Norcross Soccer

Norcross Soccer Academy’s professional coaching staff has decades of experience coaching youth soccer. Each possesses the national or state license(s) that appears directly below his/her name.

By reading each coach’s biography, you will realize that many have extensive playing experience at the highest and most competitive level in the sport. To make it easy to contact each coach, his/her name links to the respective email address.

	Tony Annan, Executive Director of Coaching (USSF A license) Tony has been coaching for more than 13 years and has numerous successful seasons at the State, Regional, and National levels to his credit. Tony is also an Olympic Development Program (ODP) Head Coach, a Region three (ODP) Staff Coach and a GSSA Coaching License Instructor. Before arriving at NSA, he was the Director of Coaching for Concorde Fire Soccer Club. As a player, Tony signed with West Bromwich Albion FC, a first-division professional soccer club in his native England, at the age of sixteen. After playing there for three years, he moved to the U.S. In 1994, he transferred to Life University in Georgia, where he played three more years before graduating with a BS in nutrition in 1999.
	Rudy Clarke (USSF C license) Rudy was born in Belize City, Belize and grew up in Birmingham England. He played on the professional circuit for eight years and has been involved in youth soccer for the past twenty years; coaching in various age groups with various team successes at state and local levels. Rudy’s greatest satisfaction is teaching the kids all the techniques of the game and observing their growth through their yearly developmental successes and accomplishments.
	Billy Coxhead (USSF D license) Billy Coxhead has coached at Norcross Soccer for 4 seasons, coaching multiple teams each season and developing strong players in the Recreation program. For the Fall 2005 season, he has shifted his focus to two teams in NSA’s SELECT program. Billy is the Wesleyan School’s High School varsity boys’ coach since 1999. As a result, the 2001 and 2002 Wesleyan teams made the state final four, and the 2005 Wesleyan team made the state sweet sixteen. Additionally, former Wesleyan players, coached by Billy, are currently playing at St. Johns, Rutgers, and Wofford. FROM 1986-88, he served as the High School varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer coach at Durham Academy in Durham, NC. In 1987, Durham Academy boys’ team made the state final four. Additionally, the Durham Academy girls’ teams won back-to-back state championships in both 1987 and 1988. A highly-competitive player himself, Billy was four-year letterman, three-year starter, and captain his senior year for Davidson College, a Division I school near Charlotte, NC, FROM 1982 to 1985.
	Rob Di Figlio, Boys Technical Director (UEFA A license) Rob joined Norcross for the Spring 2006 season. In addition to his NSA coaching responsibilites, Rob was also a Technical Soccer Skills & Sports Performance Coach at "Superkick" in Norcross. Before coming to the US, Rob served as a Technical Youth Advisor for "Soccerskills UK" in London, England. Additionally, Rob was the Academy Center Director at Wimbledon FC, which is a founding member of the English Premier League, where he oversaw the youth development program, coaching, recruitment and coach education for ten years. Rob also coached a boys team from U13 through to U16, five of whom turned professional, three whom represented their country at youth level. He also had a successful three-year period coaching youth soccer at Crystal Palace FC and QPR FC, both professional league clubs in London. As a player, Rob played semi-pro soccer in the US in the 1980s. Before that, he played for various non-league clubs, including the Anglo Italian League in England. Rob’s personal achievements include being a two-year consecutive mens’ league winning coach at non-league level plus one year womans’ professional league cup winning coach at Wimbledon FC Ladies in London.
	John Drummond (Scottish Football Association A, USSF C license) John Drummond is from Scotland where he played his first professional game at the age fifteen. He played two years for Raith Rovers FC, a professional Scotland team, and five months for Millwall FC, a professional English team. Before that, John was the National Youth team captain for two years (U14 & 15). Having been in the US for three years, John has attended Georgia Perimeter College for two years and one year at Piedmont College where he was a two-time All-American. He will be returning to coaching youth at Norcross for his fifth year. He also has coached two seasons at Centennial High School (Varsity Girls) and was Piedmont College Asst. Coach Women. He has been married to Shirley, his wife, since 2000.
	Ashley Edwards (USSF C license) Ashley has been the Girls’ DOC and Academy Director at Forsyth Fusion, the Operations Manager & Staff Coach at New Orleans Soccer Academy (NOSA), and has coached at Tophat, Metro North (currently NASA) and InterAtlanta (AYSA). She played in the W-League with Asheville Splash in NC and was 2-yr captain at Georgia State University, where she made 2-time All-Conference Team, Conference All-tournament team, was Conference Leading Scorer 2001, Academic All-Conference 3 yrs, and was 3rd leading scorer in GSU history. She graduated from GSU with a degree in Marketing, making Dean’s List four consecutive years. Ashley was also a member of the Kentucky ODP & Region II Pool and was two-time KY State Champion. She scored more than 150 goals in 3 seasons in Georgia HS soccer and also played club with AFC Lightning.
	Cory Garner (USSF C license) Cory Garner is from Anniston, AL. He went to Norcross High School and then to Georgia State University. He started playing SELECT soccer at the age of eight for TYSA and then went to Datagraphics. FROM the age of fourteen, he played with a private club named Dempseys FC. He played ODP and semi pro indoor soccer in the "SISL" League where he coached for four years and trained for two years. He has been coaching with Norcross Soccer for five years. Cory was married to Laurell, his wife, in the summer of 2004.
	Alex Hepton (UEFA B and numerous FA qualifications) Fall 2007 will be Alex’s first season with NSA. Alex has been a professional coach in the UK for seven years. Early in his career, he was a youth coach at York City FC, Leeds United AFC. Additionally, he scouted players for Leeds United AFC, which is a Senior Pro and Youth/Academy club. Most Recently, Alex worked in Spain serving as the ’Head Football Professional’ at La Manga Club Resort, which is the Norwegian FA’s base and a high-profile training base for numerous professional teams. During his career, he worked with a number of successful teams, including British Universities Cup and league winners Leeds University Ladies as well as Wakefield FDC, the National College Academy League, and the England College Select National Team. During his career, Alex has coached and scouted over 15 youth players, who now play professionally in the world class English Football League and Premier League.
	Judas Kinchen (USSF B license) Judas Kinchen played three years at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama and one season of semi-professional in Iceland. He has fifteen years of coaching experience at different levels, including Recreational, High School, Club and ODP. He has been the Assistant Coach for men and women at Auburn University and for women at Southeastern Louisiana and Ohio Universities. He is currently the Head Coach of the girls’ team at Norcross High School.
	Neil Lynch (English Football Association Preliminary & USSF D license) Neil returns to NSA after a short time as Soccer Director at Buckhead FC. Originally from Ipswich Town, England, Neil played semi professional in his native England in addition to attending Leeds Metropolitan University where he was an integral part of the University first XI. After graduating in 2003 with an honors degree in Sport, Recreation and Development, Neil took a full-time position with Challenger Sports Corporation based in Atlanta. His coaching career began back in the UK, where he worked as a community coach for the City of Leeds and also worked with youth teams from his hometown. Since arriving in Atlanta, Neil has been a successful coach at numerous youth soccer organizations including Forsyth Fusion and NSA.
	Justin Moore Justin played for Parkview High School, where his team was 2001 State Champions. He won the Adidas ESP Golden Boot Award and 2002 GA Player of the Year and was named All-County, All-State, and USYSA ODP All-American in 2001. After playing Club soccer for Concorde Fire Silver, Justin played college soccer at Clemson from 2002-05, appearing in 78 games with 4 goals and 16 assists. While majoring in Special Education, he was named to the All-ACC 2nd team in 2004 and made the NCAA All-tournament team and All-South Region 3rd team in 2005. Moore was drafted in the 2nd round, 15th overall, of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas. In Dallas, Moore also coached with several of the youth teams in the Dallas area. Recently he signed a 2-year contract with the Atlanta Silverbacks.