With surgeon-like precision, head coach Robbie Church has elevated the Duke Blue Devils women’s soccer team to new heights. 

Now in his 11th season at Duke, Church has the Blue Devils in their first Final Four since 1992 (they play Wake Forest on Friday).  And, with another top recruiting class on the horizon, the future is ‘royal blue bright’ in Durham, NC.

“Yes, it is an exciting time right now for our program,” said Church in his friendly North Carolina way.  “It’s wonderful to work at Duke.  Duke is about the people -- people who care about the student athletes.  And, it’s a unique experience that we sell:  A world-class education while playing in the best conference (ACC) in the country.  I am grateful every day to be working at Duke.”

The National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) is grateful that Church will be offering his time, leadership and expertise as a featured clinician at the upcoming 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, which will take place January 11-15.

“Turns out that it will be a busy time for me in December and January,” said Church, who grew up down the road from Durham in Greensboro, NC.  “But it’s been a lot of fun and always good to spend time at the NSCAA Convention with fellow coaches at all levels …  and it’s always more fun when you roll into the Convention after a successful season.  Everybody congratulates you and people want to talk and learn about your team.”

Church will co-present an NSCAA session with Duke men’s soccer coach John Kerr, Jr.

“We have been so busy as John also had a great season on the men’s side that we haven’t decided our full plan for the NSCAA Convention,” Church admitted.  “But it will be a unique session in that you have both men’s and women’s soccer coaches from the same school working together.  I think it will be good for coaches to see that compatibility.

Coach Church's Session at the 2012 NSCAA Convention
Date: Thurssday, January 12
Time: 3:45-4:45pm
Topic: TBD, with John Kerr, Jr., Men's Coach at Duke University
Location: CC 2103 AB
View the full 2012 NSCAA Convention Schedule here.

“We do plan to cover a variety of issues at the Convention.  We will talk about the recruiting process for high school and youth club coaches.  We will focus on what makes a player play at a higher level.  What the intensity of our practices are like.  What the preseason is like – for men and women – and what we are finding in the players today. I look forward to it.”

Often in the shadow of last year’s NSCAA Honor Award winner Anson Dorrance and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill women’s soccer team, Church and his assistants -- Billy Lesesne (11 years at Duke), Carla Overbeck (19 years) and Katie Ely (first season)  -- have worked hard to level the playing field in their back yard, in the ACC (which had three teams in this year’s College Cup), and, nationally.

“UNC has been the benchmark for success in the women’s college game,” said Church.  “They have made all of us work harder at the game, and they have made us recruit better.  We are not there yet.  Carolina has won a ton of national championships and we are just trying to win one.  But our players definitely want to compete at the highest level.” 

To do that, Church made a couple changes a few years ago.

“We changed two things in our recruiting process,” said Church, who along with Coach Lesesne leads the Blue Devil recruiting.  “While we continue to focus on the top student athletes, Billy and I knew we had to get more athleticism in our program.  We needed to be more athletic.”

“And, like all teams, we needed players that could score goals.  And, over the last few years, with the arrival of Mollie Pathman, Laura Weinberg, Kaitlyn Kerr, Kelly Cobb and so many others we have really good firepower up top.”

This year’s Blue Devils returned all 11 starters and welcomed a standout recruiting class to the mix led by Cobb, the freshman from Alaska who leads Duke with 11 goals – a new Duke freshmen record. 

“We thought we could be here (playing in the College Cup),” said Church.  “But we knew there were no guarantees.  The difference has really been our team chemistry.  It’s been great.  Everyone has accepted (their) role.  Even players who have seen less time have not complained at all.  They have meshed.  They have played as a team, which speaks volumes about the character on this team.

“The team has been very hungry.”

No surprise the team has responded to Church.  If you spend any time with him at all, you can only be happy for his success.

“Robbie Church is one of the good guys in the business,” said Lindy Brown, Duke women’s soccer sports information director.  “He is incredible to work with and for.  He cares about each one of his student athletes and staff members.  I couldn’t ask for a better coach to work for on a daily basis and I am so happy for what he and his staff have accomplished.”

That success has been consistent.

Over the last nine years, Church has led Duke to 117 victories, including a school record 21 wins this year, nine NCAA Tournament appearances, three Elite Eight appearances and, of course, this year’s College Cup.  During that time, Church and his staff have brought in five recruiting classes ranked in the top eight nationally, including the third-best recruiting class in the nation in 2006.

Throughout his 26 years as a college head coach at Duke, Vanderbilt, UNC Charlotte, Lynn University, East Carolina and Belmont Abbey, Church has won more than 315 games. He was recognized as the Carolinas Conference and NAIA Coach of the Year in 1989, the NSCAA/adidas South Region Coach of the Year in 2004 and the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 1997. In addition, Church was the NAIA South Region Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1989. He was also tabbed the NAIA District 26 Coach of the Year in 1988 and NAIA District 25 Coach of the Year in 1990.

After this season, Church could be adding another NSCAA Coach of the Year award to that list.

“It’s been an honor coaching these young ladies,” said Church.  “And, I am honored that an organization like the NSCAA is putting the spotlight on Duke women’s soccer.”

The spotlight is all yours Robbie Church.  You deserve it.

Other coaches conducting sessions in Kansas City include: Tom Byer, Jim Cassell, Mike Curry, Theresa Echtermeyer, Jill Ellis, April Heinrichs, Schellas Hyndman, Vanessa Martinez Lagunas, Kevin McGreskin, Tom Sermanni, Sam Snow, Taylor Twellman, Peter Vermes, Mark Verstegen, Frank Wormuth and Eric Wynalda.  Click here to learn more about them.

Click here to learn more about this year’s NSCAA Convention in Kansas City.

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