Army West Point Athletics
Thames Added to Men's Soccer Coaching Staff
June 25, 2019 | Men's Soccer
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point men's soccer head coach Russell Payne announced the addition of Taylor Thames to his coaching staff on Tuesday afternoon.
"Our environment is built around excellence and Taylor is a talented young coach that embodies our values and understands our mission both on and off the field," Payne said. "We are proud to have him joining our soccer family here at West Point."
Thames has over nine years of coaching and playing experience and arrives on the banks of the Hudson after a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Cincinnati.
With the Bearcats, he coached a defense that posted 16 clean sheets and compiled 27 wins. During his second year on the staff, Cincinnati ranked inside the top five in the American Athletic Conference in goals against average, goals allowed, saves and shutouts. He also coached one First Team All-AAC player, five second team standouts and four all-rookie team selections while with the program.
Prior to his time in Cincinnati, he spent two years on the coaching staff at Stony Brook as an assistant. Thames assisted in recruiting, while overseeing equipment, travel, the program's budget and NCAA compliance records. He also prepared and executed the conditioning and recovery programs on top of team training with a specific emphasis on the goalkeepers.
Before heading out to Long Island, Thames served in a similar capacity at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland. In three seasons there, he oversaw recruiting, as well as the design and implementation of training with oversight of the keepers. In addition, Thames was responsible for community and alumni outreach and he worked with student-athletes to oversee their class schedules and provide academic support.
He also has extensive youth experience and currently serves as the Director of Goalkeeping and head coach for Cincinnati Elite FC. He additionally was the at the helm of the senior age group Ohio Elite SA from 2015-18.
Before trekking west, Thames held the role of head coach for the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association's (MSYSA) U-17 team and for the F.C. Frederick's U-15 squad. He was instrumental in coaching the keepers with both groups, serving as the assistant director of goalkeeping for MSYSA and the director of goalkeeping at F.C. Frederick. While with F.C. Frederick, he also worked in the Olympic Development Program as the U-18 head coach for Maryland. Under his guidance, the team finished as a finalist in the regional tournament in 2013.
He has an A-level coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation and a goalkeeping diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
A native of the Washington, D.C., area, Thames played in the semi-professional league for Washington Elite FC from 2010-13. Before embarking on his semi-pro career, he was a four-year starter in between the pipes at Delaware. Thames recorded 10 career clean sheets at keeper for the Blue Hens. Twice a Dean's List honoree, he graduated from Delaware in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Political Science.
Thames lives with his wife, Christine, and two sons, Chase Gillon and Crew Alexander.
"Our environment is built around excellence and Taylor is a talented young coach that embodies our values and understands our mission both on and off the field," Payne said. "We are proud to have him joining our soccer family here at West Point."
Thames has over nine years of coaching and playing experience and arrives on the banks of the Hudson after a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Cincinnati.
With the Bearcats, he coached a defense that posted 16 clean sheets and compiled 27 wins. During his second year on the staff, Cincinnati ranked inside the top five in the American Athletic Conference in goals against average, goals allowed, saves and shutouts. He also coached one First Team All-AAC player, five second team standouts and four all-rookie team selections while with the program.
Prior to his time in Cincinnati, he spent two years on the coaching staff at Stony Brook as an assistant. Thames assisted in recruiting, while overseeing equipment, travel, the program's budget and NCAA compliance records. He also prepared and executed the conditioning and recovery programs on top of team training with a specific emphasis on the goalkeepers.
Before heading out to Long Island, Thames served in a similar capacity at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland. In three seasons there, he oversaw recruiting, as well as the design and implementation of training with oversight of the keepers. In addition, Thames was responsible for community and alumni outreach and he worked with student-athletes to oversee their class schedules and provide academic support.
He also has extensive youth experience and currently serves as the Director of Goalkeeping and head coach for Cincinnati Elite FC. He additionally was the at the helm of the senior age group Ohio Elite SA from 2015-18.
Before trekking west, Thames held the role of head coach for the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association's (MSYSA) U-17 team and for the F.C. Frederick's U-15 squad. He was instrumental in coaching the keepers with both groups, serving as the assistant director of goalkeeping for MSYSA and the director of goalkeeping at F.C. Frederick. While with F.C. Frederick, he also worked in the Olympic Development Program as the U-18 head coach for Maryland. Under his guidance, the team finished as a finalist in the regional tournament in 2013.
He has an A-level coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation and a goalkeeping diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
A native of the Washington, D.C., area, Thames played in the semi-professional league for Washington Elite FC from 2010-13. Before embarking on his semi-pro career, he was a four-year starter in between the pipes at Delaware. Thames recorded 10 career clean sheets at keeper for the Blue Hens. Twice a Dean's List honoree, he graduated from Delaware in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Political Science.
Thames lives with his wife, Christine, and two sons, Chase Gillon and Crew Alexander.
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