Clinton High School’s head soccer coach, Brad Spell, was given one of the highest honors a coach can recieve at the high school level. Last week, he was named Coach of the Year for 2A soccer in the state of North Carolina.

The honor came after all of the 2A coaches voted on who should be named the coach of the year. When the votes were all counted up, it was Spell coming out on top.

This comes after Spell led his team to a 25-2-1 record, and helped them reach the fourth round of the state playoffs before Washington High School knocked them out. Clinton was the top ranked team in the state for many weeks throughout the season.

Spell mentioned that this was an extreme honor when notified of the award.

“It was really cool,” said Spell. “It’s definitely an honor when the other coaches come together and vote on the award. I am humbled by it, and it really means a lot to me.”

Union head coach David Ameen, who learned from Spell was quick to praise him.

“Coach Spell just simply knows the game of soccer, and he teaches his players to do things the right way,”Ameen when asked about Spell. “He is definitely somebody that I look up to, and he has been very instrumental on my career.”

The Dark Horse coach graduated from Clinton in 1993, then went to East Carolina to earn his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. He returned to Clinton shortly after, and has been leading the soccer teams to many, many wins ever since.

Spell went on to mention that he felt this award was more of a team award than an individual honor as well.

“This says a lot about the people that I have around me,” he said. “It says a lot about our soccer program, and the people in the program. The assistant coaches on our staff are just as deserving of this award as I am, because without them nothing that goes on with the success of our program would be possible. As for the players, it says a lot too. A great coach won’t win without great players, and we have had really good players here.”

Of those really good players, include Spell Carr and Gray Sutter. The two were recently named to the All-State team, which is an accolade that Clinton soccer has never had before. Two players on the All-State team is quite an accomplishment.

As for Carr, he has also been selected to play in the East-West State All-Star game this summer. That game is to be coached by Brad Spell, as he was selected to do so earlier this year.

“Spell Carr is a great player, one of the best that I have ever coached here at Clinton. It’ll be really cool to have him playing for me in the state All-Star game this summer,” said Spell.

By Adam Capps

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Brad Spell speaks to his team after a home game this season.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_DSC_3755a.jpgBrad Spell speaks to his team after a home game this season.

Brad Spell celebrates on the sideline during a game this season.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_DSC_2273.jpgBrad Spell celebrates on the sideline during a game this season.