CCFC Academy Announces David Upchurch as CCFC Academy Director and Ryan Robinson as CCFC Academy Director of Operations
HIGH POINT, N.C. – CCFC Academy today announced the appointment of David Upchurch as the CCFC Academy Director and Ryan Robinson as the Academy’s Director of Operations.
CCFC Academy is a fully-funded scholarship soccer academy that is designed to develop professional and collegiate soccer players. CCFC Academy participates in the MLS NEXT league, which is the highest level of youth soccer in the US. Starting in fall of 2024 CCFC Academy will have a U13 boys and U14 boys teams.
“With David’s extensive experience in the soccer community of the Core, Eddie Pope and our board of directors felt that David was the perfect person to come in and lead this initiative that is aimed at increasing opportunities for youth athletes in our area,” said Leah Hazelwood, Chair of the Board of Directors of CCFC Academy.
Upchurch joins Carolina Core FC having amassed over 30 years of experience in youth soccer, working in a variety of roles including director of coaching and executive director. The Triad local, played an integral role in forging the partnership between Piedmont Triad FC and CCFC Youth, to create an experience with a player pathway that will help guide future players.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be a part of this exciting new program. I’m looking forward to working with Eddie Pope and the CCFC Technical Staff to provide the most advanced soccer experience for elite youth soccer players throughout the Core region. This project is very significant to me due to growing up in the area and witnessing firsthand how the sport of soccer can positively impact lives on and off the pitch.”
In this role as Academy Director, his duties include, but are not limited to, overseeing all aspects of the CCFC Academy, leading and managing all Academy staff, maintaining oversight of the Academy calendar and budget, and working in collaboration with the first team head coach to develop and design the academy curriculum. Upchurch will also work to disseminate the first-team methodology and style of play throughout each age group in the academy.
Working in conjunction with David Upchurch to develop youth soccer at CCFC, new CCFC Academy Director of Operations Ryan Robinson will be joining the staff as it embarks on its inaugural season.
Robinson joins Carolina Core FC having amassed over 16 years of experience in sports, working in a variety of roles including directing player personnel and team operations. Robinson has worked as the Director of Track and Field Operations at the University of Alabama, since 2022. In this position, he has primarily focused on coordinating team travel, maintaining and managing the budget for the program, as well as acting as a liaison to equipment, academics, and nutrition at the university.
“I love soccer, and at certain points in my life, it has been my primary focus. Hours upon hours of dribbling, pick-up games, and studying alone. The Carolina Core FC Academy gives me the opportunity to help kids like myself and point their talent and effort in the correct path regardless of economic background, color, or any other factor. Together, we will provide these young athletes with a platform to push their talents as far as possible, with the help of our talented technical staff and under David’s leadership. Soccer is my passion; it’s become my job, and I can’t wait to get started!”
In this role as Director of Operations, his duties include, but are not limited to, working with MLS NEXT to coordinate schedules, managing player relations through registration, communication with parents/guardians, and assisting visiting in-market teams. Robinson will also collaborate with the Academy’s technical staff to maximize growth and development, in order to provide a positive and professional experience for CCFC Academy players and staff.
“Ryan joins us with a wealth of knowledge from working in operations and player development at the highest level collegiately. With his high-level understanding and work in both player personnel and sporting operations, he will fit into our organization seamlessly,” said CCFC Academy Executive Director Eddie Pope. “Given Ryan’s vast amount of experience, we know that he will prove to be essential to the development of both players and staff within the academy.”
Information about ID sessions and Tryouts coming soon. To learn more about CCFC Academy, click here.