April 26th, 2024 - Charlotte, NC - The Charlotte Independence Soccer Club (CISC) hires Brooke Bingham to the Technical Coaching Staff. In her new role, she will serve as a coach for the Girls ECNL Regional League North and will also assume the position of Sports Performance Coach. In addition to her national coaching duties, Bingham will contribute her expertise to coaching within the Girls Youth Academy and will be part of the Futsal & Camps staff. Previously, Bingham held the position of Assistant Director for NPL Girls U13-U17 at Barca Academy Charlotte, where she coached the 2011s and 2008s. During the 2023-2024 season, she also coached the Girls 2010/2011 and Boys 2008/2009 teams. “Brooke is a fabulous coaching talent with a background in the sport that is second to none,” said Director of Soccer Neil Roberts. “She will be a fantastic role model for all our players both on and off the field. Her on-field presence is as positive as I have ever seen in an aspiring young coach.” Bingham brings extensive experience and a successful playing career to her new role. As a former player for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Women’s Soccer team, she contributed to three NCAA Final Four Appearances (2018, 2019, 2020) and secured two Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships (2017, 2018). Recognized for her individual achievements, Bingham was honored with titles such as UNC Team Defensive MVP, UNC Team Most Improved, and NCAA Player of the Week. “I am thrilled to be a part of such a unique club,” said Brooke Bingham. “I look forward to building, learning, creating, and developing with Charlotte Independence Soccer Club." Even before her collegiate career, Bingham distinguished herself as a standout player. She was a team member for the United States Women’s National Team for the U18s (December 2014, January 2025, April 2015) and U19s (September 2015) and was named a 3X ODP Girls All-Star Team member. Additionally, she received an invitation to the Nike International ID Camp.

April 19th, 2024 - Charlotte, NC - The Charlotte Independence Soccer Club (CISC) promotes Jay Lockhart to Girls Pre-ECNL Director. “Jay has been a loyal and dedicated member of our staff for a long time”, said Director of Soccer Neil Roberts. “His work rate and passion for the game is unmatched and we are excited to have such a driven and knowledgeable talent take the reins of our Girls Pre-ECNL Program.” Lockhart bring a wealth of experience and commitment to his new role. This season, he coached the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Girls Regional League South teams. Off the field, Lockhart has been an advocate for inclusivity within soccer for players with disabilities. He oversees the TOPSoccer program in our South region. Starting for the 2024-2025 season, Jay will be coaching the Girls 2012 ECNL Academy and the Girls 2014 Pre-ECNL South. “I am really excited to begin overseeing the Pre-ECNL Program at the club. It is a very important development phase for players as they prepare to play in the ECNL and ECRL”, said Jay Lockhart. “Practices and games will help players be challenged but at the same time ensuring players experience an age appropriate and fun environment at CISC. I want every player to have this as a part of their long-term participation in Soccer.” For the last two years, he was also seen with the Boys USL League Two team as an Assistant Coach. His dedication to the Independence Community goes further as he works with our First Team, Charlotte Independence, as a Video Analyst Recently, Lockhart was announced as the Carolina Ascent U20 USL Academy Head Coach, a connected player pathway to the new professional women’s team The Carolina Ascent FC.