FARMVILLE, Va. – Josh Scott, co-founder of the Knoxville Soccer Academy and a coach and scout at the professional and collegiate levels, joined the Longwood men's soccer program as an assistant coach, 10th-year head coach Jon Atkinson announced Monday.
 
Scott has coached at the NCAA Division II and Division III levels as well as on the semi-pro circuit and within United Soccer Leagues. He most recently served as co-founder and director of coaching of the boys and girls U9-U18 teams at the Knoxville Soccer Academy. Additionally, he was one of the main scouting contacts in Tennessee for the United Soccer Leagues and a sought-after USL scouting reference for identifying talent for the USL Olympic Development program.
 
"I am a firm believer Josh is one of the up-and-coming coaches in this country, and I'm delighted to bring him to the Lancer men's soccer program," Atkinson said. "I have known Josh for a number of years and am well aware of his capabilities. He brings a wealth of experience and will instantly add value to our team. Our players will undoubtedly benefit from his coaching acumen, and his strong organizational skills will surely align him well within the Lancer athletic department."
 
As Longwood's assistant coach, Scott will assist with all aspects of the program, including recruiting, player development, on-field coaching, scouting, film analysis, academic monitoring, team travel and all day-to-day operations. He comes to Longwood with experience in the full spectrum of collegiate coaching from his time as assistant men's coach and interim head coach at Division III Emory & Henry College (2009-11) and assistant men's coach at Division II Tusculum College (2011). Scott also served as recruiting coordinator at both of those collegiate stops and has a wealth of experience in player evaluation and development.
 
Scott helped start the Knoxville Soccer Academy in August, 2011, and was the director of coaching for the clubs U9-U18 age groups. The Knoxville-based soccer club competed through the state leagues of Tennessee and the Super Y and Super-20 Leagues for United Soccer Leagues while focusing on individual player development in a team setting. He led the program's U20 group to winning the 2012 USL Super U20 Men's South Atlantic Championship and a berth to the Super U20 North American Finals at IMG Academy playing the likes of Major League soccer outfit Chicago Fire U20. That same year, his U20 squad received the USL First 11 "Super U20 Men" award for total commitment to club and player development.
 
The following year, Scott guided the KSA U17 girls squad to the USL Super Y U17 South Atlantic Championship and a runner-up finish at the Super Y North American Finals. That group was ranked second in North America and first in the United States for their division. Most recently, Scott was the director of coaching for both the U13 and U16 girls teams that reached the Tennessee Soccer State Championship. The U13 squad won the state title.
 
Scott's United Soccer Leagues success with the Knoxville Soccer Academy led to his appointment as a national staff coach and national scout for the USL's Olympic Development Program. Beginning in January, 2013, he was charged with evaluating talent in the 13-17 year-old age groups for identification to the U.S. National Team programs and a number of collegiate soccer programs. He worked alongside coaches and technical directors from the professional men's and women's levels as well as NCAA Division I and Division II head coaches at national Olympic Development Program events held at IMG Academy.
 
Prior to his time at KSA and the USL, Scott was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Knoxville Force, a semi-professional soccer team competing in the Amateur National Premier Soccer League. He joined the Force for their inaugural season in the Amateur National Premier Soccer League and was given responsibility of pulling in talent from the collegiate, semi-professional and professional levels around the country and overseas. Also heavily involved in the team's player development and coaching, Scott helped the Force to a 15-9 record in his two seasons on staff. Included in that group were six players who are active professional players. three of which are in Europe while the other three are in the United States.
 
Scott got his professional coaching start at Emory & Henry College in 2009. He spent two seasons with the Division III program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator and also stepped in as interim head coach for the spring and summer of 2011. Following his two-year stint at Emory & Henry, Scott served as assistant coach, recruiting coordinator and event planner at Division II Tusculum College where he assisted Allen Vital to a second-place finish in the South Atlantic Conference.
 
Scott played his first two seasons of college soccer at Hiwassee College, an NJCAA affiliate. He was team captain from 2006-08 and helped lead the program to consecutive conference championships and back-to-back appearances in the regional final. Following his time at Hiwassee, he transferred to Milligan College, an NAIA affiliate. He once again stepped in as team captain in 2009 and earned All-Appalachian Athletic Conference honors while leading the program to the 2009 AAC championship. He was also given the Brian Letendre Award for motivational leadership.
 
Scott enjoyed a two-year stint playing semi-professional soccer with the Chattanooga Football Club. He helped the team win the 2010 South East Conference championship and also led them to the 2010 NPSL National Championship game after placing second in the division in 2009. Scott also played for the Fort Wayne Fever of the professional development league in 2008 where he teamed with a number of current Major League Soccer players.
 
A native of London England, Scott holds his Premier Diploma, Advanced National Diploma and Director of Coaching Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He also holds a Level 1 and Level 2 coaching certificate from the English Football Association and is also NSC First Aid, CPR and AED certified. Scott has continued his coaching education on a daily basis for the past four years while working under teachers of the game like  Peter Mellor, national technical director of the United Soccer Leagues and holder of the UEFA pro license, and Derek Broadley, who is the former technical director of the Bermuda Football Association and holder of the UEFA A license and NSCAA master license, both whom Scott credits as mentors to his coaching development.
 
After graduating from Milligan College in May, 2010, Scott received his bachelor of science degree in human performance and exercise science with an emphasis in physical education. Scott also holds his BTEC Level 2 in Football Coaching and his BTEC Level 3 in Sports Performance & Excellence which he completed with a distinguish pass over a period of four years from higher education institutions in the East Midlands of England while playing for a number of professional academies and then semi-professional clubs as an inspiring soccer player. Scott also held professional status as a player in 2005 when he was a member of the nationwide conference club, Hucknall Town Squad, which reached the F.A Trophy final at Villa Park.
 
"I am very thankful for the opportunity that Jon Atkinson and Longwood University has given me," Scott said. "This is a great place to be, and I will be making sure I embrace the institution, the men's soccer program and the community with a very strong work ethic. My family and I are excited to be here, and I look forward to not only develolping our players into fine student-athletes, but also preparing them for life after Longwood. I will like to say thank you to Troy Austin for letting me become a part of his athletic staff and to Jon Atkinson, who I'm extremely excited to work with, as he is a true gentleman of the game and an excellent educator. Helping Jon drive Longwood men's soccer forward and competing consistently with progress from game to game is something I am looking forward too."

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