

East Cherokee Soccer Club

Meet The ECSC Team

President & CEO
Mike Feeney
Coach Mike Feeney is the President of East Cherokee Soccer Club and brings more than 30 years of experience playing, officiating, coaching, and managing youth soccer clubs.
A U.S. Soccer "D" licensed coach and referee, he also actively coaches within the Olympic Development Program (ODP), helping identify and develop top young talent. Coach Mike is a strong advocate for player development and meaningful reform of the youth soccer pay-to-play model, working to make the game more accessible while fostering a positive, player-first environment at ECSC.
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It's very common to see coach Mike with a camera, a drone, or a 32" soccer ball walking around the fields. He is always telling the world's BEST dad jokes or fixing somthing.

Executive Director of Operations
Wes Davila
Wes Davila serves as ECSC’s Executive Director of Operations, overseeing the club’s daily operations, staff, coaches, volunteers, and community partnerships to ensure everything aligns with ECSC’s mission and values. Passionate about youth development, Wes believes soccer teaches lifelong skills like teamwork, resilience, discipline, and collaboration while fostering a family-focused community where lasting friendships are built.
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A lifelong competitive tennis player, Wes joined ECSC in 2023 after enrolling his two daughters in the club. Since then, he has served as a U8 Girls coach, Executive Board member, US Soccer certified referee, and now leads ECSC’s operations. He also organizes and plays in the ECSC Adult Soccer League.
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If you see Wes around the fields, be sure to say hello, he loves meeting new families and talking all things ECSC.

Director of Youth Development
Amanda Messenger
Amanda serves as ECSC’s Director of Youth Development, overseeing the Little Lions and U6 programs. With a background in child education and a passion for soccer, she is dedicated to creating fun, engaging first experiences that build confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love of the game.
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A longtime member of the ECSC family since its Upward Soccer days, Amanda has coached players from Little Lions through U12 and helped develop the club’s early childhood curriculum. As both a coach and the mother of three ECSC players, she understands the impact youth sports have on the entire family. Her goal is simple: to help every child leave the field more confident than when they arrived.

Director of Soccer Operations
Robert Long
Robert forged a lifelong love of soccer while playing competitively throughout the Pacific Northwest (and spending thousands of hours in the car with his parents). He enjoyed success as a player, winning two high school state titles and being a finalist for 1996 Washington State High School Athlete of the Year. After a brief college career, he has given back to the game as a coach, referee, instructor, and league director. He holds a US Soccer D License and has experience coaching recreational and competitive players ranging from Little Lions to high school athletes.
Robert is the current Director of Soccer Operations. He leads the ECSC player evaluation day, coach and referee training, individual training session, and roster construction efforts. You will often find him officiating games on the turf, providing encouragement and feedback to young referees, or having a laugh with coaches and parents. He always welcomes parents to say hi and remind him to reapply sunscreen.

Advanced Development Program Director
Sam Ryan
Sam Ryan is ECSC’s Director of the Advanced Development Program (ADP). With nearly 30 years in the game, he played in Florida’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) before competing collegiately at Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University).
He is passionate about helping young players develop their skills, build confidence, and enjoy the game.
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Before leading ADP, Sam coached U6 and U8 girls at ECSC. As both a coach and parent of two ECSC players, he is committed to creating a fun, challenging, and welcoming environment for every player and family. If you see him around the fields, be sure to say hello!

Director of Operations
Angela Burt
Bio coming soon

Director of Marketing
Lindsey Davila
coming soon

Operations Coordinator
Natalie Christ
Natalie Christ joined ECSC as Director of Game Day Operations following the 2026 Spring season. A former high school soccer player, Natalie first became involved with ECSC as a soccer parent before she and her husband began coaching a U8 Boys team. Today, her oldest son plays in the ECSC Adult League, while her three younger sons continue in our youth program.
A homeschooling mom of four, Natalie quickly found that ECSC was more than a soccer club—it was a family. Her passion for serving others and building community made her a natural fit for this role.
As Director of Game Day Operations, Natalie oversees field setup, game day logistics, special events, food truck coordination, and end-of-season celebrations, while continuing to coach. If you see her around the fields, be sure to say hello! Her dedication and positive attitude help make ECSC a welcoming place for every family.

Operations Coordinator
Jena Feeney
Jena is the support system for all things ECSC! She helped start the program after working with Upward in 2023 and has helped the club is various ways since. She is a USSF Certified Referee and is seen every once in a while on the pitch during the adult games or during summer camps.
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Most know her as the "Uniform Lady". That title is well deserved. She handles the uniform process from selection, procurement, printing, packing, sorting, and hands out the 1300+ uniforms season after season. It's a major task.
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She is also very active the the Executive board of Directors where her creativity and MBA degree work hand in hand to enhance the efficiency of ECSC's day to day workloads.
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Stop her at the fields and say hello when you see her. It's a fair assumption that she may have some pretty funny stories about Coach Mike!
Join the ECSC staff today!
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