A new era in women’s soccer at Central Baptist College in Conway began last week with the announcement of Chris Murphy as the Lady Mustangs’ new coach.
Murphy, 32, replaces Tasha Flynn, who left July 7 after three seasons atop the women’s program.
“I have already hit the ground, and I’m already running,” Murphy said Tuesday. “Preseason is the next step. Our schedule is out, our training is already planned, so we are in position to get a good foot forward from the first day.”
The Lady Mustangs will gather Aug. 5 to begin preparations for their new season, which will begin Aug. 25 at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.
Goals?
“It’s my personal view that goals are a matter of fluency and exposure in terms of environment,” Murphy said. “Right now, my immediate goals are to create a squad that relies a lot on local talent. I want to develop more of a system where Central Baptist College is a place where Arkansans can play soccer.”
Murphy, a former University of Central Arkansas player and assistant coach, spent last year as assistant to CBC men’s coach Taylor Carnahan.
“Coach Carnahan and I both feel there are a lot of talented male and female players in Arkansas who, for a variety of reasons, don’t get the attention they deserve,” Murphy said. “That is the most immediate goal in terms of recruiting and retention.”
Carnahan said the move to the Lady Mustangs is a great opportunity for Murphy.
“His passion and heart for individuals will be great for the growth of the women’s game here at CBC,” Carnahan said in a press release.
Murphy grew up in Springfield, Missouri, where he played “just about every sport” until choosing to focus exclusively on soccer. He played goalkeeper for the UCA Bears for four seasons before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in general psychology with a minor in philosophy in 2009.
But the coaching seed had been planted long before that.
“I always had a passion for learning and education,” he said. “When I was younger, I was only educating my peers, but I discovered that coaching was a way to approach that passion. So in a sense, you could say I always wanted to coach, although it was not articulated as coaching, per se.”
Graduating during the Great Recession, though, it took Murphy 18 months to find full-time coaching work.
“All I really could concern myself with was paying the bills, so I ended up with three jobs,” he said.
One was coaching youth soccer at what was then the Little Rock Futbol Club (now Arkansas United).
“With an undergrad degree in psychology, I got a job right away in a kitchen — actually two kitchens,” he said, chuckling. “After about 18 months, I was able to go into coaching full time.”
He was director of goalkeeping for LRFC from 2010-14, while also coaching U12 boys and girls and U17 boys. He also returned to UCA as goalkeepers coach under Ross Duncan from 2012-14 and earned a master’s degree in sports psychology from Capella University in June 2014. He is now working on another master’s degree with a concentration in sports management from Missouri State University in Springfield.
“I felt very motivated by coaching but also a driving need to understand some of the core fundamentals in society, like a service-based mentality and understanding what others need on a deeper level,” Murphy said. “So I chose at that time to not necessarily move away from coaching, but to focus on different aspects of the human condition. I did some research on the Peace Corps and decided that was the best possible way for me to do that.”
He then spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, where he coached soccer informally.
“My formal work was with at-risk youth, helping them develop various leadership capacities and increase their employability in general,” he said.
After his Peace Corps stint, he said, he knew he wanted to continue coaching and learning. Upon returning from the Philippines, he joined Carnahan with the CBC men. They finished 2-14 last season, and Carnahan and Murphy spent the offseason planning improvements for this fall.
The Lady Mustangs, members of the NAIA’s American Midwest Conference, finished 2-15 overall and 2-10 in conference play last fall.
When Flynn left, CBC Athletic Director Lyle Middleton didn’t look far for a replacement.
“I heard from the AD, who said I’d be a good fit if I was interested,” Murphy said. “Then I pursued it. I want to help bolster the women’s program and build it to something.”
According to a press release from Central Baptist, Middleton said he is excited about Murphy’s taking over.
“Coach Murphy brings a Division I recruiting background and a winning philosophy,” Middleton said.
Duncan, the UCA men’s coach, said in the press release that the hire is a good one.
“Murphy is a guy who is extremely dedicated to the game, and from my experience with him as a coach, I know he will have a big impact on that team,” Duncan said. “They should anticipate having someone who will improve not only their on-field performance but also someone who will take the time to prioritize character.”
Murphy said last week he hadn’t yet had a chance to spend much time with his new players, although he knows most of them at least slightly.
But he has heard from them.
“They are very excited to get started with the season,” he said. “Most people think of the win/loss ratio in terms of overall success. On paper, obviously it’s a record we’re interested in improving. As far as overall success, time will tell, but I’m hopeful.”
He said he and Carnahan had spent a year building a cohesive philosophy. That shouldn’t change with his move to the women’s team.
“In no way are we going to abandon that,” Murphy said. “The goal is to help both programs.”