BIO:

Coaching Education
Director of Coaching Diploma
Premier Diploma
National ‘A’ License
National Youth License
English Football Association License

Academic Education
Oral Roberts University, 1997
Bachelors in Mass Media Communications
Clarendon College, 1991
City & Guilds of London Diploma
Leisure & Recreation Management


Justin Elkington originally comes from Lincoln, England.  His background in coaching started at Lincoln City Football "School of Excellence" a school for gifted soccer players aged 8-16. He then became a coach for the Lincolnshire (state) Football Development Scheme, Developing players and camps within the region.  He was then recruited for Bobby Charlton's (England's Captain in the 1966 World Cup Final winning team) National Soccer Camps.

As a player in England he made the final 50 players of the under 16 England National Team.  He also played in the Youth & Reserve Teams of professional clubs including; Tottenham Hotspurs, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town, Notts County, Lincoln City, Derby County, Leicester City and Mansfield Town.

In 1991, Justin was recruited to the United States as a coach to the state of Florida.  From there, he was recruited as a player to Oral Roberts University and graduated in 1997.  During his time at ORU, he coached youth teams in Broken Arrow, Jenks and Tulsa.  

In the United States Justin has played both indoor and outdoor with the Tulsa Roughnecks since 1993, which included several USISL Outdoor League Championships & runner-up in the USISL Indoor National Championship.  In 1996 Justin declined an offer to play professional soccer in the USL “A” League to finish his degree & further pursue his coaching career.  

Justin is the Director of Coaching for the Broken Arrow Soccer Club competitive division, Hurricane Futball Club since 1999 and currently is the only Director of Coaching in Oklahoma to the hold the highest level of certification obtainable in the United States.  His credential includes:

"Director of Coaching Diploma" - National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
"Premier Diploma" NSCAA
"National ‘A’ License" United States Soccer Federation (USSF)
"National Youth License" (USSF)
"English Football Association License" (FA)

Justin is the camp director for the 2000 Touches camp and has had over 500 players attend over the past couple of years.  He has also been on the coaching staff of other elite youth clubs and university soccer camps throughout the region.

What would you say your coaching philosophy is?
My coaching philosophy is that if you look, there is always something new to learn whether it’s a practice or a game at whatever level.   Football (soccer) is evolving all the time just like medicine, technology or anything else, and for me it’s very important to keep up with Football (soccer) studies, trends, training techniques and successes at all levels.

Why is coaching education so important to you?
Coaching education and conventions are where I stay current on the issues relating to all aspects of soccer.  I attend the NSCAA National Coaches convention for several days every year; they bring in the top coaches from around the world at all levels to address almost every aspect of the game through classroom lectures and practice sessions. Regarding ‘Coaching Education’ as a DOC (Director of Coaching) I think it is very important to posses the highest coaching licenses and diplomas that are available.  As a DOC it’s your job to help coaches coach and you can only do this by acquiring the appropriate coaching education to truly target the needs of the players. It’s also important as a DOC to have the professional knowledge to coach players at all levels from recreational players to the elite players within your club or in the Olympic Developmental Program (ODP).  Every coach will put their personal print on a player or on a team based on their own playing experience or how they were coached; however, coaches can truly accelerate player development through professional knowledge such as coaching licenses or diplomas.

What do you base your coaching success to?
My success as a coach is based on a foundation theme of the education of soccer through player development (a progressive teaching formula), why, how and when, in an enjoyable, fun positive environment.  Practices must be age specific, systematic, without sacrificing creativity and FUN!

Is it always just about winning?
It’s the big picture your have to look at as a youth coach; you need to develop players to win.  If you develop players you will win more and its not just scores in games or beating your rival teams.  You put in place the football (soccer) foundation of the players they will use for their rest of their careers and for coaches they play for after you.  Their football (soccer) habits are being developed very much like parenting in the home.  How you win and actually being part that of the win is in my opinion is the integrity of player development.  There are a lot of teams that play very direct soccer (did I just say soccer) I meant football, that bank on one or two players out running everyone and winning games.  The short-term effect is merely bragging rights and sometimes $5 trophies.  Teams being coached this way do not focus on the team, therefore the majority of the players miss out by limited opportunities within the game to develop. The long-term effect is these teams struggle when the couple of players: are not available, move on, get injured or more importantly the other players/ teams develop!


Have you coached a team from the beginning to the end of their competitive career?
I am currently coaching my third team since under 11 through under 18, HFC 89 Girls Elkington.   My first team was the HFC 82 girls and then the HFC 86 boys.  As a coach I feel it is important to experience coaching at every age group and both boys and girls because they have to be coached differently.  I have also coached the HFC 93 boys for the past 3 years and they have won their fair share of tournaments & have been runner-up in the State Cup.  

Have any of your teams been successful?
My teams have won numerous league championships as well as nationally and regionally recognized tournament championships.  Many players have consistently graduated and accepted soccer scholarship to play for Division 1 programs across the nation, along with academic scholars.
Success can be measured in many ways; I view receiving phone calls or text messages from players over the past 5 years that has graduated on to college soccer and are asking my advice or opinion for their current college teams as a success.  Another being in club player’s school projects as a positive influence or important person to them.  

Why has the HFC 89 Elkington girl’s team been so successful?
From a coaching stand point it’s was my experience with HFC ‘82 girls and understanding how to communicate with girls that has helped me coach this team.  Knowing and recognizing female players individual non-verbal communication both positive and negative certainly helps the psychological aspect of coaching girls.  From a player stand point it’s their dedication and commitment.  In the foundation period of the players development and presently, we were consistent in attending practices in whatever the weather condition.  We would play and practice in the rain, snow and the extreme Oklahoma heat! Couple this with their individual talents and this group of girls is more than just a team on the field.  We have experienced major major highs related to performances on the field, but in the same breath major major lows related to the player’s families’ health and tragedies.  This team was and still is there for each other no matter what. Their character off the field during such lows has been more impressive than every one of their State Championships or tournament wins.  With girls it’s about relationships, with the coach & each other, if they’re tight off the field this will help on the field.

Is there a soccer moment to date that stands out the most with this HFC 89 Girls?
There are many stand out moments such as their first State Championship; individuals breaking into the US National/Region Teams and Pools and the first player to commit to a Division 1 college.  The moment was more like a period of time.  I am always looking for consistency in my players and for two years we were consistent, hungry for success and the team demonstrated their depth.  The team played up in tournaments and leagues by a year or sometimes two years and simply dominated.  During these two years we rarely had every player available for games mostly because of ODP Region/National pool commitments and we also experienced injuries like every team does.  When most of the players were there it just meant you could rotate players more but when we lost players to ODP and injuries the team did not falter.  Sometimes players were not available during major rival games against teams a year older than us and even during State Cup.  People doubted the team every time we were missing players and the team thrived on this to prove them all wrong.  

Another standout moment was during this two-year time period, we played the 88 ESC team in an OPL game.  My good friend Austin Hudson (Royals DOC) was coaching his first ever girl’s game.  To cut a long story short, we were unbeaten and were leaking goals in like it was no tomorrow, at half time we were 4-0 down. After the girls went back out on the field, Austin and I talked about ‘how it wasn’t so bad coaching girls’ etc.  The second half began; we scored in the first 30 second and then literally took over the game.  ESC subbed their Goal Keeper twice, from the original to the back up, and back to the original.  The game finished 6-4 Hurricane; Austin said it would be his first and last time to coach girls.  I found out later the girls overheard the other team laughing and talking bad about them and that made them mad…that’s this team, its character simple as that!

What about winning 7 straight State Championships, is that not special?
I do not want to talk too much about that because we only talk about State Cup at the beginning of the season for setting a goal for the year and at State Cup time, the girls are special!  State Cup is the benchmark within the state, but we have achieved more in winning nationally rank tournaments or beating the other nationally ranked teams in the best showcase events.

What next, when the HFC 89 Girls Graduate?
The babies, under 11’s, Hurricane FC 97 Girls Elkington!