Cary, NC (December 9, 2020)- The North Carolina Courage announced today that assistant coach Nathan Thackeray will be joining the team full-time. Thackeray has split his time as the assistant/goalkeeper coach of the NC Courage and Director of Goalkeeping for North Carolina FC Youth over the past four seasons. “Nathan is one of the best […]

Cary, NC (December 9, 2020)- The North Carolina Courage announced today that assistant coach Nathan Thackeray will be joining the team full-time. Thackeray has split his time as the assistant/goalkeeper coach of the NC Courage and Director of Goalkeeping for North Carolina FC Youth over the past four seasons.

“Nathan is one of the best goalkeeper coaches in professional football,” said NC Courage head coach Paul Riley. “He has a fantastic appetite for the game and his knowledge is second to none. To have him back on a full-time basis shows the club’s insistence on excellence. It’s imperative we continue to challenge our players and staff and Nathan wants to improve in every facet of what we do. It’s a massive plus to have him on board and I look forward to further developing our goalkeeping department and utilizing his amazing skill set both on the field and in the video analysis room.” Thackeray began his coaching career at the college level in 2011 as a goalkeeping coach of the men’s and women’s soccer teams at Young Harris College in Georgia. From there he became the Head of Goalkeeping at the Houston Dynamo Academy where he also coached the Houston Aces. In 2016, Thackeray became the Director of Goalkeeping at NCFC Youth. “I am delighted for Nathan as he transitions into a full-time coaching role with the NC Courage. This coaching advancement from youth to pro speaks to the connection we have with the professional club and the caliber of coaches we have at NCFC Youth,” said Paul Forster, Director of Soccer for NCFC Youth. “Nathan’s impact on our goalkeeper program in the past few years has created a strong culture within the program and players, and we look forward to building on this as we continue to house one of the best goalkeeper programs in the country. Nathan will continue to influence the youth goalkeeper program from the professional ranks, and we look forward to exploring ways to keep him involved directly in the youth game.” Thackeray has been a member of the NC Courage coaching staff since 2017 and has helped lead the team to three-consecutive NWSL Shields, two NWSL Championships, and the 2018 Women’s ICC Championship.