OKC Energy FC News Release -- www.energyfc.com
Saturday, January 4, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY – OKC Energy FC has announced the hiring of Jason Hawkins as the team’s general manager and Chris Spendlove as an assistant coach.
Hawkins was vice-president, special projects & Lean manager for First Fidelity Bank the past 12 years. While with First Fidelity Bank, he has also been an active member of Oklahoma soccer community since 1993. He has served as the assistant director of coaching for the Oklahoma Soccer Association since 2010 as well as serving an instructor for US Soccer coaching education courses. He was a staff coach for the Oklahoma Football Club from 2008-10 and co-founded and served on the staff for the NOKC United since its inception in 2001, while also working as the club’s academy director in 2008-09. Prior to that time he was on staff with the Royals Football Club.
Hawkins graduated from Leadership Oklahoma City’s Signature program, Class XXXI. He is actively involved in the community, serving on the Moore Public Schools Foundation Board, the OCU Meinders School of Business Advisory Board, United Way Allocations Committee, treasurer of the First Fidelity Bank Family Foundation and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, the Oklahoma Red Cross and Toys for Tots.
Hawkins received his Bachelors of Science in business from Oklahoma City University in 2006. He is also a TopSoccer program director for the Oklahoma Soccer Association and earned the association’s girls coach of the year award in 2005. Hawkins holds his National ‘A’ license from the United States Soccer Federation and completed the organization’s youth license instructor program in 2010. In 2011 Hawkins was named in the top 12 nominees worldwide for the Quality Progress New Voices of Quality award.
Spendlove spent the last three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Oklahoma State University. The Cowgirls won the 2011 Big 12 regular season title, were tournament runners-up in 2011 and 2013 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2011.
Spendlove was the team captain for Oklahoma City FC (PDL) during the 2013 season. During his playing career, he played for the USL PRO’s Wilmington Hammerheads, the GPS Portland Phoenix and Austin Aztex of the PDL and in the United Kingdom for the Preston North End Football Club and Everton Football Club.
His previous coaching experience includes the Oklahoma Olympic Development Program, Bishop McGuinness, Yukon and Casady High Schools.
Spendlove was a four-year letterwinner for the OCU Stars. He was a two-time NAIA All-American and earned all-region honors from the NSCAA as a senior. He was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and 2008 and earned his third first team All-SAC honor as a senior. Spendlove was named to the SAC all-tournament first team in 2010 and 2009. In four seasons with the Stars, he recorded 26 goals and nine assists and helped the team reach the semifinals of the 2008 NAIA national championship.
Spendlove graduated from Oklahoma City University in December 2011 with a Bachelors of Science degree in kinesiology and exercise science. He also received his master’s from OCU in health and human performance. Spendlove has a national diploma in sports science from the United Kingdom’s St. Helen’s College Football Academy.
The Liverpool, England native, prepped at St. Edmund of Canterbury. He holds his ‘A’ license from the United States Soccer Federation and is licensed by the English Football Association.