The Virginia native continues her work in the Richmond area developing young goalkeepers.
Richmond, Va. – W League RVA is pleased to announce that Amanda Forester will join the team’s coaching staff as Goalkeeper Coach for the inaugural season. Forester currently serves as Director of Goalkeeping for the Richmond Goalkeeping Academy which she founded in 2008.
“I am very humbled and excited to work with Kimmy, Madeline and our W League RVA coaching staff,” Forester said. “They are some of the best soccer professionals in the Richmond area and I look forward to adding my professional goalkeeping expertise to our culture and training environment. This is going to be a great inaugural season!”
Her coaching career began when she was just 17, when she became the youngest Director of Goalkeeping to be hired at Old Dominion Select Travel Soccer Club in Virginia Beach, VA. From there, she worked with various PDP programs and travel teams with the Roanoke Stars Travel Soccer, Richmond Kickers, FC Richmond, and she offered private coaching throughout the state of Virginia later founding the Richmond Goalkeeping Academy in 2008.
“Amanda [Forester] has an excellent track record of success developing young goalkeepers,” Sporting Director Madeline McCracken said. “She also brings with her a wealth of goalkeeping experience and tremendous soccer insights. I’m thrilled that our players will have the opportunity to work with and learn from her.”
Forester’s player experience includes being a member of the 2003 USL Super Youth League U-18 Hampton Roads Piranhas, the second team to the USL W League team of the same name. The Virginia Beach native helped lead her team to the 2003 USL Super Y League National Finals.
For college soccer, she stayed in her home state and played at Ferrum College.
Forester’s coaching philosophy works to develop complete goalkeepers who are mentally and physically ready to serve as leaders on and off the field and able to step on the field at any moment.
Over the last 19 years, Forester and her staff have coached and mentored goalkeepers to help them move on to every level of collegiate soccer, ECNL, MLS NEXT Academy, Girl’s Academy, semi-professional and professional leagues. She has worked with Samantha Leshnak-Murphy of the North Carolina Courage and she has partnered in coaching with multiple professional goalkeepers including USWNT goalkeeper Casey Murphy.
“I’m thrilled to add Amanda to the coaching staff to work directly with our goalkeepers on a day-to-day basis,” Head Coach Kimmy Cummings said. “Curating an environment that allows our goalkeepers to grow and compete is incredibly important to our overall success as a team. Amanda brings the right level of experience to our staff, and I’m excited for her to hit the ground running!”
Previously, Forester served as the goalkeeping and assistant coach for Marymount University’s women’s and men’s soccer programs from 2020-2021. In July 2021, she became the third woman ever to serve as a goalkeeping coach in NCAA D1 men’s soccer when she joined Longwood University’s men’s soccer staff.
She also worked as the director of goalkeeping for Skyline Elite’s ECNL Boys and Girls Academy in Charlottesville, Va
Forester’s passion for developing and mentoring young leaders in the sports world extends into the greater Richmond community. She has been invited to speak in various settings with both the youth and adults alike to share her background in business development, public speaking, and coaching.
“I am looking forward to bringing a high level and competitive training environment to our goalkeeper union, adding to the culture of the team, and encouraging our goalkeepers to be positive role models.”
