Washington Youth Soccer’s Coaching Education program received a significant boost in October when it was announced that former state player and coach James Charette had been hired to the newly created position of Director of Coaching Education.
In this new position in Washington Youth Soccer’s Technical Department, Charette will maintain and fully implement all of the coaching education courses outlined in the Technical Development Plan.
As the Technical point of contact for the Regional Development Officers (RDOs), Charette will also work to increase the number of educational opportunities around the state, and will focus on further aligning the qualifications of Washington Youth Soccer coaches to USSF standards and providing opportunities for continuous professional development.
“James Charette is the perfect person to lead our education group forward. This is a great opportunity for James to nurture and improve our fabulous curriculum,” said Terry Fisher, Washington Youth Soccer CEO. “We feel he will be an extremely positive, motivated and successful coaching education leader across Washington, as well as Region IV. We are excited about his willingness to accept this challenge and will do everything we can to help him be successful.”
Charette joins the staff after years of being involved as a player, coach and Technical Director in Washington Youth Soccer. As a player, he received an athletic scholarship to Belhaven College in Jackson, Miss., where he was a All-American both athletically and academically. He went on to tour Russia with the USL Charlotte Eagles, where he received the Bud Shaffer MVP Award.
Charette has since spent his professional career coaching at various levels, including Blackhills FC, where he is the Technical Director, and as a head coach in the Sounders FC/Elite Player Development program. As a United States Soccer Federation “A” License coach, Charette has also been a part of the Washington Youth Soccer Coaching Education staff and a U.S. Soccer National Staff Instructor, and continues to take coaching education courses throughout the world to stay on top of innovative and fresh coaching ideas to improve the Washington Youth Soccer Coaching Education curriculum.
“Washington Youth Soccer has a long tradition of providing high quality coaching education courses, with Directors such as Bobby Howe, Dave Schumacher and Gary White,” Charette says. “I have had the opportunity to work with all three Directors and I appreciate them sharing their expertise and guidance over the years, and laying the groundwork for my coaching development.”
