Scarlett will bring his knowledge from Ohio to Oregon.
LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University Athletic Department announced the hiring of Keith Scarlett as its new women’s soccer head coach Thursday.
Scarlett is currently a staff coach with the Ohio Premier Soccer Club in Dublin, Ohio. The Club is the 13th ranked girls’ soccer club in the United States. Scarlett holds both the USSF “A” and the NSCAA advanced National coaching licenses.
“I am very excited about Keith becoming our head women’s soccer coach,” EOU Director of Athletics Rob Cashell said. “He has an incredibly passion for the game and an outstanding coaching pedigree with proven success.”
Scarlett comes to La Grande after bringing the Bishop Hartley High School girl’s soccer program to prominence in Ohio. He compiled a record of 75-26-17 at BHHS. They were ranked in the state from 2005 to 2008, climbing as high as No. 7. The Hawks were ranked first or second in every weekly rating in the Central District from 2005 to 2008.
“I’m very much looking forward to working with the current team and also reaching out to the recruits that have committed to EOU,” Scarlett said. “I’m excited not only to work with the EOU staff, but to continue building Mountaineer women's soccer into an overall tremendous program. I would like to thank Director of Athletics, Rob Cashell, and the rest of the athletic department and institutional administration for this wonderful opportunity,"
Under Scarlett’s tenure at Bishop Hartley, 27 players were selected all-league, 14 were named all-district, four were named all-state, and one was selected the NSCAA High School all-region team. Scarlett emphasized work in the classroom as well watching five of his teams receive OSCAA and NSCAA Team Academic Awards, four players named to the all-state academic team, two players named all-region academic team, and one named Academic All-American.
The Indianapolis native began a creative way for fans of the soccer program to follow the progress of the team. Scarlett created the “Boots-n-Flats” newsletter that was released monthly with updates on the team, upcoming events, and ways to prevent common soccer-related injuries. He sent 11 players on to play collegiately, with four going on to play at the NCAA Div. 1 level.
Prior to coming to Bishop Hartley in Columbus, Ohio in 2005, Scarlett guided the Plymouth State University (N.H.) women’s soccer team to success. During his four years with the Panthers, Scarlett amassed a 28-38-3 overall record, including a 13-13-2 mark in the Little East Conference. PSU's best season under Scarlett was 2003, when the team finished 10-7-1 overall, 5-2 in conference play, and qualified for the ECAC New England Tournament.
Scarlett has been coaching soccer the past 15 years at the collegiate, high school and club levels. He was the girls’ soccer coach at Salem (Va.) High School in 1999 and 2000, recording a 27-4-3 coaching mark and earned Coach of the Year honors. Scarlett has also coached successful club programs in Virginia and Ohio. His collegiate coaching career began at his alma mater, Ferrum College in Virginia, where he was an assistant in 2001. Scarlett received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education
Scarlett has been involved with coaching a variety of club and prep teams since 1994 as well as working at camps and clinics throughout the Eastern United States. He played college soccer at three different schools, Bethel College (Ind.) in 1992, Greenville College (Ill.) in 1994 and 1995, and Ferrum in 1999. Scarlett was a member of Ferrum’s first winning season in program history, going 9-7-1. He was named Academic All-Conference that season.
“I am overwhelmingly excited to be a part of the community,” Scarlett said. “Both my wife and I are excited about establishing our relationship with the EOU community, and about the opportunity to continue on with this particular group of young women. I am certainly excited to start implementing my vision and the things that I think I have to offer to the program."
Scarlett had the opportunity to meet with the current Eastern Oregon women’s soccer players during his visit to the EOU campus.
"They are an exciting bunch of respectful players who want to give everything they have out on the field and in the classroom,” Scarlett said. “It shows that a foundation of winning and pride wants to be established within the program.”