Contact: Marcia Shottenkirk, Communications Liaison
Communications@redlandscc.edu / 405.422.6237
EL RENO COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH REDLANDS TO BRING
WOMEN’S COLLEGIATE SOCCER TO CANADIAN COUNTY
EL RENO, Okla. — Due to the generous support and partnership from the City of El Reno and El Reno Public Schools, Redlands Community College has started its first-ever women’s soccer program. The team, to be coached by Trevor Harmon, will begin playing in August 2017.
The City of El Reno has offered the team a practice field at Adams Park, and El Reno Public Schools will host the Redlands’ women’s soccer games at Memorial Stadium.
“It is only through this outpouring of community support that Redlands could offer this opportunity to our students,” said Redlands President Jack Bryant. “We truly are a community of partners working together to make a stronger impact not only in the lives of our students but also reaching out to be a positive force in our county and state.”
With the addition of women’s soccer, Redlands will increase the number of athletic opportunities available to its female students, a requirement under Title IX. Currently, Redlands has a women’s basketball team and a women’s golf team.
According to Harmon, women’s soccer team members will begin arriving on campus Aug. 4. “Once the players are here, we will do two practices a day at Adams Park and transition to one practice a day once school starts,” he said. “We will be participating in one of the toughest regions in the NJCAA, Region 2. Just last year, three teams within Region 2 were ranked in the Top 25 in the nation.”
The first home game will take place at Memorial Stadium in El Reno on Aug. 25, with the rest of the season continuing through September, October and, hopefully, November. “If we are able to achieve our goals, we could look to play all the way until Thanksgiving. That would be special,” Harmon said.
Recruiting efforts have already begun with players coming from Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and England.
The initial operating budget for the women’s soccer program is $29,883 for year one, and the team is accepting donations for additional player scholarships. “The more talent we can pull in as a program, the quicker we will become known to the region and nation,” he said.
Harmon’s starting salary is $40,000. He previously served as the head men’s and women’s soccer coach at Eastern Oklahoma State College. He led the men to a record of 6-7-2 and the ladies to 9-7-1 while coaching three All-Region II players and two Region II All-Tournament players. Harmon accumulated more wins in his first season at Eastern than the previous two years combined for the ladies’ team. His cumulative head coaching record is 15-14-3. He graduated 13 male sophomores, of which 12 will participate at the D-II and NAIA level. He graduated nine female sophomores, of which three will play at the D-II, D-III, and NAIA level.
Previously, as an assistant coach, Harmon helped start the soccer program at Rose State College. The team achieved a record of 12-5 (5-2 conference in its inaugural season). During his second year at Rose State, he helped lead the team to #11 and #19 national rankings while going 14-5 (3-3 conference) on the season and the finals of the Region II Tournament. Harmon coached nine All-Region II players and three All-West Region team players while helping advance nine of twelve sophomores to play at the NCAA Division II and NAIA level.
He has coached various high school programs throughout the state and has also coached youth soccer. A native of Allen, Texas, Harmon moved to Oklahoma to play soccer for Oklahoma City University. During his 60-game career at OCU, he collected 12 goals and four assists. He helped lead the team to the Sooner Athletic Conference finals, numerous weekly national rankings, earned the NAIA Scholar Athlete and Co-SIDA Academic All-District awards, and captain the side his senior year. He earned his B.B.A. in Marketing and will complete his M. Ed. in Sports Administration in May 2017.
For more information, please contact Communications Liaison Marcia Shottenkirk at 405.422.6237 or via email at Communications@redlandscc.edu.
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