanta's Roswell Soccer Club, Harvard University and Raleigh's Capitol Area Soccer League where he was named U.S. Development Academy U18 Coach of the Year. In 2011 he became a staff coach at the Bethesda Soccer Club and has remained in the Washington region leading a number of youth soccer programs in roles including director of the Bruce Murray Soccer Academy, age group coordinator for McLean Youth Soccer and soccer coach and substitute teacher for Green Hedges School.

Through the Center for Soccer Excellence, athletes will have access to the expansive offerings at The St. James, including a FIFA regulation-sized indoor turf field, a high-performance training center, competitive youth and adult leagues and more.  A team of former professional players and experienced coaches will work with athletes through a variety of educational and performance development programs, including:

• Intensive player development for athletes ages 7-18 to help players reach peak performance
• Emerging talent training for ages 3-13 to educate and develop players new to the game
• Technical skills clinics and position-specific training clinics for ages 7-15
• High-performance athletic conditioning clinics for middle and high school athletes
• Tournaments and camps to offer Center for Soccer Excellence athletes competitive play opportunities

In addition to the variety of programming geared toward youth athletes, the Center for Soccer Excellence will also offer opportunities for adults at all levels of play, including:

• Parent's Academy to give former athletes a chance to get back in the game
• Pro-player training to develop skills in past, current and prospective professional athletes
• Futsal and turf field leagues for co-ed, men's and women's play at recreational, open and premier levels

"We're doing something really unique and exciting at The St. James, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this game-changing soccer program," Homer said. "The athletes and families who participate in our soccer programs will have the highest quality training and facilities available in the DC region, and we'll leverage these incredible resources so every player that joins us can reach their full potential."

The St. James Center for Soccer Excellence will open with a series of player ID clinics hosted at various locations throughout the Washington metro area. These clinics offer players of all abilities between the ages of 5 and 16 the chance to have fun, improve their soccer skills and work with the world-class coaching staff in a low-pressure environment. Each player will receive a personalized follow-up from a St. James coach with an assessment of their strengths and areas to develop, including recommended CSE programs for fall enrollment.

Clinics dates and locations:

• June 24 – Potomac, Maryland
• July 8 – Alexandria, Virginia
• July 15 – Reston, Virginia
• July 22 – Arlington, Virginia

Families and players interested in The St. James Center for Soccer Excellence can find additional information and register for upcoming soccer clinics at https://go.thestjames.co/l/353201/2018-05-31/3tpvy.  

About The St. James
The St. James, the premier sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country, is set to open a flagship 450,000-square foot complex on a 20-acre campus in Fairfax County, Virginia in September 2018. The complex will offer the most comprehensive combination of sports and wellness venues and programming, lifestyle amenities and family centered active entertainment in the country. For more information, please visit thestjames.co.

SOURCE The St. James

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