Philip Poole named Super League Carolina's head coach

SUPER LEAGUE CAROLINA

Philip Poole, an assistant coach with the U.S. Women's National Team, has been named head coach of the startup Super League Carolina.

Philip Poole, who helped U.S. women’s soccer to world dominance, is returning to Charlotte to lead a startup professional side.

Poole, who was announced Tuesday as Super League Carolina’s first head coach, will take over in April once his duties as an assistant with the United States Women’s National Team ends at the She Believes Cup. Poole’s professional coaching resume started in Charlotte with men’s teams Charlotte Independence and Charlotte Eagles. Before that, the Newcastle, England native was associate head coach at Wake Forest, and an assistant with the Charlotte 49ers and Wingate, his college alma mater.

Super League Carolina is one of eight franchises in USL Super League, which debuts in August as one of two top tier professional leagues in U.S. women's soccer.

“I’m thrilled to be chosen to lead this new women’s professional soccer franchise and join the USL Super League ahead of its inaugural season,” Poole said in a statement. “I look forward to working with our ownership group to expand the women’s game and create more opportunities for exceptional women to compete and work in the game of soccer. To support our players, we’re going to bring in a top-tier technical staff, develop a robust athlete care program and create a community of passionate women’s soccer fans across the Carolinas.”

During his time in the Charlotte area, Poole was involved in player development with five years as executive director of the Lake Norman Soccer Club followed by Elite Girls’ director at Charlotte Soccer Academy.

“To be a good head coach you need to be good at being a leader, be good at teaching, be good at executing – and be a good, caring person,” Super League Carolina Managing Partner Jim McPhilliamy said. “Philip and I are united in our view that both the players and the fans deserve a championship-caliber team each season. Philip has all the qualities and the perspective that will make him a great head coach for our team now and in the years to come.”

Poole joined the USWNT in 2020 and helped lead the Americans to the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship and the Tokyo Olympics where the Americans earned the bronze medal. The U.S. won four She Believes titles (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), and the 2022 Concacaf W Championship which earned the Americans berths for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Poole joined U.S. Soccer in 2012 as a coach and scout from the U-17 team before moving up to the senior national team. He was assistant coach for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup squad in 2014 and from 2017-19 oversaw the Under-23 Women’s National Team. Poole was also a member of the Puerto Rico Men’s National Team coaching staff during FIFA’s 2014 World Cup qualifying.

As a youngster, Poole played with Newcastle United’s academy before spending three seasons with Hull City AFC. At Wingate, he was named to the Bulldogs Team of the Decade for the 200s.

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