SCHS Girls Coaches
Ben Timson will begin his 12th season as head coach of the Lady Irish in 2009. He is a 1974 graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a major in health and physical education and a minor in coaching. He earned a PhD in Physiology from Washington State University in 1980. Ben refereed soccer for 15 years, traveling extensively around the Midwest working in club tournaments and college matches. He also served for 10 years as a USSF referee instructor. He assisted in the founding of the Panther Soccer Club before accepting the challenge of beginning the girls’ program at SCHS in 1998.
He is a Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Missouri State University where he teaches undergraduate physiology and graduate medical physiology and conducts research investigating the effects of exercise on slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Ben and his wife, Kathy, have four grown children all of whom played club and high school soccer while growing up in Springfield. Ben and Kathy also have five grandchildren, the oldest of whom is in kindergarten and beginning his soccer career in the Catholic youth leagues in Omaha, Nebraska.
Meredith White begins her first year with the Lady Irish in 2009. She grew up in Florissant, MO playing select soccer with NORCO and Celtic United. She graduated from Rosati-Kain High School in 2003. At Rosati-Kain she was a four year member of the varsity soccer team earning Honorable Mention All-Conference her junior year and 1st Team All-Conference her senior year. She attended Missouri State University where she earned a degree in History Education with a minor in Religious Studies in 2008. She played one year with the Lady Bears before beginning her coaching career. Meredith coached the Greenwood Middle School girls in 2004 and 2005 and assisted Chris Shull with Greenwood High School inaugural team in 2007.
Meredith is in her first year teaching Theology to sophomores and juniors at SCHS. She is a Relay for Life Monitor for SCHS and will be taking 16 SCHS students to Europe in June. Meredith is the daughter of Kevin and Laura White of St. Louis and has one younger sister (Allison).
Meghan Cassady played four years for the Missouri State Lady Bears as a forward and midfielder. She played club soccer with the Kansas City Strikers and Kansas City Legacy and was a four year varsity player at Shawnee Mission West High School. She was named to the All-Conference 1st team her junior year and Honorable Mention as a senior and sophomore. Meghan was team captain her junior and senior years. In her final campaign she led the Lady Vikings to a Kansas State Class 6A runner-up finish. She still holds the record for most assists in a season and career at Shawnee Mission West.
Meghan will graduate from Missouri State University with a degree in Exercise and Movement Science. She has currently been accepted into the Physical Therapy program at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Meghan is the daughter of Pat and Chuck Cassady and has two younger sisters, Shannon (18) and Carly (16).
Carrie Semar is from Fenton, MO. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in 2006. She was a youth soccer official for two years and played for the Angels Freshman team in her first year of high school. Carrie is currently a junior at Missouri State University where she is pursuing a degree in Physical Education. After graduation she plans to work toward a Master’s degree in Health Promotion or Ublic Health.
