Elkington Named Cowgirl Soccer Assistant Coach Head of Broken Arrow Soccer Club joins Carmichael's staff at OSU

July 9, 2009

STILLWATER, Okla. — Justin Elkington has been hired as an assistant coach on the Oklahoma State soccer staff, it was announced today by Cowgirl head soccer coach Colin Carmichael.

Elkington replaces Tony Economopoulos, who left to become the head coach at Georgia Southwestern State.

A native of Lincoln, England, Elkington has spent the last decade as the head coach of the Broken Arrow Soccer Club, where he has coached and helped develop such current OSU standouts as Siera Strawser, Katie Richardson, Allyson Leggett and Sarah Brown.

“I’m very excited to be joining the coaching staff at Oklahoma State,” Elkington said. “It is an opportunity to coach at a higher level and at a program which has established itself as one of the top collegiate soccer programs in the country. I’m very grateful to Colin and Oklahoma State University for the opportunity.

“I’m very familiar with the program’s current status and its history, and the long-term vision of the program is on par with my own ambition — to coach and win at the highest level.”

Elkington, who turned the Hurricane Futball Club into one of the premier youth soccer clubs in the region, was named the 2008 Youth Girls Soccer Coach of the Year by the Oklahoma Soccer Association. He has also spent time as a coach in the Oklahoma Olympic Development Program.

“Justin will be a tremendous addition to our coaching staff,” Carmichael said. “I have known Justin for about 15 years and have coached with him at the youth club level, summer camps and coaching symposiums. He is a top-class coach and has received the highest level of coaching licenses available in the United States.

“His dedication to continuing his coaching education has made him one of the most qualified coaches around, and we are fortunate to have him on our staff. His involvement at the competitive level of youth soccer in the south region will help our ongoing recruiting efforts.

“Justin has helped to develop several key members of our current OSU team during their youth soccer careers. His knowledge and ability to teach the game of soccer should help us to build upon our recent success and continue to compete on the national level.”

A 1997 graduate of Oral Roberts University, Elkington was a four-year letterman for the Golden Eagles’ soccer team. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in mass media communications, public relations and advertising.

Elkington was a captain of a national championship state soccer team in his native England and also played professional soccer for the Tulsa Roughnecks.

Elkington holds several national licenses from the United States Soccer Federation, including an “A” License, a “Director of Coaching Diploma,” a “National Youth License” and a “Goal Keeping License.”

He also holds a “Premier Diploma” and a Regional “Goal Keeper Diploma” from the National Soccer Coaching Association of America.

Elkington and his wife, Deana, were married in August of 2008.