CENTERVILLE – Don’t call Cheryl McCarter the day after Labor Day. She will be taking a vacation day from work, unplugging her phone and spending the day in bed. But don’t think of her as a slacker; it is a well-deserved rest.
McCarter, 26, is the scheduler behind the 413 team, 723 game schedule, spanning three venues over three days this coming weekend at the 27th annual Mead/Cusa Cup Soccer Tournament. With over one hundred teams with coaches’ conflicts ranging from multiple teams to volunteer requirements, putting a schedule together that meets everyone’s needs is no small job.
“I have six or seven days to take all the application information, seeding and ranking information and make a schedule,” says McCarter in an upbeat tone. “I have to take several vacation days and work until three or four in the morning just to get it done on time.”
But the end result is worth the extra effort McCarter puts in. She has gotten many compliments from guest teams and they keep coming back every year.
McCarter grew up in Iowa and moved to the Dayton area in 2000 for a job. She has played soccer since she was five years old and has coached boys and girls from U9 to U17. She is currently coaching a Boys U12 CUSA team.
“I try to give back as much or more than I take from the sport,” McCarter says, with a slight giggle. “I got into this by volunteering for a two-hour field marshal shift four years ago. Who knew it would turn into a full-time thing?” But, in spite of the work involved, McCarter seems to be enjoying herself.
During the tournament, you can find McCarter entering scores and supervising the standings and team advancement from her headquarters in “the barn” at the Ankeney Complex in Beavercreek. You can follow the scores online throughout the weekend at www.cusasoccer1.com.
PHOTO: McCarter takes a break during lunch to help a coach with his scheduling needs.