March 20, 2013
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One afternoon late in the fall of 2011, Vanderbilt head women’s soccer coach Derek Greene was meeting with his staff when a knock came at his office door. It was Damien Charley (`99), a former football letter winner and current minister and personal trainer in Nashville.
Damien told the coaches that his cousin, Simone Charley, was interested in playing soccer for the Commodores. Simone had been named the Gatorade Player of the Year for girls soccer in Alabama as a standout at Spain Park High School in Birmingham. But she was under the coaches’ radar due to the low profile kept by her club side, which had not turned up in events the staff scouted.
Damien had learned of his youngest cousin’s athletic prowess only recently on a trip back to his hometown of Birmingham. Damien often stays with his aunt and uncle–Simone’s parents–on those visits home. Simone is the youngest of three siblings and the youngest of all the cousins on that side of the Charley family. Both of her older siblings are college athletes–her sister, Nicole, at Auburn, and her brother, Myles, at Troy.
So when Damien discovered another impressive athlete in the family, he rushed to inform his alma mater of her interest in attending college in Nashville. On the heels of Damien’s visit, assistant coach Sebastian Vecchio quickly got to work figuring out how Commodore coaches could catch a glimpse of Simone in action. In December of that year, Simone played as a guest with the Ponte Vedra Storm at the 2011 Disney Soccer Showcase. That was the first opportunity for Greene to watch her play.
“The first time I saw her play I walked away from the field saying, `Wow. We have to get this kid.'” Greene said. “Simone is special. She has great speed, she’s great in the air and is very skillful. She brings a sophistication and knowledge to the game that typically you don’t see unless a kid is competing at the highest youth level.”
A little more research into Simone’s athletic prowess showed her also to be a track and field standout. She is a four-time Alabama state champion in the triple jump. The prospect of competing in both soccer and track and field in college was important to Simone.
“I was really excited when I found out I could do both because I’ve been doing both of them for so long that it would just be really hard to give up one,” Simone said. “It’s just a blessing. And with soccer in the fall and track in the spring, it works perfectly. It’ll keep me in shape the whole year so I don’t have to worry about that.”
Vanderbilt coaches agreed that sharing Simone’s talents was in everyone’s best interest.
“Simone is a 40’7″ triple jumper,” VU Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Steve Keith said. “That ranks among the top returners in the country. She and Tierney Price (another 2013 signee in triple jump) will be a really nice combo working out together. Soccer has been very generous in allowing her the opportunity to participate with us. The seasons complement each other very well. The athleticism that she gets from training for the triple jump will definitely help her in soccer.”
The chance to compete in two sports was one of many reasons Simone decided to come to Vanderbilt. The university’s strong reputation and the close family ties to Nashville were also key factors.
“Vanderbilt is a well-known university from an academic standpoint,” Damien said. “And there’s definitely a special connection between our families. Being the youngest, she’s not too far from my kids, age-wise, and they really look up to Simone.”
Commodore coaches are happy to have another stellar student-athlete coming to Vanderbilt, and proud that a Vanderbilt alumnus thought enough of his university to recommend a family member to them.
“It says a lot about Vanderbilt that Damien would take the time to stop by and bring Simone to our attention,” VU Head Coach Derek Greene said. “I know he’s excited. And we are equally thrilled to have Simone joining us.”
