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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cI think overall what we have done is allow players to be themselves and express themselves on the field,\u201d Lyon said. \u201cI don\u2019t think you can ever really get the best out of a player who doesn\u2019t feel that they are valued.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As if coaching junior college players on and off the field was not enough, Lyon is the Camp Forest Football Club (CFFC) director. This organization allows players (both girls and boys) from Manchester, Tullahoma, Shelbyville, Winchester, Fayetteville, and McMinnville to play soccer at a competitive or select level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe inspiration behind CFFC came from a group of people whose sole desire was to give the kids a better experience,\u201d he said of the group behind the inception of CFFC in 2009. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teams across Middle Tennessee often struggled to find enough players or were beaten consistently. CFFC created a network of over a dozen teams where players could grow in the sport and play athletes at their level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, they\u2019ve had numerous indoor and outdoor state champions and finalists. People are paying attention to players in the area, and the club has had positive feedback from the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, he doesn\u2019t do it all alone. He credits his unbelievably supportive spouse, some exceptional players over the years, and his assistant coach at Motlow, Katie Reid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a saying that you are only as good as your assistant coaches, and that\u2019s something I fully believe,\u201d Lyon said. \u201cShe gives everything to the program and the players, and I can\u2019t put a price on having someone who is as invested as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reid was once playing soccer under Lyon, but he recruited her to join his assistant coach once she was done playing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI truly hope to be a quarter of the coach\/mentor he is to his players,\u201d Reid said. \u201cIt\u2019s an honor to be able to coach alongside my former coach. The fact he saw potential in me as a coach was the deciding factor in pursuing coaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Lyon, he hasn\u2019t done anything special to deserve any awards. Still, to no one\u2019s surprise, he has been named Coach of the Year for the TCCAA regular season, the Region VII Tournament, and the Southeast District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI genuinely believe that the coach of the year should be a \u2018Staff of the Year\u2019 or \u2018Team of the Year\u2019 award,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the people who play for him and work with him know his impact can\u2019t be dismissed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s far more than just a soccer coach to his players,\u201d Reid said. \u201cHe\u2019s that dependable presence who supports them both on and off the field. He\u2019s all about putting Motlow and Camp Forest on the map and making sure they get the attention they\u2019re due. But what truly stands out is the way he makes every player feel valued, helping them see their worth and reassuring them that they\u2019re never alone.\u201d GN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MIDDLE TENNESSEE has its very own Ted Lasso of sorts. In the heart of Tullahoma, coach and Englishman Andy Lyon has carved a remarkable path as the head coach of Motlow State Community College\u2019s women\u2019s soccer program. With seven seasons under his belt, like everyone\u2019s favorite mustached soccer coach, Lyon equips his players and staff […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n