Erin Morse

Erin Morse is in her second season as an assistant coach at UT after previously coaching at the club and high school level.

She also serves as an assistant coach for the RSL Soccer Club and has been a personal soccer trainer since 2004. As a trainer, she specializes in training various players in improvement of technical skills including dribbling, first-touch and finishing.

Morse was also a trainer for the Dunedin U-12 Soccer Club from 2006-07. Her coaching experience also includes a stint as an assistant coach for Lakewood High School (2001-02) and the coach for the Countryside Lightning Soccer Club (2002-06).

As a player, she attended Lakewood High School from 1993-97 while also starring for the Countryside Lightning Club. At Elon, she was a a two-time team captain and was named both MVP and all-conference twice. She currently plays for the Tampa Bay Elite in the women’s semi-pro league.

A 2001 graduate of Elon, Morse also received a Master’s of Medical Science  from the University of South Florida in 2006. She holds a National C license while also carrying a Brazilian D license.

Scott Golden

 Scott Golden is in his third season as an assistant coach after aiding previous head coach Bobby Johnston in his first season. In addition to coaching, Scott works as an accountant and is currently pursuing his MBA in Finance at The University of Tampa.

From 2002-2006, Scott served as a four-year starter and varsity letterwinner at La Salle University. During his stint at LaSalle, Scott finished eighth in all-time career assists and tied for fourth in single-season assists. As a freshman, Scott was named to the Atlantic 10 all-rookie team, selected to the George Mason all-tournament team and was recognized by LaSalle as its Newcomer of the Year. During his junior season, Scott was named to the Philadelphia Soccer Seven all-star team. For his final season, Scott served as team captain. Scott graduated with a bachelor’s of science in accounting.

As a Tampa native, Scott served as a four-year starter for Jesuit High School’s national championship team. In addition to being named an all-Suncoast performer, Scott received all-Hillsborough county recognition twice and served as team captain during his senior season. He still holds the Jesuit High School record for most goals scored in a single game today.

Patrick Sweeney

Patrick Sweeney is in his first season as an assistant coach at UT. He also works with the Azalea Youth Soccer League, where he has served as a head trainer, chair of the training committee and the head coach of the LA Select U-17 all-star team since 2001.

He recently led his LA Select squad to a third place national finish in 2007. In this position, he coordinates, instructs and trains all club and recreational coaches through Azalea. He is also in charge of nine trainers while corrdinating 900-plus players. The position also requires the organization and fulfillment of the AYSL summer soccer camps.

Sweeney also served as a varsity assistant coach at Rosses Community School in Donegal, Ireland from 2000-01. While at Rosses, he helped the squad become an All-Ireland National Finalist.

He most recent playing experience involves a stint with the Northern Virginia Royals from 2003-04, where he finished second on the team in points. He previously played from 1995-99 with the Sligo Rovers Football Club in the Irish Premier League, where he was a first-team player for the league cup winners in 1997-98. He also led the Rovers to an Irish News Cup runner-up finish in 1996-97 while being a League Cup runner-up in 1995-96.

As a player for the Sligo Regional Technical College team from 1995-97, Sweeney was the top goal scorer while being named the player of the year. He helped SRTC to a third place finish at the Heineken National Championship.

He was also a first-team player with the Finn Harps Football Club in 1994-95 as he competed in the professional club of the Irish First Division. From 1993-96, he began his career with the Donegal and Ulster Select Teams as he represented both teams at the youth and senior levels.

A 2007 graduate of Columbia Southern University with a degree in sports management, Sweeney also attended Milligan College from 1999-2000. Prior to attending Milligan, Sweeney received a certificate in business studies from Sligo Regional Technical College from 1995-97.

Sweeney is a United State Soccer Federation “A” License coach and also has a Football Association of Ireland Coaching License from 2000. He also earned a Football Association of England Psychology of Soccer in 2006 and a Football Association of England Player and Math Analysis in 2006.

Kai Velmer

Kai Velmer is in his second season as an assistant coach at UT and is currently a goalkeeper trainer for the Spartans. Velmer brings an impressive resume of developing goalkeepers as he has trained individuals of all levels from various countries.

Velmer currently serves as the Director of Coaching and Director of Goalkeeping at Oldsmar Soccer Club while being the head coach of Oldsmar U-18 boys team.

Velmer was previously an assistant coach/goalkeeper trainer at St. Petersburg High School from 2003-05. During that time, Velmer was also the Head Goalkeeper Trainer for the 2005 U-16/U-17 Girl’s Super Y League Olympic Development Program Select National Camp that was directed by Perry Van der Beck.

In 2003, Velmer organized a two week European goalkeeper training trip that included current University of North Florida starting goalkeeper Rachael Howard. The training session was with Silke Rottenberg, who was the German Women National Team Goalkeeper and 2003 World Cup Champion. The trip also included sessions at KSC Karlsruhe (German Bundesliga), PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie) and with REUSCH Goalkeeper Camp Director and Kaizer Chiefs  (South Africa) Goalkeeper Trainer Rainer Dinkelacker.

As the co-founder of the first International Goalkeeper Camp at the Cocoa Expo Center in 2006 Sponsored by JAKO, he organized a camp that included youth goalkeepers and trainers from Germany and the United States.

He holds a NSCAA National Youth Diploma, NSCAA Advanced Regional Diploma and NSCAA Goalkeeping Diploma. Velmer has also attended seminars that were taught by the likes of MLS Colorado Rapids Assistant Coach/Goalkeeper Trainer John Murphy, Tony DiCicco, Sigi Schmid, Michelle Akers and 2007 MLS Champion Head Coach Dominic Kinnear.

Velmer also runs a goalkeeper training school, which is located at www.totalgoalkeepertraining.com.

Shannon Aitken

 Shannon Aitken is in her first season as an assistant coach after a record-breaking career as a goalkeeper at UT. She capped off her career by leading the Spartans to the 2007 NCAA II national championship.

As a senior, she played in goal in all 25 of Tampa's matches, notching a 20-2-3 record with 14 shutouts and a 0.61 goals against average. Aitken set school single-season records in shutouts and wins, while her 0.61 GAA ranks third in program history.

While being named the NSCAA NCAA II National Player of the Year, she was also selected as a finalist for the Honda Award, which is given to the top female athlete in the nation. Aitken earned a slew of other honors, including the SSC Female Athlete of the Year, first-team NSCAA All-America, first-team NSCAA All-South Region, second-team Daktronics All-South Region, and first-team All-SSC. She was also named the Tampa Sports Club Outstanding Female Amateur Athlete.

The Land O' Lakes native left her mark on a number of Tampa career records with the school record in shutouts (40), wins (59), saves (197), and goalkeeper minutes (6,974:56).

As a junior, she was named to the first-team all-SSC, Daktronics all-South Region first team, NSCAA all-South Region first team, NSCAA All-American second team, SSC all-tournament team member, Cougar Invitational all-tournament team and the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She played in all 22 games with 21 starts. Her top performance was a season high six saves against Armstrong Atlantic (8/25) in the season opener and against Grand Valley State (11/16) in the season finale. She also notched 11 shutouts which ranked first in the SSC while concluding the season with a 0.63 GAA and an 18-3-1 record.

As a sophomore, she was first-team all-SSC, first-team all-South Region and a two-time SSC Defensive Player of the Week (9/11, 10/31). Started all 18 games as the lone player to see time in goal and recorded a pair of five-game consecutive shutout streaks, including one to open the season. Her season-high of seven saves came against Rollins (10/5) as she registered six against Barry (11/11) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Her 0.50 GAA and 14 shutouts ranked first on UT’s single-season chart as she moved into first place on the Spartan all-time shutout list.

As a freshman, she became the top keeper in 2004 while posting three shutouts, including her first two collegiate matches and combined for one other. She recorded a season high five saves vs. Florida Southern (10/12) and Lincoln Memorial (11/13).

In high school, she led Land O’ Lakes High School and Hillsborough County United to the 2003 state championship and holds the record for career shutouts in the county. She also became the school record holder in shutouts and saves. A first-team all-state selection, she was also the Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times Player of the Year. She also earned all-county honors while being the team MVP and defensive player of the year. She was also an honor student in the classroom while being on the National Honor Society.

Off the pitch, Aitken was active in the Tampa community. She volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the Counsel for Exceptional Children. A nursing major with a focus on pre-medicine, she worked as a technician at Tampa General Hospital. She also participated in the UT Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and worked with youth summer soccer camps.