When the head girls soccer coach position at Cleburne High School became vacant a few weeks ago, Cleburne ISD Athletic Director Jeri Hall knew what was needed at that position, and Matt Moulden fit the bill.
It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say Lady Jacket soccer is currently the program with the highest ceiling at Cleburne High School, with a strong collection of young talent and even more talented players on the way in the coming years.
And after Aaron Babcock resigned as head coach to move back to West Texas to be closer to his family, Hall said promoting Moulden from assistant boys soccer coach to head girls coach was the logical move for a number of reasons, including providing stability at a position that’s seen several head coaches over the past decade.
“We went through the candidates and with what we’re wanting for that girls program, Matt was the right fit,” Hall said. “Since I’ve been back at CISD, it’s been a two-year deal with new coaches for girls soccer: two years with [Aaron] Gentry, two years with [Christie] Vick, two years with Babcock. I feel like we definitely need some stability.
“We have some of the best athletes in our school in the girls soccer program and they need somebody to invest in them and stick around a while.”
Moulden has been a teacher at Cleburne ISD for 14 of his 17 years in education and last year was his first as a coach, serving as an assistant to Jose Salazar on the boys side.
“I’m very excited to get this opportunity,” Moulden said. “Coach Babcock laid a great foundation with the girls program. They have strong tradition to build on that I’ve followed the whole time I’ve been in Cleburne. I’m excited to lead the girls to that next step with Coach Salazar and our other assistants.”
Hall said the plan for Cleburne soccer is to have Moulden and Salazar to continue working together to better align Lady Jacket and Yellow Jacket soccer, including from the ground up at the earliest ages.
“I feel like with having conversations and going through the interview process, the bigger picture with what Jose and Matt did with the boys program last year and the amount of involvement they got community-wise, they’re really putting in time and effort to build a program from the elementary up, which is what we need,” Hall said. “The two of them being able to continue working with each other and bring the boys and girls programs together is going to be a good step for us, I think. They work well together.”
Moulden said he greatly enjoyed working with Salazar last year in trying to rebuild the boys soccer program at CHS and now he’s excited to continue working together.
“What made me throw my hat in the ring was [my experience] working with Salazar this past year with the boys,” Moulden said. “I’m still going to be helping with the boys and he’s going to help with the girls. It’s going to be a team effort for both of us bringing the two programs together and building a culture as one. I wouldn’t have done it without his blessing and he was all for it and we’re both very excited about the possibility going forward.”
Moulden has two daughters and he has coached their soccer teams over the years. With that experience, he knows the type of talent that is coming up to the high school level in the near future.
“I know the girls that are coming in the next few years,” he said. “They’re the ones that have played with my oldest daughter so I’m familiar with them and their abilities. It’s a strong program with a strong tradition and recent history and 10-plus years of being playoff contenders and making runs. My expectations are to continue that tradition and build upon it and ride it as far as we can go the next few years and utilizing all the talent that’s coming in the best possible ways.”
Similar to how Salazar and Moulden got Yellow Jacket soccer integrated into the community, the same will be done on the girls side moving forward.
“It’s one of our biggest primary goals is that these kids have pride in this community and part of that is being willing to give back even while they’re in high school so that they’re a true part of the community they’re representing,” Moulden said. “That when they play for their shield, it actually means something to them. The girls will take part in the toy drive this year that the boys did. We’ll expand that to the girls program. We’ll have community nights. We’re hoping to have CSA night in the upcoming seasons. With COVID restrictions hopefully lifting, we’re hoping to do more things with CSA going forward. Our soccer camp starts next week for first through sixth graders and that’s a big first step so we’re looking forward to that.
The work Salazar and Moulden are doing together continues this coming week with the first youth summer soccer camp at Cleburne High School in quite a while.
“We combined soccer camp for girls and boys,” Hall said. “It’s the first time there’s been a soccer camp offered since I’ve been back for seven years. So I’m super pumped about that. There are great things happening. The kids need to know there’s somebody who’s going to be here that’s invested in our community and wants them to be successful.”
Hall also said 2014 CHS graduate Brandy Villasana will be an assistant girls soccer coach. Villasana was a standout performer for Lady Jacket soccer when she was in high school, including being the 2014 All-Johnson County defensive player of the year.
“She’ll do middle school and help with high school as well, so we’re excited about that,” Hall said. “She is a CHS girls soccer alumni. I see great things with them happening.”
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