PINEVILLE – Louisiana College has announced the hiring of Bruce Deaton, who last year coached the Ouachita Christian girls to the state semifinals, as new Women's Soccer Coach.

“I'm really excited about stepping up to the college level,” Deaton said. “It's a great fit and a great opportunity, going from a Christian School to a Christian School . I'm really looking forward to working with this team and being a part of the growth of this program.”

The Lady Wildcats are coming off a 1-19-1 season, a record Deaton hopes to improve vastly upon in the coming years.

“I'm confident that this team can improve,” Deaton said. “Last year, they lost a lot of close matches and played almost everybody tight. They're on the verge of really taking off. I'm glad I get to be a part of that process.”

It's a process that will involve a keen eye on recruiting.

“I believe that there is a lot of un-recruited talent in Louisiana and the surrounding areas,” Deaton said. “There are a lot of girls who stop playing after high school and it's not because they don't want to play or can't play, it's because no one has approached them. I am confident that through the connections I've made with high school and club teams across the state that I can start to uncover and bring in that talent.”

Prior to Deaton's hiring, the job of coaching both men's and women's soccer at LC had fallen on the shoulders of Craig Harwell, an LC alumnus who will retain his position as coach of the soccer team.

“He's a great fit for Louisiana College ,” Harwell, who like Deaton has coached in the state Olympic Development Program, said. “Bruce is a great Christian man and has great experience in soccer. He has a desire for success and improvement, which is something that our men's and women's teams both need … Bruce is a compassionate and knowledgeable coach, but he's also a disciplinarian who will expect the most and demand the best out of his players.”

Harwell, who championed the hiring of a women's coach, said that his being relived of dual coaching responsibilities will help both programs.

“It will be a huge help for our men and our women,” Harwell said. “There will be a coach for each team who can give his entire focus and effort to that team instead of splitting his effort between the two.”

Deaton, who coached both boys and girls soccer at Ouachita Christian, agreed.

“I can relate to Craig's position,” Deaton said. “Having coached boys and girls for several years myself, I can tell you that it is not easy. You go from coachin 15-20 players to coaching 45-50 players. The way you teach the game, the way you coach the game, is very different when you go from boys to girls or men to women. I think it will be beneficial for both of us to be able to focus our attention on just the one team.”

If Deaton's high school record is any indicator, the Lady Wildcats might have reason to take an optimistic view of the future.

Deaton has spent the last seven years as the boys and girls soccer coach at Ouachita Christian. During that time, the girl's team claimed four district titles and both teams qualified for the state playoffs each of the seven seasons he was coach. During the past five years, both the boys and girls squads have claimed National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team-Academic awards.

Deaton was named girls district coach of the year four times and was also named the Louisiana girls state coach of the year for Division III on two occasions. In 2009, he was also named state and southwest region girls coach of the year for private/parochial schools by the NSCAA.

Deaton attended and played soccer at Marshall University in Huntington , West Virginia , where he earned his bachelor's and his master's degrees. He is a member of the Louisiana State Coaching Staff as a coach of the 1998 Girls ODP team and is an instructor of coaching education courses.

He also served as the assistant director of coaching for the Northeast Louisiana Soccer Association (NELSA). Bruce was the technical trainer for two club soccer teams in Northeast Louisiana and helped lead his Division I team, the NELSA Scream (U18 Girls), to the LSA State Championship this past spring.

“We're so happy to add Bruce to our staff,” Louisiana College Athletic Director Tim Whitman said. “I believe his great work ethic, professionalism, attention to detail and expertise in the field of soccer will help to grow and mold us into a successful program in the American Southwest Conference.”

Deaton is married to Margaret; they have two children, Tessa and Tucker.