Chris Early had a major impact on Northwestern State’s offensive numbers in his first season as an assistant coach in Natchitoches.
The Lady Demons’ 33 goals scored is the most since 2009, and he helped two attacking players (graduated senior Cassandra Briscoe and rising junior Esdeina Gonzalez) earn All-Southland Conference honors.
Early aided a program that had a statistical turnaround in 2015, becoming the first team to have a positive goal differential (33-29) since 2009. He started an NSU men’s soccer club and has coached various youth clubs in the area and the state.
The Stillwater, Minnesota native spent a spring as an assistant women’s soccer coach at NCAA Division III Bethel University (Minn.), but he’s had a wealth of coaching experience at the youth level.
“He has a real passion for the game, and he demonstrates that with positive energy,” said NSU head coach George Van Linder. “We’ve emphasized that a lot.
“We’re here to have fun but with a serious purpose. He epitomizes that philosophy.”
After graduating high school, Early was the head coach for the Sporting St. Croix Soccer Club (U11 Select Boys) while serving as an assistant for the U18 Academy Boys (Minnesota state Cup champions) and the U17 Select Girls.
Early said he was drawn to an experienced Division I coach like Van Linder and to a tradition-rich program that was Louisiana’s first to appear in an NCAA tournament (2000) and has the second-most appearances in the state (three).
“The program’s got a lot of history of success,” Early said. “Coach George is a really experienced coach and a great coach to learn from.
“(Natchitoches) seems like a really great town, and NSU is a good program that’s building and hopefully getting back to its winning ways.”
Early, who played one season for San Bernadino Valley College until a knee injury ended his competitive college career, also coached Iowa’s men’s club soccer team and was a practice player for the Iowa women’s program.
He was a staff coach and technical skills trainer for the Iowa City Alliance Soccer Club U9-U18 boys and girls teams.
“We’ll have him focus on the technical part of the game and make sure the players’ skills are up to par,” Van Linder said. “We’ll see what else he can share and bring to our team.
“We’re treating him like a freshman player of sorts and seeing what he can do. (Assistant coach Emily Morphitis) will focus on goalkeepers, and she’’ll be especially valuable in her second season because she knows our expectations after having a whole new staff last year.”
Early has administrative experience as a building supervisor for Iowa City Parks and Recreation and as the soccer coordinator for the Sanneh Foundation. He managed 40 soccer camps for the Sanneh Soccer Residential Camp at Bethany College and participated in different duties such as fundraising, budgeting and hosting.
