Former Scorpion soccer midfielder James McCarron has accepted a position as Assistant Fitness Coach of the Seattle Sounders FC, a member of the Major League Soccer (MLS).

McCarron reports to the Sounders next week and will be with the team until mid-August.

McCarron, a native of Skegness, England, played for the Scorpions during their inaugural 2007 season and was co-captain of the 2008 team. UTB/TSC won the Red River Athletic Conference championship both seasons, as well as 2009.

"This is a once-in a lifetime opportunity," McCarron said. "That's eventually what I want to do, to be a head fitness coach with a top club, and the Seattle Sounders are one of the biggest in the country. You can't get bigger than a team in the MLS."

McCarron transferred to UTB/TSC after two years at Virginia Intermont College, where he played with Scorpion head coach Dan Balaguero. He had three assists in the 2007 season and three goals in the 2008 season. During the fall 2009 season, McCarron served as a graduate assistant coach for Balaguero.
 
"I'm happy for him, because he'll be working with the top-level programs in the country," Balaguero said. "He'll be a real good asset for the Sounders."

James McCarron (8) battels for loose ball during 2008 game.

McCarron was hired by Sounders FC head fitness coach David Tenney, a highly regarded MLS fitness coach.

"I was very flattered when I was offered the job by Mr. Tenney," McCarron said. "This will be a great start for me. He was looking for someone who was a certified fitness coach, so I'm glad I got that certification."

McCarron also will be published for the first time in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal's May edition. He had the guidance of his mentor Dr. Murat Karabulut, Assistant Professor in the Health and Human Performance Department. His article addresses new  techniques in blood restriction training. McCarron and Marabulut will present their finds June 3 in Baltimore.

"I'm very proud of him," Karabulut said. "He has done a good job with this research."

McCarron is hopeful that the new position will lead to other opportunities.

"With this job, I hope to go further up the ladder," McCarron said. "I can also coach soccer, but I'm more of a fitness coach. Hopefully this will open a lot more doors for me.
This shows that it something like this possible if you work hard."

The Sounders open their MLS regular season March 25 at home against the Philadelphia Union in a game that will be broadcast by ESPN2.