Winston Williams has been named the new girls’ soccer coach at Morgan Academy.

Williams confirmed that he’d be coaching the Senators Friday afternoon. Williams will be the fourth different coach of the team in four years. The team was coached last year by Larry Poe.

“Soccer is my game, but my passion is people. My reason for everything I do as a Christian is to change lives and I use soccer as the incentive,” Williams said.

Williams, the pastor at Water Avenue Baptist Church, is experienced as a soccer coach. He started the Concordia College Alabama soccer program in 1998 and stayed at the school until 2005. Williams also said he helped start the soccer program at Marion Military Institute years later before returning to Concordia for one year.

In the last few years, he’s worked toward starting a soccer academy in Selma. Last year, he invited Selma native Mia Hamm, one of the most accomplished women’s soccer players in United States history, back for a fundraiser at the George P. Evans Reception Hall.

The academy has started, although he said it’s in a “different dimension” than originally planned. The academy had three teams this year, a sixth grade team at the School of Discovery and a third and fifth grade team in Camden.

“They are mostly learning the game,” Winston said.

Morgan Academy will play its first game of the year on Feb. 7. Williams said the team held its first practice of the year Thursday afternoon. The Senators had 12 players at the first practice, but he was hoping to have several other players join practices in the coming days.