Coaching Philosophy

Development based on all four essential pillars of soccer

• Technical training (skills)
• Tactical development (decision-making)
• Psychological development
• Physical development

Contextualized Development

• Development by doing
• Development through small-sided games and activities
• Development through games encourages passion
• Development in “reading the game”
• Development in weighing risk vs. safety
• Development through replication of street soccer

The Coaches:

Director of Coaching, Austin Guest  just completed his third year at the helm of the Midlothian High School soccer program where he directs both the boys and girls varsity soccer teams which have won Disctrict Championships two of the last three years. Over the course of his career, Austin has been  named him District Coach of the Year 14 times.  Prior to Midlothian, Austin coached at Red Oak High School. He started the girls’ program, molding the Lady Hawks into perennial playoff contenders. The Lady Hawks won six consecutive District Championships and remained undefeated in district play for a six-year period under his guidance. The Red Oak Hawks boys’ team finished the 2003 campaign with a 21-5-1 record and the Texas AAAA State Championship. After the State Championship run, Austin was named NSCAA Adidas State and Region VI (Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma) High School Coach of the Year in 2004. This award qualified him as one of eight finalists for Nation Coach of the Year. Austin also served as the head coach for Southwestern Assemblies of God University Men’s Varsity team for 5 years, leading them to the NCCAA Regional Tournament twice and to a NBCAA Provisional National Championship.

Austin holds a USSF National “B” License, a NSCAA Goalkeeping I License, and worked for several years as the head coach of the NTSSA 86 and 82 North Texas Olympic Development Teams, leading the 82’s to a USSF Region III Championship in Montevallo, Alabama in 1998. Austin has built a reputation of a very successful club coach for the last 17 years and has developed over 100 players who have gone on to play collegiate soccer.

Before embarking on his coaching career, Austin gained a great deal of playing experience at many levels. He played at Red Oak High School and TCU before moving on to an 11-year career in the USISL (now the USL), where he was a five time all-star, won a league indoor championship, and an outdoor runner-up medal. Austin has international experience, having played matches in Guatemala, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Moldavia, and the Ukraine, most of those as a USISL All-Star. As a youth player, he captained the national indoor runner-up U19 team under the coaching of Dallas Sidekicks’ Tatu in 1986. He graduated from TCU with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Psychology and received TCU’s Freshman Academic Athlete of the Year Award in 1986. A long time Ellis County resident, Austin and his wife, Dee Dee, live in Midlothian with their children, Gabriella (12), and Beckham (7), along with Great Danes, Schmeichel and Kaiser.

Coach Jerrod Bryant  played collegiate soccer at Hardin Simmons University.  After graduating, he served as an assistant coach for the Highland Park Boys team for one year.  Jerrod rebuilt the Lancaster High School Boys soccer program into a disciplined, competitive team over the next two years.  He joined ECSC as assistant coach for the 94 Boys team in 2006.  Jerrod is currently the assistant coach for the 94/95 Boys team, 96/97 Boys team, 93/94 Girls team, and 95 Girls team.  Along with his assistant coaching duties at ECSC, he is moving from coaching high school soccer to real estate sales, in order to create more time to pursue ministry work.

Coach Corbett Guest  has over 18 years of select coaching experience in the North Texas area. Before founding ECSC in 2004 he most recently co-coached the U-19 Tejanos women’s team a Division II Championship in the Lake Highlands Classic League with his brother Austin. All 13 seniors on the team received offers for University Scholarships based on their abilities and performance over the previous two years. Corbett served as Director of Coaches for Bobby Moffat’s Technique soccer camps between 1992 and 1998, during which time he directed over a hundred different coaches and worked with thousands of soccer players from the age of 6 to 19. As a youth player, he played in the Dallas Chamber Classic League from U13 – U19 on Sparta FC, Flyers FC, and Flame FC and served as defender on the U-16 and U-19 national indoor championship teams under the coaching of the Dallas Sidekicks’ Tatu 1986-88. Corbett joined the USISL (now the USL) at the young age of 17 and played in the professional, league for three years from 1988 to 1991. His international experience includes playing matches, as well as coaching in England, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. Corbett's club coaching experience from 1991 to the present includes: Flame U12, U13 Boys, Flame Utd. U13 Boys, Flame Utd. U17 Girls, North Texas Express U11, U12, U13, U14, Boys, BlazersFC U13, U14, Boys, Texas Prestige U15, U16 Girls, Texas Tsunami SC U19 Boys, and Tejanos U17, U19 Girls. Corbett currently coaches the ECSC 92 Boys and 90 Girls and serves as Assistant Coach of the ECSC 92 Girls. Most recently, the 92 Boys team placed 1st in Arlington Premier League Division I.

A long time Ellis County resident, Corbett holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from University of Texas at Arlington with a focus on Speech and Communications and serves as the President and CEO of Imaginuity Interactive Inc., a web development and creative agency in Dallas. Corbett resides in Waxahachie with his wife Tiffany and their two-year-old son Elijah Berkley. In his spare time, Corbett enjoys writing stories and music, and contemplating life with Elijah, Tiffany, and their dogs Porter Pepper and Schinook.

Coach Jay Myrick  joins Ellis County Soccer Club with a USSF National "C" License, a USSF National Youth License, and a NSCAA USSF Goalkeeping Level I. Jay works as a North Texas Soccer District Coach, where he assists the State Director with coaching education and player development. Jay instructs State Coaching License classes and has taught over 80 courses for the D, E, F, and G licenses. As District Coach, Jay has taken responsibility for implementing the State’s Small Sided Game program and has conducted age specific coaching clinics around the state for U6, U8, U10, and U12 coaches.

Jay’s involvement with the Olympic Development Program since 1998 provides invaluable experience to ECSC when it comes to player development. His ODP experience includes: 94 Girls State Team from 2006-Present, 93 Girls State Team from 2005-Present, 92 Boys and Girls State Teams from 2004-2006, Head Coach of the U23 Women’s State Select Team from 2001-2004 and Region III Runner-Up in 2002, Coach with 91 Boys and Girls State Teams in 2004, Coach of the 90 Girls State Teams and assistant with the 90 Boys from 2003-2004, Coach of the 88 Girls State Teams from 2000-2001, Head Coach of the 87 Girls District Team from 1999-2000, and Head Coach of the 84 Girls District Team from 1998-1999. Jay has also served as Vice President and Assistant Director of Coaching for the Strikers Soccer Club in Arlington, the 89, 87 Girls and 84 Boys Coach for American Eagles Soccer Club, and Goalkeeping Coach of the Comets Soccer Club. Jay has been with ECSC since 2004 and heads up ECSC’s Academy Program. He coached the 94 Boys and 94 Girls teams in the 2006/2007 season and currently coaches the 94/95 Boys team, 96/97 Boys team, and 95 Girls team. Jay is a member of the United States Soccer Coaches Organization and National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He holds a B.S. in Psychology from Texas Christian University and an Associate of Arts Degree from Tarrant County College.

Coach Steve Rose  was born in Worcester, England and resides in Waxahachie. Steve graduated from University College Worcester with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Psychology and Sports Coaching. During his time at College, he represented the soccer first team as goalkeeper. Steve was selected to attend the England University trials where he was chosen to represent the West Midlands. During his playing time in England, he also played non-league soccer for Evesham United & Pershore Town. Since being in the States, Steve participated as part of the Dallas Sidekicks squad as a goalkeeper for two seasons. He continues to be involved in the Dallas Sidekicks summer/winter camps programs.

Coaching soccer has been a fundamental part of his life, both in England and the United States. In England, he worked at St. Clements Primary School coaching the soccer team and supervising the students on major excursions to Holland and France. In the U.S., Steve has worked throughout the country as a coach and camp coordinator for Major League Soccer Camps. Steve has a successful goalkeeping academy working with a number of goalkeepers of all ages and abilities. Four of the goalkeepers he works with played varsity for their high school team and one was selected for the 2006 All-District Team.

Steve holds a USSF National "D" License and a HSCAA National Goalkeeping Diploma.

In the ECSC organization, Steve currently coaches the 90 Boys team, 92 Girls team, and 93/94 Girls team. The 92 Girls team advanced to the semi-final games at the November 2005 Granbury Tournament where they played to a tie through two overtimes before losing on Penalty Kicks and at the Spring 2006 and Spring 2007 Coca-Cola Tournament in Waco. Steve's 89 Boys team also advanced to the semi-final game at the Spring 2007 Coca-Cola Tournament. Steve lives in Waxahachie with his wife, Lalisa, and his 3 dogs, Will, Shiner, and Stubby.

Coach Jason Shackelford  has served as Head Junior Varsity and Assistant Varsity Coach for both the Boys and Girls programs at Midlothian High School for five years.  He holds a USSF National "D" License and a NSCAA Regional Goalkeeping Diploma.  Jason currently coaches the 97 Girls team and assists with the 96 Girls team.  He resides in Midlothian with his wife, Stephanie, and their dogs.

Coach Brent Stapleton  played soccer at Red Oak High School and Texas Wesleyan University, graduating with a sports physiology degree. He specializes in strength, conditioning, and nutrition; his knowledge in these fields provides a vital edge to our soccer programs. Brent also has international experience at the youth level, having played for the very successful Solar Soccer Club. He has competed against numerous international club teams, playing matches in England and Japan. Like Austin, Brent recently finished his first year at Midlothian High School. Brent coaches the JV Girls I, JV Boys II, and is an assistant on both varsity teams. Brent guided the JV Girls I to District Champs. He has spent two years as an assistant coach for the men’s program at the Southwestern. Prior to MHS, he was the varsity assistant coach and head junior varsity coach for both the boys and girls soccer programs at Red Oak High School for three years. Compiling a record of 34-7-5 in his first 2 years with the junior varsity programs, he has provided a training ground for players to develop and feed into the varsity programs.

A long time Ellis County resident, Coach Stapleton is single and resides in Waxahachie. Brent played in Japan against high-level collegiate competition, while on a soccer /mission trip.

Club President,  Randy Linnstaedter  recently moved to Ellis County and plays a very important role with ECSC as the “voice of experience” for the club from a parental perspective. Randy has two daughters who have been involved heavily in club soccer, one of which now plays at The University of Dallas. As the president of the DeSoto Soccer Booster Club, he facilitated the creation of a lighted soccer-only facility for the DHS soccer teams. He brings a wealth of experience to the ECSC table with his knowledge of club management, team management, player/coach, parent/coach relationships, fundraising, and facility improvement. A volunteer for the club who has seen soccer benefit his daughters, Randy is anxious to help improve the game at all levels in his new home county.