Meet Katie Schoepfer, coaching and sport education master’s student who plans to graduate in May 2022. Schoepfer, from Waterford, Conn., has used her connections and academic experiences to become successful both inside and outside of the classroom. Recently, she was selected to serve as head coach of the U.S. Soccer Under-15 Girls’ National Team.
“My role is to identify and develop young soccer talent all over the country. I make every effort to introduce athletes to standards, culture and style of play of U.S. Soccer to set them up for a long career within the U.S. Soccer Federation,” Schoepfer said.
“We are extremely proud of the national and international impact that many of our graduates go on to make at all levels of the global sport industry. Katie exemplifies that tradition of excellence given the significance of her new coaching position within the structure of U.S. Soccer,” Sean Bulger, CPASS associate dean for graduate and online education and professor, said.
Schoepfer set her sights on WVU CPASS because she says that she wanted a program that was flexible enough to fit into her schedule yet sufficiently challenging to push her to grow as a coach.
“All of our coaching focused degree programs emphasize the importance and mechanics of long-term athlete development. I am confident that Katie is well-prepared to experience early and continued success serving in this capacity,” Bulger added.
Schoepfer envisions being prepared for the next big step in her career by developing as the best version of herself for her athletes. “I want to continue to grow and coach at the highest level possible and be a positive role model while making an impact on people's lives along the way.”
What is Schoepfer’s recommendation for success? “My advice for new students is that what you get out of this experience is whatever you put into it. Commit to the process and you will come out of this with not only a degree, but with the understanding of how to be a better coach.”