| Register

Swansboro Soccer Association

Home
Store
Volunteer
- Open Positions
- Risk Management
About Us
Team Central
- Team Directory
- Calendar
Programs
SUPPORT US
Coaches Corner
SSA Adult League

Content

Registration Listing

2024/25 CLASSIC

As you may know this type of play is for the families looking for more focus and more commitment. The Classic/Select Play program will be a reward and continuation for the players who have played, worked and committed to being successful soccer players and have begun to reach the next step in their journey. Classic/Select Play will continue to open the doors to play against more competitive teams, and facilitate exposure to quality coaches for their individual development. For the older age groups, Classic/Select Play provides increased opportunity for players to be seen by college coaches.

The following are the coaches that are selected to coach each age group.

Boys Division:

11u: Lauran Becker

12u: Shane McCauley

13u: Dusty Becker

14u: Cassandra Babb

15u: Shane McCauley

16u: Shane McCauley

Girls Division

11u: Laura Anderson

12u: Laura Anderson

13u: Jonathan Velasco

14u: Jonathan Velasco

15u: Jonathan Velasco

16u: Jonathan Velasco

Below you will find the bios the coaches that will be at the tryouts:

1. Shane McCauley

He has been coaching soccer since 2013. He started his coaching career in NY for AYSO and then in 2016 his family moved to NC where he continued to coach soccer under NCYSA. He has experience coaching in rec, classic and middle school. Shane has coached every age group up to 16u. He currently holds an E license and has a strong desire to continue to learn as the game never stands still for long.

In addition to being a coach he has held many roles over the years which include area coordinator, director of rec, director of coaching and treasurer. He started with Swansboro Soccer Association in the Fall of 2024.

When it comes to coaching for Shane, he is all about the player experience. He looks to provide a positive atmosphere where players can be themselves and feel empowered to improve. Shane looks to inspire and motivate each player to fall in love with the game of soccer just like he has.

I strive to give my teams and players the tools needed to be successful with a wide range of ways to teach and develop them. I am very structured in my practice sessions and look to make each session as game like as possible so what we learn in practice can be applied in the game.

I feel the future for SSA is bright and that together we will be able strengthen not only the association but the community as well. I look forward to meeting and getting to know everyone soon.

2. Laura Anderson

A lifelong soccer enthusiast, Laura has been coaching Soccer for over 30 years, preschool to College level, most recently she served as the Assistant Girls Varsity Soccer Coach and JV Girls Soccer Coach and at New Fairfield High School, in Connecticut, for 11 years, she is a past club president of 10 years and travel coordinator for five.

She holds an E license, as well as CIAC coaching certification. She is a lifelong player of the sport spending her college career on the field at Western Connecticut State University. She’s looking forward to coaching, playing, and enjoying the SSA Soccer Community.

3. Jonathan Velasco

He was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Passaic, NJ. He started soccer at the age of 3 playing neighborhood ball. Continued playing street soccer throughout middle school and high-school with friends throughout the city.

Went on to coach rec ball for two seasons at Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Corps base in California. Moved to NC and began coaching u6/u7 micro in 2018 and continues coaching rec at SSA. He has also coached a u15 classic girls team at MLDA and is looking to build the classic program for players local to the Swansboro area.

During the summer, coach Jonathan holds pick-up games, similar to those in his childhood, at the Swansboro Municipal Park for all ages to give children the opportunity to come out and play regardless of skill level. During the off-season, coach Jonathan oversees the TOPSoccer program at SSA as the director. The program looks to build a safe and fun environment for players with physical and mental disabilities that otherwise would not have a place to play.

This season he is currently coaching a u15 girls team and a u12 girls team. He continues to encourage players to find their love for the game like he once did while growing up in Jersey. He promotes self-advocacy with his players as well as respect and discipline. While competitiveness is a key aspect in playing the game, he ensures all players respect each other while continuously finding ways to bond as a team. Coach Jonathan’s vision is to continue to build player’s confidence on and off the field. He always puts players first.

4. Cassandra (CJ) Babb

She currently holds an E Coaching License. She was born in the vibrant soccer hub of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, her soccer story commenced at the Lake of the Ozarks Soccer Association in 1992. These early days forged the bedrock of her passion for the beautiful game. From 1998 to 2003, she thrived as a member of the Lady Eagles Soccer Club, savoring the taste of victory with Gold Medals in the State Cup Tournament for three consecutive years.

In 2002, her soccer journey took an international leap when she joined the United Soccer Academy Team in Europe. This pivotal experience exposed me to diverse playstyles and cultural exchanges, and she competed in prestigious tournaments like the Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Festival of Football in England, enriching her skills and insights.

Upon her return to the United States, she continued to refine her craft with the Carlsbad Lightning Soccer Club (2003-2004) and then with the San Diego Surf Soccer Club (2004-2006). Our team clinched the Gold Medal in the State Cup Tournament in 2005, marking a significant achievement.

During her time at Palomar College (2006-2009), she skillfully balanced her academic pursuits with her unwavering passion for soccer. As a starting midfielder, She immersed herself in the game while also venturing into coaching. During the same period, she started as an assistant with various camps and programs in San Diego, California. This marked the beginning of my coaching journey, where she found immense joy in nurturing the next generation of soccer talents.

As her coaching trajectory blossomed, she explored diverse coaching roles, including Coast 2 Coast Coaching in San Diego (2008-2010). This enriching experience broadened her coaching horizons and fine-tuned her approach to player development.

Currently, she is contributing to another club in the area, where she is deeply involved in guiding and motivating young athletes on their soccer journey. Additionally, she maintains a dedication to one-on-one coaching, ensuring individualized attention and fostering development for each player under her tutelage.

Her soccer voyage has been a mosaic of experiences, from personal triumphs on the field to significant coaching milestones, all intertwined with an unwavering love for the game and a steadfast dedication to nurturing talent and sportsmanship in others.

She will be joining Swansboro Soccer Association on May 21^st. She believes that together, we can strive to establish an exceptional program that fosters both skill and sportsmanship.

5. Brandon Babb

Sports have been a defining part of his life from a young age. He embraced every opportunity to engage in various athletic endeavors, relishing the challenges and lessons they brought. However, fate took an unexpected turn when an injury sidelined Brandon from team sports just before his first year in high school. Despite this setback, he never lost my love for sports and physical activity.

After high school, Brandon ventured into a new chapter by enlisting in the Marine Corps, a journey that has spanned 16 years of his life. His time in the Marines has been profoundly transformative, shaping and evolving his character every step of the way. Rigorous training and deployments have been instrumental in refining crucial traits like leadership, discipline, and teamwork. These experiences instilled in him the profound importance of perseverance and adaptability, essential virtues in navigating challenges and overcoming obstacles.

During his tenure in the Marine Corps, Brandon focused on personal growth and inspiring and guiding others. He emphasized the importance of physical fitness to his subordinates, designing and implementing training programs that incorporated strength training, speed and agility drills, and mobility exercises. His goal was to enhance their physical capabilities and instill in them a mindset of resilience and determination.

In 2015, Brandon expanded his expertise by acquiring a personal trainer license and a specialist certification in fitness nutrition. This marked a pivotal moment in his career as he transitioned into a role where he could directly impact individuals' health and well-being. He is deeply passionate about training and nurturing young athletes, recognizing them as the future of sports and leadership.

Brandon’s philosophy revolves around instilling a strong work ethic and a passion for continuous improvement from a young age. By fostering these qualities early on, we cultivate skilled athletes and empower individuals to succeed in all aspects of life. His journey has been driven by a relentless passion for sports, strength training, speed, agility, and mobility. He is committed to sharing this passion for creating a brighter and healthier future.

He is very excited to be a part of the Swansboro Soccer Association. With our collective efforts, we will create a truly exceptional program that stands out among the rest.

6. Zack Cowan

He has lived in Swansboro for his entire life and has also played soccer since he was about 4 years old. Zack is part of a whole soccer family that has shaped his love for the game. Zac is a 3rd generation Swansboro High school Student where he played all 4 years of soccer at Swansboro high. His senior year he was an all-conference and all-region goalkeeper. Zack was 2nd in saves in the area. He has been around the game his whole life and he also runs the adult league in Swansboro. He is still playing goalkeeper to this day. He is eager to teach young goalkeepers not just about playing goalie but about the greatest game in the world.

7. Ben Rupert

Ben has had the privilege of coaching his children for the past 10 years. He has been a part of SSA for 3 years, including Head Coach, Assistant Coach and Board Member. He is a dad to Ansley (SSA Academy) and Emma (OCSA & SHS Varsity). Ben has coached in various capacities in the Raleigh area and now here at Swansboro. He currently holds a Grassroots license and is going for his Class D license. In addition to coaching, he holds a license with the NCSRC. His goal is to make sure the players are learning soccer while having fun. He is looking forward to meeting everyone and for our team to have a fun season!

8. Giovanni Lantieri

Giovanni had over 20 years of coaching experience. He started coaching his little sister at 17 years old, coaching became a passion of his when he found out his grandfather used to coach professional soccer in Italy and in Brooklyn, New York.

Giovanni has a total of three years coaching overseas in Japan and also brought the high school girls to two state championship and one semifinal appearance where they finished third. He had the honor to train one of his star players Bobby Hill for three seasons where we combined with 150 goals over the course of three seasons.

Giovanni is a local business owner and is always looking to find ways to give back to the community. His passion has always been soccer and seeing his athletes strive for greatness.

9. Lauren “Ren” Baker MA, CPT, AT-R

Ren has her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from Michigan State University while serving as a student athletic trainer to over a dozen athletic teams and over 800 athletes. She earned her Masters of Arts in Public Health from Teachers College at Columbia University while working as an Assistant Athletic Trainer working primarily with four athletic teams and over 800 athletes.

She is a Certified Personal Trainer with the American Council on Exercise specializing in Behavior Change. She has over 20 years of experience as a Certified Athletic Trainer helping athletes from various backgrounds become fitter and better versions of themselves. She is also BLS certified in CPR/AED and possesses a certificate in nutrition (level 1) through Precision Nutrition.

While she has worked with high school, college, professional (Chicago Bears and Washington Capitals), and Olympic (Women’s Gymnastics) athletes over the years, her work with the United States Marine Corps was the most influential to her personal and professional development. Ren spent 10 years rehabilitating active duty, veterans, wounded, ill, and injured, and developing fitness training programs for active-duty Marines to achieve, and maintain full combat readiness. She also served as the athletic trainer for All Marine Sports. Initiatives included assisting in developing the Combat Fitness Test for the Marine Corps, as well as serving as an SME to C-Suite Executives civilians, and the military.

Ren’s areas of expertise are in the sports of soccer, football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, TRX training, HIIT, functional fitness, and health coaching.

10. Matheu Dustin Becker, "Dusty"

Dusty started his soccer career with Swansboro in the youth division in 1989. Dusty entered into the realm of officiating soccer in 1996 which is where he flourished.

Dusty has continued to play the game and officiate, to always be a student of the game. Over the past 28 years Dusty has been selected as part of a group of elite youth officials to attend prestigious tournaments out of state. Further Dusty was selected several times to represent North Carolina in the annual youth regional tournament in North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. On the collegiate level, Dusty has experienced high levels of play from being on the ACC assignment list and selected for several NCAA tournament assignments. Over his officiating tenure he has also fulfilled assignments at the professional levels.

After getting more and more involved in coaching at the grassroots level of the players, Dusty’s leadership has produced additional coaches for the program. Those that know Dusty know that he strives for progression and achieves his goals while not losing the fun of it all. His leadership on and off the field brings great confidence that the Swansboro Academy program will be growing in the most beneficial direction, the progression and development of the children in a safe and fun environment. Dusty also coaches in the classic program and currently holds a D license.

11. Lauran Becker

Registration closes on 05/20/2024 at 11:59 PM
Season Dates: 08/01/2024 to 12/15/2024
Show Details

$0.00

+ Register Now

Classic/Select Program

Competitive Classic/Select Play (Ages 11U-19U)

As you may know this type of play is for the families looking for more focus and more commitment. The Classic/Select Play program will be a reward and continuation for the players who have played, worked and committed to being successful soccer players and have begun to reach the next step in their journey. Classic/Select Play will continue to open the doors to play against more competitive teams, and facilitate exposure to quality coaches for their individual development. For the older age groups, Classic/Select Play provides increased opportunity for players to be seen by college coaches.

This program requires a year (July-May Fall/Spring) round commitment and does have a financial cost (Club Fees $250.00-$500.00 and Team Fees for Referees, Tournaments, and team travel on average total around $200.00). Classic/Select level of play is a statewide league, with games scheduled through NCYSA. A Classic/Select schedule typically includes eight to twelve regular season matches with half home and half away. Classic/Select is a level of talent above the recreation player and must demonstrate skills to keep up with the program. Classic/Select teams in the same age divisions remain approximately equal in strength and competition.

Classic/Select players should expect to practice two or three times a week (1 hour to 2 hours each). Most all games are played on the weekends but may be played on week nights for rescheduled/makeup games. SSA Classic/Select Soccer is coached by a trained coaching staff.
-12U to 14U Classic/Select teams have a fall and spring season. Fall beginning in August/September ending in November. Spring beginning in January and ends in May.
-Girls 15U to 19U play Fall season only but are eligible to play Recreation Spring season (SSA will cover cost of Rec registration on these players).
-Boys 15U to 19U play Spring season only but are eligible to play Recreation Fall season (SSA will cover cost of Rec registration on these players).

Forms:
Competitive Play Financial Contract-  financial contract.pdf
Competitive Play Financial Obligation Work Sheet-  ssacompetitiveplayfinancialobligationworksheet.pdf

Rules:
NCYSA Classic Handbook-  ncysa classic hand book.pdf

Other Information:
Notification to Travel Instructions- https://www.ncsoccer.org/ntt
Expectations for Competitive Play- expectations_for_competitiveplay.pdf
Insurance Information- https://www.ncsoccer.org/insurance