Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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Chris has spent over two decades working across the youth, college and professional levels of soccer in the United States and has strong ties to Eastern Pennsylvania as a player, coach, and executive.  Branscome joined Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer after spending seven years as the Director of Marketing for US Youth Soccer.  As chief executive officer, Branscome oversees all aspects of youth soccer operation and development in Eastern Pennsylvania.

 

While with US Youth Soccer, Branscome oversaw national marketing and communications initiatives including sponsorship, advertising, branding.  At the professional level, Branscome served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing with the Philadelphia KiXX. He also served as the General Manager for the NPSL's Chicago Power and Director of Operations for the American Professional Soccer League.  Prior to joining US Youth Soccer, Branscome served as Director of Athletic Marketing and Promotions at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia and Towson University in Maryland.  Branscome holds a US. Soccer "A" License and coached at the youth, high school and collegiate levels.  His coaching experience also includes serving as an ODP head coach for teams in the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and Ohio South Youth Soccer associations.  He currently is a member of US Youth Soccer’s strategic planning committee and serves on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Sports Congress.   

 

A native of Lafayette Hill, PA., Branscome competed for various Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer club teams as a youth, played high school soccer at LaSalle College High School and collegiately at Villanova University.  He earned B.A. from Villanova and M.S. from Miami University (OH).  He was inducted into the Philadelphia Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005.

 

As the Director of Coaching, Barr is responsible for coordinating the coaching curriculum for Olympic Development, coaching courses, and the general education of coaches and soccer personnel throughout the Association. Also a National Staff Coach for the United States Soccer Federation, he is a National Youth License Instructor, and holds the USSF "A" coaching license, the NSCAA International Premier License, the national youth license, and Scottish Football Association's "B" license.

 

Mike Barr is one of the most successful coaches in the region. Barr has coached at the college, high school, and club level in the mid-Atlantic region. In twenty years as coach at Strath Haven High School, Coach Barr's teams won thirteen Central League titles, five District One titles, and five PIAA state championship titles. Several of Coach Barr's players have gone on to play college soccer - many at some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country.  In only three years at Immaculata, the team improved from 6-10-1 in 2007 to 10-7-4 in 2009 and earned a trip to the CSAC championship match.

 

In this position Frank will manage all aspects of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s four annual State Cup tournaments, including the President’s Cup, Turkey Hill Challenge Cup, Horizon Services Indoor Cup and US Youth Soccer Eastern Pennsylvania State Championships. Olszewski will also direct both internal and external events and programs and other tournaments, as well as other sponsored competitions.  He is the direct liaison with all leagues, clubs and strategic partners to maximize the participation, activation and exposure of all Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer programs and events.

  

Most recently a teacher in the Chester County School System, Olszewski has also worked in the biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry for Cephalon, Inc., Aventis-Behring and Wyeth. He has also been a member of the Olympic Development Program Coaching Staff for 16 years. Olszewski holds a United States Soccer Federation “B” coaching license and he holds a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Level II Goalkeeping Diploma. As a referee Olszewski held referee certifications from 3 different organizations: United States Soccer Federation Grade 7 Referee (Youth), Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (High School) and National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (Collegiate).  

 

Rob oversees the continued growth of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer website (www.epysa.org), as well as the editorial content of the association’s quarterly magazine “Touchline” He is also responsible for messaging through a diverse group of media and online channels including video, print, online, social media and e-mail.  Brown’s task is communicating with players, parents, coaches, referees and other Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer constituents, as well as external media outlets and Philadelphia area partners including the Philadelphia Union and Philadelphia Independence.

Previously the General Manager of Suburban Sports Training Center (Conshohocken, PA), Brown directed the center’s sales and marketing efforts, as well as member communications programs.  Earlier, he was a Support Analyst with Advantzware, Inc., providing client support and project management for this local software developer.    On the soccer side, Brown was the Director of Marketing as well as Newtown (PA) League Director for Philadelphia Super F League, was the Sports Director of the BucksMont Indoor Sports Center, and the Marketing Director of Mid-Atlantic Premier Soccer.  He also owned a website design firm, SportsFit Web Services, from 2004 through 2007.  

Brown was on the organizing committee for this past summer’s US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in Lancaster, PA.  He was head coach and trainer of FC Bucks United ’93 Boys Premier soccer team from 2004 through 2008, and was the goalkeeper coach for Arcadia University’s women’s soccer team from 2003 through 2007.   Brown received his associate’s degree in Sports Management from Bucks County Community College and his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Strayer University.

 

Kylea Meredith graduated from University of Pittsburgh in 2009 with a double major in Psychology and Sociology and a certificate in Children’s Literature. After graduation, she worked as an Early Childhood Education Teacher at a Pre-school in Pittsburgh, PA. Over the past few years she has also worked for Thom Meredith, Inc., a sports marketing and events company, as a Project Manager for the 2011 US Youth Workshop in Louisville, KY, as well as the upcoming 2012 US Youth Workshop in Boston, MA. Meredith recently moved to Philadelphia and joined the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer staff as the Marketing and Events Coordinator.

 

In his role as Assistant Director of Coaching, Gary is responsible for Education including coordinating the coaching curriculum, coaching courses, and the general education of coaches throughout the Association. Gary will work directly with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Director of Coaching Mike Barr to enhance the development of coaches and players in Eastern Pennsylvania.

 

Gary has coached in the USA for 11 years, working across various levels from under-five players to NCAA Division 2 & 3 programs. Gary holds a Honors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Northumbria in Newcastle in England. He has also been a member of the Olympic Development Program Coaching Staff for 4 years. Stephenson holds a United States Soccer Federation “A” coaching license and he also holds National Youth License as well as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, National Goalkeeping Diploma, Director of Coaching certificate

 

Beck Kleinert was promoted to Membership Services Specialist after serving as a Program Assistant in the Coaching department and for the Olympic Development Program (ODP). In her new role, Kleinert will manage the daily interaction and relationships with member affiliates, overseeing the registration of all players as well as affiliate leagues and clubs.  Prior was promoted from her first position at Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer as a receptionist. Prior to joining Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Beck was a stay at home mother to her 2 children.

 

Kelly comes to the organization from the Women’s Professional Soccer team the Philadelphia Independence. Connor served as Director of Outreach and Communications for the Independence since its inception. Connor received a Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Sport Business Management from the University of Central Florida. Connor played Division I soccer at Florida State University setting the all-­-time record for starts at FSU (93) and was a candidate in 2005 for the Hermann Trophy which is awarded to the top women’s college soccer player. Connor was a standout in Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer ODP for six years and was a Region I selection for three years. Connor was also invited to train with the U-­-19 and U-­-21 U.S. National Teams.

 

In her role as Coaching Department Administrator, Connor will work directly with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Director of Coaching Mike Barr on the coordination of ODP, which is a national identification and development program for high-­-level players. Connor will also assist with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s growing coaching education program, providing U.S. Soccer courses and scheduling soccer clinics and lectures throughout the state.

 

In this position, Shelly will oversee and facilitate the daily operations of the organization’s various day camp programs and their direct partnerships with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer clubs throughout the region. Chamberlain will lead the effort to ensure that every soccer club has the opportunity to run quality camps in their communities with licensed U.S. Soccer coaches and fun and player development at the center of each camp.

 

Prior to coaching at the collegiate level at LaSalle University, Villanova University and Montgomery County Community College, Chamberlain was a noted soccer player at East Stroudsburg University where he received his undergraduate degree in health education.   He received his Masters of Education from Temple University. Chamberlain was Coach of the Year for the Florida High School Athletic Association in 2009. Chamberlain has also served as a coach for Eastern Pennsylvania U.S. Youth Soccer’s Olympic Development Program, and holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” License.

 

Morgan joined the staff at Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer as the afternoon receptionist in September 2011. Sims graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Psychology, concentrating in Sociology. She was also a member of the NCAA grant-funded Choices and Red Watchband program. While at Stony Brook Morgan was an assistant coach for Stony Brook Soccer Club’s Academy Program. Since 2008 Sims has been a member of the Region I Camp Staff. Morgan holds a L.I.J.S.L. “D” License and was a member of the EPA ODP Team from 2002 through 2008. Sims was a member of the Region I team in 2005 through 2008 and was a player on the EPA ODP team that won the ODP 2007 National Championship.