Our company

Our story

Coach Dan McCarty is the owner and operator of Side Panel Soccer. A twenty-five year plus coaching veteran, he has worked at the K-12, club, and collegiate level. Most notably, he founded and served as the head coach for the men’s soccer program at Seton Hill University for over twenty-years.

Coach McCarty first established Side Panel Soccer to provide pre-season camp opportunities for local high school students to prepare for their upcoming season. Since the company’s inception, he’s grown services to include areas of need within youth, club, high school, and college programs. Side Panel’s goal is to positively impact the performance and future aspirations of student-athletes and to increase the level of play and community support for soccer.

Coach McCarty brings longevity and experience to the soccer coaching industry, as well as a passion for student success. He holds his NSCAA Premier Coaching License, an undergraduate degree in Health and Physical Education, and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Noteworthy achievements include the following:

  • Assumed Head Coach responsibilities for developing the inaugural Men’s Soccer Team at Seton Hill University in August of 2002. During that time, he amassed over 140 wins during their tenure with governing body affiliates NAIA and NCAA Division II.

  • Coached and developed players earning outstanding performance achievement, including an All-AMC North First Team member; seven Second-Team members; ten named Honorable Mention; six named NAIA Scholar Athletes; and 24 players who attained All WVIAC status.

  • Since joining the PSAC, Coach McCarty has coached twenty-two All PSAC selections, fifteen All Region selections, and the PSAC Freshman of the Year.

  • He has also coached two CoSIDA Academic All District selections, two CoSIDA Academic All-American players, and a PSAC Fall Top 10 Honoree.

  • Under his direction, the SHU Men’s Soccer Team qualified for the PSAC playoffs in seven of their eight seasons, and advanced to the Final Four three times (2014, 2016, and 2018).

  • Coach McCarty had seen two of his players sign contracts with teams in the USL and another sign with the CSL.

  • Coach McCarty also has received his NSCAA Premier Coaching License and has enjoyed international coaching debuts in Italy and Canada as a guest coach.

  • Coach McCarty’s personal accomplishments include serving as an Associate Athletic Director for seven years during the transition from NAIA to NCAA at Seton Hill University. He was also named the Head Men’s Golf Coach, utilizing his experience as an assistant golf professional while residing in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s served on multiple university and community steering committees in support of collegiate and community athletics. In recent years, he was an instructor with Seton Hill University’s Sports Management department specializing in Sports Facility Management and Sports Leadership in Coaching courses.

 
 

Don’t limit your challenges.
Challenge your limits.

Our values

  • We seek out innovative methods to improve client performance and teach athletes and coaches to enjoy the process. We expect that there will be obstacles along the way and embrace these challenges – they are opportunities to learn and grow.

  • We are dedicated to supporting the coaching community through mentorship, education, and training. We welcome all levels of experience - whether a seasoned coach, new in your role, or supporting a community recreation program. Side Panel will help you to find your coaching voice, build confidence in your training sessions, and create a caring environment for your athletes.

  • Side Panel will operate from this perspective. We are here to serve our clients with great integrity and honesty. Our goal will be to set an example that demonstrates our love for the game, and one that our student-athletes and coaches can apply to their own development.

  • Side Panel soccer is committed to results. Our objective is to understand your expectations so that we can work together to impact progress and growth. We are confident that through collaboration and communication, we can influence change.