Mark Wolcott selected to coach FC Frederick CCL Pro23 women’s side

FREDERICK, Md. — Mark Wolcott has been a trailblazer for girls soccer in Frederick County, and the Tuscarora High School athletic director may have just accepted his greatest challenge yet.

FC Frederick has named Wolcott as head coach of the newly created FC Frederick entry into the Club Champions League Pro23 Women’s League, which launches in the summer of 2016.

The CCL Pro23 Women’s League is a modified under-23 league that will provide former CCL players and current collegiate players an opportunity for professional training and top competition during the summer months. Each CCL Pro23 team will be allowed up to five over-23 players.

+Read: Club Champions League to launch CCL PRO23 in summer 2016

“The pool of athletes, the level and maturity of the players makes this a project that I’m very excited about working with,” Wolcott said.

“With the recent success of the US Women’s National Team at the 2015 World Cup, and the success of our NPSL team in last year’s inaugural season, we thought the time was right to introduce minor league women’s soccer to the Frederick area,” FC Frederick general manager Bo Eskay said. “We couldn’t be more excited to have Mark at the helm of this new team.”

Wolcott, who holds a US Soccer Federation “A” coaching license, was part of five high school state title-winning teams (three as head coach) and guided eight teams to Maryland State Cup club soccer finals, highlighted by a 2001 US Youth Soccer regional runner-up team that finished ranked No. 5 in the nation. He also coached the Northern Majestics (in 2005) and FC Frederick (2007) to the U20 national tournaments.

He was co-founder of Frederick United Soccer Club in 1996 and later served as president and director of coaching for the club that ultimately merged to become FC Frederick. He has coached more than 200 players who went on to college playing careers.

Wolcott moved into athletic administration at Tuscarora High School, which forced him to give up coaching at both the high school and club level.

“It’s extremely exciting to affiliate with the club again,” he said. “The administrative direction I chose took me away from the game. The scope and time period of this program allows me to get back involved.”

Wolcott was part of the four-person inaugural class inducted into the Frederick County Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012.

The FC Frederick CCL Pro23 women’s team will hold the first of three tryout sessions on Jan. 10, at Ballenger Creek Park Turf, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.