CHICAGO (July 16, 2024) — U.S. Soccer has appointed Ian Carry as the new head coach of the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team. Carry, who previously served as the Beach MNT’s goalkeeping coach, brings over 20 years of high-level coaching and technical experience to the role, and will begin leading the team during its camp in September as it prepares for the 2025 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship which serves as qualification for the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Seychelles.
"It is a huge honor to be afforded the opportunity to lead and coach, regardless of the discipline, a team under the direction of U.S. Soccer," said Carry. "Stepping in as this team’s interim coach in March was infectious and knowing the talent pool in this country, I firmly believe we are in a position, through purposeful hard work and commitment, to achieve something special with this group. I am very much looking forward to evaluating and assembling a roster over the next few months and preparing for the upcoming Acapulco Cup and the ultimately Concacaf qualifying for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2025."
Named interim head coach of the Beach MNT for the 2024 El Salvador Cup in March, Carry currently works as the Goalkeeping Program Director with Charlotte Soccer Academy. He previously served in various roles for the Football Association of Ireland, including work as a goalkeeping coach with both men’s and women’s youth national teams as well as Ireland’s Deaf National Team. Prior to his work with the FAI, he also worked with the Scottish Football Association as a coaching educator and goalkeeping coach with the U-19 Women’s National Team.
A native of Ireland, Carry has worked in the United States since 2011, serving as an assistant coach for Central Michigan University Women’s Team from 2011-2013, and coached for the University of Kentucky Women’s Team for eight years, including as head coach from 2016-2021. Prior to coming to the United States, Carry also previously worked in various roles at the club level, including tenures as a goalkeeping coach with Celtic FC, Carlisle United, Dundee United, FC Kilmarnock and St. Mirren.
“We are delighted to welcome Ian Carry as our new U.S. Beach Soccer MNT head coach,” said Stuart Sharp, Head of U.S. Soccer’s Extended National Teams. “With the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship only months away, we sought specific qualities during the interview process, and it was clear from the outset that Ian possessed them. With the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup less than a year away, Ian will now focus on assembling a technical staff and player pool to prepare for qualification and the future growth of the National Team.”
Holder of the UEFA “B” License and UEFA Goalkeeping License, Carry is a 2001 graduate of Bell College of Technology in Hamilton, Scotland. Prior to his coaching career, Carry had playing stints with Longford Town FC and Home Farm FC in Ireland, as well as Scottish club Queens Park FC. He continued his playing career on the futsal court, turning out for Sporting Fingal and Shamrock Rovers of Ireland’s Emerald League, as well as representing the Republic of Ireland internationally.
Having competed under the U.S. Soccer Federation since 2005, the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team is one of nine teams that make up U.S. Soccer’s Extended National Teams program. The Beach MNT have qualified for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on seven occasions (2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2023) and are three-time winners of the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship (2006, 2013, 2023).
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, it has aligned its efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, and commitment to participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.