Three new Cincinnati United Premier Girls Assistant Directors hired

(Via Cincinnati United) – Cincinnati United has announced the addition of Tommy Spijkers, Nicki Pendleton Skylis and Erin Mikula as CUP Girls Assistant Directors.

Spijkers will lead the CUP North U11-U13 Girls program. In addition, Spijkers will assume the role of Assistant Director of Coaching Education for the entire CUP Girls program. A native of Holland, Spijkers has more than 17 years of youth and professional coaching experience in Europe and the United States. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, a UEFA B license, and a USSF Director of Coaching Diploma. He currently coaches the club’s 08 North II and 05 Gold teams.

Skylis will lead the CUP South U11-U13 Girls program. Her extensive player resume includes professional W-league soccer with the TC Stars, experience as a four-year starter and senior captain at Ohio University, and a National Championship at the youth level. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and a minor in Coaching and a USSF Director of Coaching Diploma, and is in the process of completing her USSF C License. Skylis has spent the last six years as the Head Women’s Varsity Coach for Turpin HS, and she currently coaches the 07 CUP South I & II teams.

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Mikula will work alongside both other Girls Directors to ensure continuity, to improve the transition of CU players into the CUP program and to unify the entire CUP girls program. Mikula has been coaching locally for many years and brings great experience to the CUP Girls program. She won back to back National Championships in 2008 and 2009 as a player at the University of North Carolina, where she later served as an assistant coach to Anson Dorrance in 2010. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science and a USSF Director of Coaching Diploma, and is in the process of completing her USSF C license. Mikula currently coaches the 06 CUP South II team and will also coach the 08 North I team in the spring.

In addition to his role of overseeing the entire CUP Girls programming, CUP Girls Director Jon Pickup will also lead the U14 and above programs.

The CUP Girls program has a long history of successfully developing players and teams in the Cincinnati and surrounding communities. In 2017, the CUP U-17 Girls won a US Youth National Championship, and CUP boasts the most girls’ State Cup titles in Ohio South history. CUP Girls teams have won multiple Regional and National League championships.