Slater steps down as girls soccer coach at Croatan after 16 years, more than 200 wins

Jul 25, 2023

Paul Slater steps down as the girls soccer coach at Croatan after 16 years. (J.J. Smith photo)

OCEAN — Paul Slater has been one of the best dual soccer coaches in the state over the past 16 years.

From now on, he’ll have to be known as just one of the best boys soccer coaches in the state.

Slater is stepping down from the girls side at Croatan after manning the sideline since 2008.

"I’ve put in a lot of time with other peoples’ kids, and it's time to hang out with mine now," he said. "That is the reality."

He's the father of three boys – Walt, a freshman, Ian, a seventh-grader, and Eli, a third-grader.

Slater, who is also an English teacher, recalled he was able to attend just one of Walt's wrestling tournaments and none of his tennis matches this school year.

"When he was in middle school, it wasn't that bad, because his stuff wasn't during the girls season, but now that he's in high school – and my middle child will be soon – it's tough," he said. "I leave my house before 7 a.m. every day, and on early nights, I’m home at 8."

Slater will leave behind large coaching shoes to fill.

The Cougars produced a 201-107-28 record in his 16 years. They’ve been to at least the fourth round of the state playoffs on five occasions since 2010 and made two visits to the regional finals.

Eight of those seasons ended with at least 14 wins, and five finished with at least 16.

"We’ve been really successful," Slater said. "It's been fun. It's also been frustrating. We’ve been close a few times."

Croatan put together two successful runs during Slater's tenure.

During a five-year stretch from 2009-2013, the club made it to the third round three times and the fourth round twice but saw its postseason end each time to Swansboro. The Pirates went on to win the state championship in three of those seasons.

"It was a battle with us and them, and then they would have easier games after playing us, so that was hard to see," Slater said.

The Cougars made it to their first regional final in 2014 and fell 1-0 to Washington in a heartbreaker.

"That year was hard to swallow, but I’m older, more mature now, and that is soccer," Slater said. "It works out in the end."

The team went 86-42-15 during those six years.

The second successful stretch came in a four-year run from 2019-2022 with a trip to the third round, fourth round and regional final.

The team went 49-10-3 in those three seasons.

Croatan had just three losses when it fell to Clinton in the fourth round in 2019 and suffered its first defeat of the season in 2021 in the fourth round versus Clinton.

"I felt like most recently, 2019, we could have won it, 2020, and then in 2021, we could have challenged," Slater said. "That cycle of talent made us very dangerous, but Clinton was our nemesis. We couldn't beat them."

All but one starter returned in 2020 from the previous year's squad that set a school record for wins at 21-4. The season ended after just four games due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We’ve been very unlucky, but that is part of it," Slater said. "You have to put the work in, but it takes some luck too. There is success even when you don't win a state championship."

Slater has put together an impressive résumé in his 16 years at the helm of both Croatan programs.

He's twice been named the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 2A Coach of the Year, has coached in the East-West All-Star Game, Clash of the Carolinas and Powerade State Games.

He led the boys to a state championship in 2021.

"Watching him work every day and seeing the teams he puts on the field, it has been a great credit to him and what he's done for our kids," Croatan Athletic Director Dave Boal said. "We are definitely going to miss him. He has to pick one or the other and family has got to come first. I hate to see him go. I’m always so impressed with him. It's going to be tough to replace him."

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