"Coach Birdsong, originally from Winston Salem, began his coaching career in 2009 with the High Country Soccer Association (HCSA Boone NC) and the North Carolina Olympic Development Program (NC ODP), where he gained valuable experience coaching youth players of all ages. In 2011, he became an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team at Appalachian State University. By 2012, while earning his master's degree, Ben had taken over as head coach of the women’s soccer program at Shorter University (NCAA Division II), where he led the team to its most successful season in program history in 2014, achieving 14 wins and earning NCCAA Region Coach of the Year honors. In 2016, he also took charge of the men’s soccer program at Shorter, guiding them to a 2^nd place finish in the Gulf South Conference, their best finish in school history.

In fall 2016, Ben moved back to Boone NC and to HCSA as a Technical director, where he recruited and trained coaches, coached teams of all ages, and helped players navigate the college recruiting process. In 2017 he Took over as the Director of Coaching. He holds a USSF National “B” License (2014), a National Youth License, and a USC Advanced National Diploma.

At Calvary Day School, Ben’s focus is on developing young women who recognize that their true identity is found in Christ. He is passionate about helping players grow spiritually as well as athletically, guiding them to become faith-centered individuals both on and off the field.  Ben married his wife, Marianna, in 2016. Marianna played four years of college soccer at Lenoir-Rhyne University and is now a Physical Therapist. Their daughter, Lynlee, is in kindergarten, and their son, Thomas, is in preschool at Calvary. They moved back to Winston Salem in 2020 and are excited to be a part of the Calvary Family!"

Coach Hales is from Youngsville, North Carolina and attended Friendship Christian School in Raleigh, NC. There he played 3 years of varsity basketball, baseball, and soccer. He had the pleasure of being part of 3 state baseball championship teams, was 2nd team all-state in basketball, and was named most-improved in basketball and soccer. He went on to play 4 years of basketball at Piedmont Bible College. From 1993 to 1996, he coached basketball at Sheets Memorial Christian School as the head JV coach and varsity assistant. He began his career at Calvary with the varsity boy’s soccer team in 2011 as assistant to his brother-in-law, Jeremy Pattisall. He continued from 2012 to the present, assisting Coach Kerth with both varsity boys and varsity girls. He has also been the head coach of JV boys soccer and middle school teams during this time. In 2014, he earned his E license. In 2021, along with Coach Kerth, Coach Hales shared the excitement of winning their first State Championship! They are excited about the future of Calvary soccer. He married his wife, Joy, in 1995 and proceeded to have a daughter, Corban, and a son, Lucas. Corban was born medically fragile and passed away at the age of 14. The Calvary soccer players and families honored her by placing a memorial bench at the field that the players touch before each game. Coach Hales’s first soccer coaching experience was with his 3 year old son at the YMCA. Lucas later played for NC Fusion Development Academy where Coach Hales was team manager for many years. In 2021, he was the game day announcer for the NC Fusion U23 USL team that Lucas played with. The only time Coach Hales is willing to miss a Calvary soccer game is when he is watching Lucas play at Coastal Carolina University. The primary goal of Coach Hales at Calvary is to train godly young men and women and help them understand their identity is in Christ.

Coach Lucas is in his 3rd season as an assistant coach at Calvary. He brings a vast amount of soccer IQ and personal playing experience. He attended Calvary his seventh grade year, played on the Varsity team, and scored a goal vs Davidson Day under the coaching of Ben Kerth. Lucas then chose to play in the US Soccer Development Academy rather than school soccer. After high school, he initially committed to play for Appalachian State but when the soccer program was shut down, he went to play at Coastal Carolina University in SC. During his time there, Coastal won a Sunbelt championship and advanced to the NCAA playoffs where they played Wake Forest. Lucas transferred to UNCG in 2022 where he finished his career. While there, UNCG won a Socon Championship and made it to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament. During his college career he was invited to play semi pro with the Fusion u23s for 3 seasons where he excelled at a high level with his team making the quarterfinal and the final out of 132 teams. Lucas has played with and against multiple players who went on to professional careers. Lucas will graduate in December with a degree in Psychology. In August, he married the love of his life, Julianna, a talented graphic artist. 

Elizabeth Urbanek was born in Winston-Salem but grew up in Powhatan, Virginia. She has always loved sports and competed in gymnastics throughout her childhood. While attending Richmond Christian School in middle and high school, she cheered and played soccer, serving as captain of both sports for three years. She continued her athletic interests at Gordon College through intramural sports. Elizabeth began her coaching career during high school as a gymnastics coach at Richmond Olympiad. She ran Iron Rail Gymnastics Academy in Wenham, MA following her graduation at Gordon College. 

After college, Elizabeth worked at Landmark School in Manchester, MA and received her Master of Education in Moderate Special Needs from Simmons College. Elizabeth now lives in Clemmons with her husband and three children, all of whom attend Calvary. 

Elizabeth is an upper school social studies teacher at Calvary and is excited to contribute to the athletic program as an assistant soccer coach. She is passionate about women's involvement in sports and believes athletics provides an opportunity to develop female leadership. She is excited to encourage spiritual growth and character development in student athletes here at Calvary.