CSM Taps Soccer Coach Charlie Raphael to Lead Women Hawks
The College of Southern Maryland recently on-boarded Charlie Raphael to be the next head coach of the women’s soccer program.
“Coach Raphael was hired to provide leadership to our women’s soccer female athletes not only athletically, but more importantly academically during these difficult times,” said Executive Director of Student Life and Athletics Michelle Ruble. “The transition to remote learning and our new college normal has not been easy and our student-athletes need additional guidance in all areas, including decision-making about their next step in their athletic and academic careers. He replaces coach Nina Duron, our former head coach who resigned in January. ”
Raphael comes to CSM after most recently serving as the head coach of the girls varsity soccer team at Huntingtown High School. The Hurricanes went to the playoffs every year during his five-year stay from 2015-2019, making it to the state semifinals in his first year and the state championship game in 2017.
Raphael began his high school coaching career at Centreville High School in Virginia in 1998. He then made stops at Herndon High School and Bishop Ireton High School. Raphael also served as girls varsity head coach at Patuxent High School and boys varsity head coach at Bishop McNamara High School before heading to Huntingtown.
He has also been a club coach/trainer and a director of coaching in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia area.
Raphael was a two-time state champion and All-American in high school at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va., graduating in 1983. He went on to play at the University of South Florida from 1984-1986 and George Mason University from 1988-1990 where he earned his bachelor’s degree in communications.
Raphael’s post-academic playing career featured successful stints with several professional teams, both outdoors and indoors, and was highlighted by a call-up and appearance with the United States men’s national soccer team in 1988
“We are happy to welcome coach Charlie Raphael to our CSM Athletic family,” Ruble said. “He comes to us with a wealth of successful coaching experience. He has a wonderful and positive energy that is infectious and all of us at CSM are ready for him to get started.”
Raphael said his vision for the CSM women’s soccer program is to win a national championship in one to three years and “to build a program that is the pride of the community and is attracting all types of players looking to take the next step in their academic and athletic career.”
He wants to create a team culture built on pride, emphasizing values like dedication, commitment and trust, while playing strong and fearless with a love for the game. “We will play a beautiful style of soccer, intelligent and technical,” Raphael said.
“I am hopeful that all players that are not sure about their future, or want to play college soccer, stay close to home, start their college studies, and play in front of family and friends will reach out right away,” Raphael said. “I want to build the best junior college program ever seen.”