Stout Named New MC Women's Soccer Coach
21 Aug 2008

by Shaun Tilghman
The Manchester College women’s soccer team recently reported to campus and as the players prepare themselves for the start of the upcoming season, so too does first-year head coach Andrew Stout.
Stout was named as the new coach in June and has 11 years of coaching experience at the high school, club and collegiate levels. He began coaching youth teams in the summer while he was still an undergraduate student at Indiana State University and took more than one of those teams to the Snicker’s Cup State Finals.
After having found success in coaching younger players, Stout decided to see if he could produce similar results at a higher level. At the end of his undergraduate studies he began working with the ISU women’s soccer team, it was the program’s inaugural season. From there Stout when on to take a position as the assistant for the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Ouachita Baptist University, Arkansas, where he coached for about a year and a half.
Stout has coached in Northeast Indiana prior to taking the position with Manchester. He was an assistant coach at East Noble High School, Kendallville, and has also been the head coach for some club teams in Ft. Wayne. Most recently, however, Stout had been coaching high school and club soccer in the area of Dallas, Texas. He was the head boys’ coach at Richardson High School, Texas, for one year before accepting the job at MC. His decision to return to Indiana stems from his desire to coach at the college level, as well as his hopes to be closer to family.
Stout finished his Master’s Degree while in Dallas and also has his National Diploma and Advanced National Diploma through the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Each of the latter was achieved through the completion of a week-long course which teaches coaches at all levels. He has also received his goalkeeping certification through the United States Soccer Federation.
Coach Stout believes that his predecessor, Scott Stan, did a very good job of establishing the program as a leader in the conference (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) in recent years. “I have a lot of respect for what Coach Stan was able to do with the program,” Stout said. “I think last season was the only time the program has had a losing record in the past seven years. The girls coming in this year, especially the juniors and seniors, have been a part of that winning tradition and we’re hoping to build on that.” Stout also wanted to express his appreciation for all of the help he has received from assistant coach Missy King during this transition.
Stout will be working with a roster comprised of eight freshmen, three sophomores, five juniors, and four seniors. He plans to sit down with his players before the season starts and establish goals of ‘where they want to be,’ as far as their overall record and their place in conference.
The team opens it’s home season against St. Mary’s College on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 4:30 p.m.