EDP Soccer hires Dean Slaughter as U7-U12 development specialist

East Brunswick, NJ (Via EDP Soccer) – EDP, one of the nation’s leading soccer league and tournament management companies, has brought onto its staff a well- known Zone 1 (U7-U12) soccer programming specialist.

Dean Slaughter will join EDP effective immediately and will focus on Zone 1 development activities as well as other EDP league activities, working alongside EDP Technical Director Simon Collins.

“EDP has long held the belief that the player and their journey sits at the core of everything we do,” said EDP Chief Executive Officer Alan Shilling.  “Creating meaningful experiences that have a positive and lasting impact on young players’ lives is our goal and Dean Slaughter will help make this a reality.”

In talking about his new post at EDP, Slaughter noted he is passionate about early childhood development and said “this position with EDP is an incredible opportunity to work within a single platform that has the very best young players in the market.  I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with clubs to enhance this platform even further.”

Slaughter has coached soccer for the past 18 years in England and the United States. In England, he worked with professional clubs QPR and Wycombe Wanderers. He came to the United States with UK Elite soccer in 2006, moving to the STA Soccer Club in 2009 then on to Centercourt in 2016 as the soccer director for Morristown and Chatham locations.  He also was a director of small-sided teams at Centercourt FC and STA, helping build quality programs down to the grassroots.

In 2017, as a coach, Slaughter won a regional 5v5 tournament with his team before traveling to England to represent USA in the Gatorade 5v5 World Championships.  His team made the quarterfinals where it lost to Mexico.

Slaughter holds UEFA /USSF & NSCAA licenses as well as a National Diploma in Sports Science.