This Part 1 article of three has been on the CASL web site for the last week. Part 2 will be on the web site this week. I am copying the article here, to allow for more people to understand the people and responsibilities that the members of the CASL Management team have to do on an on going basis. This series should update you on what is happening in CASL and who is ultimately responsible for its success or, heaven forbid, failure. Enjoy!
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WHAT A YEAR-Thank you CASL Management Team
Part 1: Rusty Scarborough-Director of Coaching
By Charlie Slagle-CASL CEO
About one year ago Jay Howell, CASL’s excellent Director of Coaching, left
CASL to become the Executive Director of Birmingham United in Alabama. Jay is doing
well and we all wish him continued success with his club! I had been with CASL for nine
years then and worked closely with Jay on the direction of the club and his departure
meant that CASL’s organizational chart needed to change. I did this quickly as CASL, I
thought, already had the personnel in place to make a seamless transition for the years to
come.
CASL added and/or changed a few job descriptions and titles and the “new”
management team was devised. This management team consists of Business Manager,
Lisa Stevenson, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Michael Milazzo and Director of
Coaching (DOC), Rusty Scarborough. I, as CEO, am the fourth member of this group.
Michael also serves as CASL’s marketing director.
The transition to the “new” management team has gone, in my opinion, even
better than my “pie in the sky” expectations. The last year has been a wonderful year for
CASL, on the fields, in the office and with improvements to CASL’s infrastructure. Some
of these accomplishments are more visible to a member’s eyes than others. It is easy to
see the success on the field and it is easy to see the improvements to WRAL Soccer
Center but the differences in the way CASL operates is a little more difficult to see.
Over the next couple of weeks, in three separate articles, I will comment on the
contributions of each of the three CASL management team members. Today, I will start
with Rusty Scarborough and then next week I will do the same with Michael Milazzo and
then with Lisa Stevenson. For “semi” bios on these three, please refer to my CASL blog,
which is accessible from the CASL home page. Each of these three was highlighted in a
blog entry earlier this year.
Rusty Scarborough has been CASL’s Director of Coaching for one year and his
presence in this position has elevated our teams across the board. The Director of
Coaching is in charge of the coaching at all levels. Rusty works with Director of
Recreation, Jim Wright to determine the direction of our recreation program. Rusty
worked with Director of Challenge, Rob Andrews and now Andy Truex to determine the
direction of the challenge program. Rusty also hires all of the coaches for the classic
program. He is in charge of a full time staff of coaches and also those coaches that serve
CASL on a part time basis.
The Director of Coaching also determines where the CASL classic teams play. In
recent years, there have been many new leagues to choose from and Rusty has made
decisions that have affected the club positively in this regard. I wrote two earlier blog
entries about the various leagues that CASL teams, if you want to read up more on this
topic.
The Director of Coaching is responsible for the Classic budget. Rusty has
performed this duty professionally with much forethought even though this budget is the
first one that Rusty has had to do.
Rusty, also, has to deal with parent concerns at all levels and handles these
meetings with a concern for all involved. Rusty doesn’t shy away from any of these
meetings which at times can be intense.
Add to all of this, Rusty coaches two of CASL’s top teams. He coaches the 1993
CASL Spartan Elite Black girls’ team which won the NCYSA State Cup last fall and will
be representing CASL at the USYS Southern Regionals next month in TN. He, also,
coaches the USSF Development Academy boys’ team that is one of the top teams in the
country.
Rusty has been instrumental in forging a very good relationship with CASL and
our compatriots that coach local high school soccer. His openness, in this regard, and
willingness to talk about issues has helped make this a good relationship that will
improve as the years move on.
In my dealings with Rusty and watching his dealings with others, I know that I
made an excellent pick to replace Jay Howell as our Director of Coaching at CASL. He is
easy to talk to about many subjects and listens and gives his opinions in a way that makes
all comfortable no matter how tense the situation might be. I heard a person from the
NCYSA state office give this compliment about Rusty, “he is soft in the community and
hard on the field.” CASL had great success on the playing field in the past year as classic
is sending 9 teams to the USYS Southern Regionals as NC State Champs (out of a
possible 12 age brackets) and definitely one and probably both USSF Development
Academy teams to their Regionals. Also, the Challenge program continues its great
success in the NCYSA State Cups and also various other outside tournaments. The
recreation program is strong and continues to grow in size and quality.
I want to thank Rusty for a great first year at the helm and his part on the CASL
management team. I expect great things to continue for CASL due to Rusty’s leadership
and hope that we can work together for many years to come!
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