Rattray Named Coach for Spartans Women’s Soccer

After competing in college for two institutions, Cassidy Rattray is bringing her lifelong passion for soccer to her new role as the head coach for Cayuga Community College Women's Soccer.

Coaching at the collegiate level has always been a goal for Rattray, who arrives at Cayuga after competing in soccer and basketball while earning degrees at Onondaga Community College and Cazenovia College.

Now that the Seneca Falls native has the chance to lead a collegiate team, she's eager to start working and build Cayuga's program from the ground up.

"We're going to focus on fundamentals, teamwork and communication. Hard work is going to be essential to building the program to where we want it to be," she said. "Hard work can win a game, even if the other team has a stronger skillset or another advantage."

Rattray's passion for soccer developed from an early age, and she's devoted time over the past years to working with younger athletes. Stepping up to the college coaching ranks, Rattray said she believes there's opportunities for student-athletes to apply lessons from the field to their lives in the classroom and their careers.

Those lessons — the importance teamwork and communication, and overcoming adversity — are essential parts of what she's hoping student-athletes will learn.

"At this level, it's not just about learning for soccer, but also learning for the rest of their lives," she said. "When I played in college, the primary lessons that I carried away related to why teamwork and communication matter. If we can keep those things in mind, we can be successful and the student-athletes can rely on those lessons moving forward."

Rattray is currently recruiting student-athletes for the 2022 season, and said she's looking for players who are dedicated to hard work, supporting each other and building a team-first environment. 

She's committed to building a team strategy that emphasizes the student-athletes' strengths while also working with the players to develop all parts of their game.

"Helping the players develop will be something that we're always focused on," she said. "In the beginning of the season when you see a player struggle with something, and then by the end of the season they've grown and that skill is a strength, that's the reason I'm committed to leading this program. To help our players grow their skills and their love for this sport."