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Charlotte Soccer Academy - Palmetto

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Our Club

The club can trace its roots to 2008, when the first Upper Palmetto Futbol Club team took to the pitch. In 2010, Palmetto United FC was formed from the merger of Upper Palmetto FC, Carolina Select Soccer Club, and Indian Land Soccer Club. Inter-Catawba FC later joined to further strengthen the club’s membership and staff.

In Spring of 2016, Palmetto United FC and Charlotte United FC formed a partnership to share resources thereby strengthening the clubs to the mutual benefit of their members. In 2017, Charlotte United FC merged with Charlotte Soccer Academy. Charlotte Soccer Academy is the region’s premier full-service soccer club offering all levels of play from recreational to national competitive programs.

The mission of Charlotte Soccer Academy includes a five-pronged philosophy:

  • An integrated soccer experience – Access to all levels of play.
  • Quality coaching and instruction – State-of-the-art curriculum for our players.
  • Reasonable fees – Leverage buying power, sponsorships and size to provide the best value for our members
  • Investment in player development at all levels – Charlotte Soccer Academy’s objective is for each player to have a balanced and fulfilling experience regardless of the level of play.
  • A family-oriented environment – Players and staff will make friendships that will last a lifetime.
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The CSA Palisades regional division serves youth players from ages 4 through 14U, offering both recreational and competitive programs that operate under the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association in both the spring and fall seasons. The CSA Palmetto division serves high school age competitive players 15U through 19U under the South Carolina Youth Soccer Association, which operates opposite of the SC public high school soccer season. North Carolina high school players can choose to participate in our main CSA-Charlotte division’s 15U to 19U programs that play on a calendar opposite of North Carolina public schools.

Additionally, CSA Palisades and CSA Palmetto players have access to nationally competitive programs, including the US Soccer Development Academy, Elite Clubs National League, and our CSA Elite program at our main location, CSA Charlotte, which is based at our OrthoCarolina Sportsplex.

CSA Palmetto Staff

Brad Wylde
Executive Director
 
As Executive Director, Wylde oversees the player development, guidance and coaching responsibilities for all children under the CSA soccer program. 
Wylde joined the former South Charlotte Soccer Association as Executive Director in 2005 and has grown the organization from a thirty team club to over 190 teams competing in all levels of play. In 2008 and 2009, Wylde coached the club’s first US Youth Soccer Regional Championship team and took the team to back-to-back Regional Championships and two appearances in the USYS National Championships.

Wylde is an associate National Staff instructor under the National Coaches Association of America, teaching state, regional and advanced regional courses in the Southeast Region. He is also a former NC Olympic Development state team coach.

Wylde has been influential in the growth of youth soccer in and around the Charlotte area, having created a club that now has a presence in several counties around Charlotte. Charlotte Soccer Academy is one of only two organizations in NC and SC to offer all levels of play available under the US Youth Soccer structure.  In addition to the successes on the field, Wylde oversees the day to day operations and business sector of the Club.  He has connected some of the cities’ most reputable corporations to CSA through CSA's Sponsorship program.

Wylde was a standout player at Catawba College and an NSCAA All American; he was a 5 year professional player with the Charlotte Eagles, SC Shamrocks, and Carolina Dynamo. Following his playing career, Wylde served as Assistant college coach at Catawba while obtaining his MBA. 

Wylde is fully qualified under the NSCAA, UEFA B license and in 2012 completed his UEFA A license through the Union of European Football Associations which is one of the highest coaching awards in the world.
Mark Thornton
Director of Operations
 
Thornton is a native of Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, having relocated to the US in 2000. As a young player, he played with Sunderland AFC and Ipswich Town. In 2000, he received a scholarship to play soccer at Appalachian State University (ASU). Thornton was a four-year starter, a two-year captain and All-Southern Conference and All-South selection during his career at ASU.

After graduation from ASU, Thornton was hired in 2004 as Technical Director of Coaching for Concorde Fire Soccer Club in Atlanta, GA. During his 4 years with the club, he also became Director of Coaching for Academy (U9–U12 boys and girls) and also Director of Girls U13–U18. 
In 2008, Thornton was hired by South Charlotte Soccer Association as a Director of Coaching. He is also an assistant coach for the North Carolina ODP program. Thornton currently holds his USSF "A" License.

Bill Finneyfrock
President of CSA-Palmetto and CSA Director of Goalkeeping
 

As a Coach

  • 1990 - Present - Providence Day School - Charlotte, NC
  • 1983 - 1990 - Charlotte Catholic High School
  • Record ( 331 - 119 - 27)
  • 13 Conference Titles
  • Six State Championships
  • Three State Finalists
  • Three Times NC State Coach of the Year
  • Three Times US Southeast Regional COY
  • 1997 National High School COY
  • Executive Director Charlotte United FC
  • USSF “A” Licensed Coach
  • USSF National Goalkeeping License


As a Player

  • Five year Professional Soccer Player in the American Soccer League (ASL)
  • Two years Clemson Univ.
  • Two years Erskine College
  • Two NSCAA Final Four Appearances
  • Two ACC Titles
  • One ASL Title
  • All-South
  • All-American


Also

  • Founder of Charlotte United FC
Sheldon Russell
CSA Palmetto Director of Coaching
U15 - U19 Boys and Girls
(South Carolina Youth Soccer Association)
 
Sheldon Russell started playing soccer at the age of 9. He played soccer for four years at one of the top high schools in Jamaica (Cornwall College) where he won two titles.  During this time, he was selected to represent Jamaica on the U17 National Team. He also played for a local premier league team, Violet Kickers. He first started coaching in 2013 for Palmetto United Futbol (PUFC) and has coached teams of all ages. He currently holds a D coaching license. 
Dan Tannir
CSA-Palisades Director of Coaching
11U - 14U Boys & Girls
Youth Academy Boys & Girls
(North Carolina Youth Soccer Association)
Dan has been a coach with CSA U11 and U12 boys since 2015. Prior to joining CSA, he was with Charlotte United FC for several years. He has also coached several nationally recognized teams in his country of Lebanon and led the American University of Science and Technology Junior Women’s team to two championships. He holds the USSF C License.

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Contact Us

CSA PALMETTO
PO Box 532 
Fort Mill, South Carolina 29716 		Phone : 803-548-5988
Email: [email protected]
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