With the recent departure of Coach Donovan, the former Girls Soccer Program Director and Head Soccer Coach, the girl’s Upper School soccer team needed a coach only one week prior to the start of the season. On November 4, Interim Athletic Director James Rains sent an email introducing Sean Maloney as the Interim Girls Program Director/Head Soccer Coach for the 2020-21 season. 

“We are fortunate to have found someone with not only an extensive knowledge of the game of soccer,” Rains said, “but also someone with personal experience in our girl’s program, as well as a familiarity with our community.” 

Maloney started coaching soccer for AFC, a select soccer club on the west side of town, but is currently coaching with Panther City, a similar youth club in the Fort Worth area. He is coaching a 2008 team and a 2011 team, which would be twelve-year-olds and nine-year-olds.

Although Maloney loves coaching soccer, he also loves playing soccer. He started with the sport when he was only six and played throughout his life up until he was about 21. He played competitively for around two years and then decided to retire from the sport after injuring an ankle.

Maloney has been a full-time employee at FWCD for two years in Plant Operations, although he has been coaching soccer on and off for almost six years. This will be his fourth year to coach soccer at FWCD, having coached middle school girls soccer for the past three seasons.

“I’m very excited to now work with all of the girls at the Upper School level,” Maloney said. “I have had the opportunity to see most of the girls play over the last three seasons, and I think it is a talented group with a lot of potential.”

The first practice started on Monday, November 16. Coach Maloney’s theme for this year’s season has been to “stay safe, have fun, and compete.” With a new head soccer coach, the Upper School girls have been eager to start the season. The first game was set to be played on January 8, but was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns following the recent winter break. The game was rescheduled for January 12, where the team played Hockaday. 

Sutton Howard ‘23 is a part of the program and this will be her second year on the team.

“Coach Sean has really pushed all of us to compete in practice, which I really appreciate,” Howard said. 

The team is hoping to compete in the SPC tournament this season, although because of the COVID-19 pandemic it is unsure whether or not it will take place. The team most likely will not be participating in any other tournaments this year. 

“We’re excited about this group,” Maloney said. “It’s a very young group but it has some strong upperclassmen leadership, so I’m excited to blend those two groups together. I’m looking to kind of build on some of the success from last year.”