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In his third season at Utah State, Joshua Walters serves as the recruiting coordinator and first assistant for the Aggie soccer program. Walters is responsible for general attacking shape, set pieces, recruiting visits, team travel, video analysis, camps and scheduling opponents. Along with his duties for Utah State, Walters earned positions on both the Region IV and Utah Olympic Development Program (ODP) staffs. "We are fortunate that Coach Walters is returing as an assistant coach for us this season," head coach Heather Cairns said. "The team continues to benefit from his eye in the attack and his attention to detail on set plays. His enthusiasm knows no bounds, and we are a better team because of it." In his first two years at Utah State, Walters has been instrumental in helping the Aggies increase their goal total from 18 in 2006 to 40 in 2007. USU scored a solid 32 goals in 2008. On the other side of the ball, goalkeeper Ali Griffin had another strong season earning second-team all-WAC honors. She ended the season with a 1.12 GAA and ended her storied USU career with a 1.00 GAA. Walters came to USU from Houston, Texas where he was an assistant coach for the University of Houston, working primarily with the defenders and goalkeepers. Under his guidance, the UH goalkeepers posted the lowest goals against average in school history of 1.10 GAA and set a school record with five shutouts on the year in 2005, his first season. In 2006, UH goalkeeper Shelby Scott posted four individual shutouts, the second-most single-season total, while tying the team record of five shutouts. Scott recently earned a spot on the Israeli National Team. Before his stint at Houston, Walters served 12 months as a First Lieutenant with Brigade S2 (Military Intelligence) of the Florida National Guard during Operation Enduring Freedom V in Bagram, Afghanistan. While in Afghanistan, Walters set up and directed a soccer clinic as well as a series of games for Afghan youths. He later made a presentation on his experiences to the 2005 NSCAA Convention and was awarded the NSCAA Honorary All-American Award. During his military deployment, Walters received the Bronze Star for Valor and Service, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal. Prior to his military duties, Walters was the head coach at Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee, Fla., from 2000-05. During Walters' tenure there, his teams received the NSCAA/Adidas Team Academic Award for three consecutive seasons. Walters was also head coach of the Tallahassee United Futbol Club in 2002. Walters received his associate's degree of the arts from Marion Military Institute in 1998. He captained the soccer team and also earned MVP honors. After graduating from MMI, he was commissioned as a signal officer in the Florida National Guard. Walters' coaching career started in Tallahassee, Fla., at Godby High School, where he coached from 1998-2000. Additionally, he was the head coach for the Top of Florida Soccer Club until 2001. A 2004 graduate of Columbia Southern University, Walters received his bachelor of arts in sports management and graduated cum laude. Walters holds an NSCAA Advance National Diploma, as well as NSCAA Goalkeeper Advance National and USSF "C" licenses. Walters, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., is married to Logan High School teacher Amy Lucas, a former Ole Miss soccer player. The couple's first child, Joshua "J.J." Shawn Walters, Jr., turned one on August 7.
Walters' Afghan Soccer Report in PDF Format
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