Photo By Cpl. Brenna Ritchie | U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Edwin Omanahernandez, chief of the Human Performance...... read more read more
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The United States Marine Corps partnered with United Soccer Coaches at the 2026 United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia Jan. 14-17, engaging hundreds of coaches through a series of interactive events focused on resilience and physical fitness.
The partnership highlighted shared values between the Marine Corps and the coaching community, emphasizing the development of strong leaders both on and off the field.
Marines welcomed first-time convention attendees during an introductory session, helping orient new coaches and setting the tone for the week. During the convention, coaches were introduced to the Marine Corps Coaches Workshop, hosted at Marine Corps Recruit Depots Parris Island and San Diego. Marines also manned an exhibit booth, where coaches learned about opportunities for Marines to train with their student-athletes and deliver lessons on mental toughness and leadership.
“Our best training sessions are when we’ve brought the Marines in for physical training,” said Matt Clark, assistant soccer coach at Georgia Gwinnett College. “We have to get our student athletes comfortable with their discomfort in an intense and organized way. The Marines can bring that to your teams.”
In addition, Marines led two high-energy “Fit to Win” workout sessions, giving attendees a firsthand look at Marine Corps fitness principles. Fit to Win aims to give coaches the tools to develop adaptable athletes who can continue to win when it counts, both mentally and physically.
“I can see the team building and the leadership at these workouts, and it's a great thing to bring to coaches,” said David Thompson, a soccer coach at Evangelical Christian School of Memphis, Tennessee, and a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel. “So many things are translated from the Marine Corps to what these athletes do, and I’m glad the Marines are teaching us how to help our teams grow.”
The partnership was further highlighted at the Coaches of Women’s Soccer Breakfast, where Marines delivered remarks at the 2026 Women’s Award of Excellence.
“Growing up, I played soccer for years,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Jaime Goss, deputy G-1 manpower officer, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force. “It was a great experience to come out to the 2026 USCC and speak with the coaches who are developing the future of soccer.”
| Date Taken: | 01.19.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.20.2026 09:44 |
| Story ID: | 556383 |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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