CCC grad Wolfrath gets Shorecrest job

By PETE YOUNG

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 15, 2000

Neal Wolfrath played soccer for four years at Clearwater Central Catholic, has spent five years as an assistant coach at CCC and has coached at Marauder soccer camps for longer than that.

So it's no surprise that Wolfrath has been named the new girls soccer coach at ... Shorecrest.

As connected as Wolfrath, 25, is with CCC, he also has a Shorecrest connection. Last year he began working as a kindergarten teaching assistant at the school.

"I've been coaching junior varsity for a few years, so I'm excited to have a program of my own," said Wolfrath, who also coached the Canterbury boys soccer team (which plays a fall schedule) last year and will do so for one more season. "I'm working (at Shorecrest) already so it should work out well."

Shorecrest athletic director Phil Hayford said: "We feel real fortunate that we got him."

Coaching girls will be a new experience for Wolfrath. He's worked with girls at camps but only with boys on a school team.

"A soccer player is a soccer player. I'll approach it like I've always approached it," Wolfrath said.

A 1993 CCC graduate, Wolfrath graduated from Eckerd College in 1997, where he played for four years.

"I'm excited about getting my feet wet. This is my first foray into it, and I'm excited about the situation," Wolfrath said. "I know (state power) CCC is in our district, so we'll be playing for second place, but of course I want to win. The big goal is to advance out of the district and go farther in the post-season."

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