SCU Coach Goff Wins National Award
Allie Goff of Space Coast United Soccer Club, who won the Florida Youth Soccer Girls Recreation Coach of the Year in August, went on to be selected as the Southern Region and National Girls Recreation Coach of the Year.
Coach Goff has been coaching soccer since the day her college career ended. She finds the recreational coaching experience to be infinitely rewarding as that is where girls first fall in love with the game. Recreational coaches like Coach Goff give girls just starting out in the game a solid foundation whether they continue playing recreational soccer or decide to develop into competitive players. Parent Leah Riggenbach said, “Throughout the season Allie demonstrated how much she cared for these girls both on and off the field, teaching them about determination, strength, and confidence. I honestly believe my daughter will be a better soccer player and a more confident young woman because of the time that she spent with Coach Allie.”
Coach Goff naturally motivates her players during training and games, yet holds them accountable for their personal development. She addresses their individual needs and challenges each individual player to make the adjustments and improvements necessary to continue developing each time they step on the field. She strives to adapt her coaching to each individual so her feedback is tailored to the player’s unique abilities and personal goals.
“Coach Allie Goff is a dynamo! Her energy and dedication are seemingly boundless,” Youth Director Rob Dinnie says, “Allie is an unbelievable role model to her players. This past fall, she coached until her due date and was back on the field coaching just two weeks after giving birth to her third child. She is the epitome of a strong female coach who leads by example and always gives complete support and honesty to her players.”
Space Coast United Soccer Club has a strong record of advocating for girls in the sport. The club has had numerous female players sign for Division I and II schools over the years, ten female players named to US national rosters, several go on to play for professional clubs such as Washington Spirit and Orlando City, and three state championship girls teams in just the last two years. At the youth development stage, Space Coast United provides young girls the option to train in either a girls-only or coed team placement environment where most clubs offer only coed programming.
President of the Board of Directors, Ann Fuller, said “I am delighted with Coach Goff’s win and applaud US Youth Soccer’s choice. I am not at all surprised SCU coaches have won the FYSA Girls Recreation Coach of the Year award three years in a row, went on to win the Region award twice, and now the National award. I witness our coaches’ dedication to young female athletes on a regular basis. The national recognition is well-deserved.”
Coach Goff’s award will be presented to her at the 2018 US Youth Soccer Awards Gala on Saturday, January 20th in Philadelphia.