National Soccer Coaches Association of America

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. It is the largest soccer coaches organization in the world, with more than 30,000 members. It offers training courses for both beginning and experienced coaches and a wide range of award programs. Rare among sports organizations, it serves its sport for both men/boys and women/girls. Lynn Berling-Manuel is the current Chief Executive Officer.

Annual Convention

The annual NSCAA Convention, known as "The World's Largest Annual Gathering of Soccer Coaches" is held in mid-January. The five-day event attracts more than 10,500 attendees for live field demonstration and lecture sessions, networking socials, coaching diploma training classes, and a large soccer-only trade show, with more than 300 companies displaying soccer equipment, technology and services.

Awards programs

The NSCAA operates a wide variety of awards programs. These include:

Kristine Lilly

Kristine Marie Lilly Heavey (born July 22, 1971), née Kristine Marie Lilly, is a retired American soccer player who last played professionally for Boston Breakers in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). She was a member of the United States women's national soccer team for 23 years and is the most capped soccer player in the history of the sport (men's or women's) gaining her 352nd and final cap against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier in November 2010. Lilly scored 130 goals for the United States women's national team, behind Mia Hamm's 158 goals, and Abby Wambach's 184.

Lilly wore jersey number 13, currently worn by Alex Morgan, on her national team and club jerseys.

Early life

Lilly attended Wilton High School in Wilton, Connecticut. While still attending high school, Lilly became a member of the United States women's national team. She was recruited by, and eventually chose to attend, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

University of North Carolina

Lilly competed as a student-athlete, playing for the university's North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team from 1989 to 1992. During her time there, she won the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship every year she played. She won the Hermann Trophy as a junior in 1991. To honor her time with the school, North Carolina retired her #15 jersey in 1994.