The SABR Director of Coaching and Player Development is a full-time Coach and Administrator to exclusively lead the coaching and player development for our Recreational Programs. Our SABR DoC develops and manages our SABR After School player training program. The SABR DoC is also on board to develop our volunteer grassroots parent coaches – the backbone of our youth program. Our SABR Adult program will also gain benefits from our DoC.
There are only a handful of youth soccer programs in the world that have a Director of Coaching devoted solely to recreational players. Most Directors of Coaching are focused on higher level competitive players. Our Team Boca program, for example, has a Team Boca DoC exclusively for its players.
The SABR Director of Coaching and Player Development position is on the cutting edge of soccer. More than a year in the planning and following a rigorous 6-month world-wide search, our SABR DoC is a uniquely qualified professional
Meet Carrie Barker
Carrie Maier Barker has over twenty-five years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, youth club level and Olympic Development level. She also worked for the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association as a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Coaching Instructor and Olympic Development Staff Coach. She holds a National "A" USSF coaching license, United Soccer Coaches Premier Coaching Diploma and USSF Grassroots Instructors License.
"I am excited to be the first Director of Recreation Coaching & Player Development for SABR and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to build, grow and lead the program.”
Barker holds a Bachelors Degree in Recreation Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also played for the Badgers 1990-1994. She was captain of the 1994 University of Wisconsin Big Ten Championship squad and a participant of the 1991 NCAA National Championship finalist squad. She was a second team Central Region All-American in 1990. Upon the conclusion of her NCAA playing career she played in Denmark and was a participant of WUSA – The first Women’s Professional League.
Barker joins SABR after leading Rock Valley College for the past seven years as the Head Women’s Soccer Coach. In 2019, Barker finished the season with a 13-3 overall, N4C Conference Champions and Region IV Runners-up. The team was ranked as high as #9 in the NJCAA national polls. Barker started the program in 2013 and built a NJCAA nation powerhouse and won two NJCAA N4C Conference Championships, one Region Championship, one Region IV Coach of the Year, one District Champion, two Region Runners-up and one Final 4 appearance.
Prior to her time at RVC Barker spent 14 years coaching at the NCAA Division I level. Barker served with three schools, the University of Michigan (1997-2004), the University of Wisconsin (2004-2006), and Northern Illinois University (2008-2011). She coached in nine NCAA tournament appearances; two NCAA tournament Sweet 16 appearances; one NCAA Elite Eight appearance; and was part of three Big Ten Championships (1997,1999 & 2005). While coaching at NIU, Barker also served on the NSCAA Division I Great Lakes Regional Ranking Committee for three seasons.
Prior to intercollegiate competition Barker was a high school four-time all-state, an All-American, Miss Soccer and the First female inductee into the Farmington HS Athletic Hall of Fame. Barker won a US Youth National Championship with the Michigan Hawks, was a participant of the US U-19 Youth National Pool, and a participant of the US Olympic Festival Team.
As an active coach outside of NCAA play, she coached with the USA Youth Soccer Olympic Development Programs in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. She has also been involved as a staff coach with the U-14 United States National Team program. Barker has years of International coaching, playing and recruiting experience in Europe, Africa and South America.
Carrie has also volunteered in Africa (Uganda 2010 & 2011) and helped instruct 380 Ugandan coaches through the International Sport Connection Football Coach Training program, sponsored by the U.S. State. Department. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VULVkkr-xM).
On a personal note, her husband Stuart is also a professional soccer coach. Recognizing the unique career opportunity for Carrie, they made the family decision to relocate to Boca Raton.