A prominent coach at the youth levels in the Atlanta area, Justin Rhodes begins his third season on the Clayton State Laker men’s soccer coaching staff.

A veteran of 18 years coaching experience, Rhodes is currently in his fifth year as the coaching director for the Concorde Fire North Soccer Association in the north Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, Ga. Previously, Rhodes has held positions of Executive Director for Diadora United FC in Atlanta for five years, head coach of the Aiken Fire in Aiken, S.C. for five years, and the Director of Coaching for the ISA-CSC in Irmo, S.C., for two years.

Rhodes achieved his best success at the youth level during his five seasons as head coach of the Aiken Fire. During that tenure, the Fire won one national championship and was national runner-up once with two Region III championships. In addition, from 2001-04, Rhodes paced the Fire to four straight South Carolina state championships.

Four current and former Clayton State Lakers – Jordan Gilbert, Marquinctez Jackson, Jamal Geathers and Mike Gustavson – played for Rhodes with the Fire. Overall, 18 of Rhodes’ players at the youth level have gone on to play collegiate soccer at the NCAA Division I level.

A native of Richburg, N.Y., Rhodes served in the United States Marine Corps from 1989-1994, where he played for the Marines Soccer Team. He has earned his NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Advanced National License.