UIC Athletics

A key contributor on some of the most prolific UIC men's soccer teams in program history, Charlie Trout has returned to his alma mater and is in his first year as Director of Student-Athlete Development for the Flames. In that role, he contributes to match scouting, strategy and analytics, along with additional planning related to individual and team skill development.

Trout rejoined the Flames Family after most recently spending the past year as the individual player development coach on the Chicago Fire Academy coaching staff during the 2024-25 MLS NEXT season. While there, Trout worked with the Academy's five age-level squads, ranging from Under-13 up to Under-18 teams. In addition, he has coached with Chicago United FC and co-founded (with UIC associate head coach Aleksey Korol) Fundamental Futbol, which provides supplemental training to club players.

Trout enjoyed a successful tenure as head coach of the Puerto Rico National Team, helping that side to runner-up finishes in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminary stage, as well as the 2023-24 and 2024-25 CONCACAF National League B competitions. In addition, Trout helped guide Puerto Rico to the second round of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and finished just one point shy of advancing to the final stage of World Cup qualifying. Prior to his head coaching role with the Puerto Rico National Team, Trout served as an assistant with the commonwealth's U20 team from 2021-23. 

From 2007-09, Trout appeared in 59 matches as a midfielder for UIC, helping the Flames reach the 2007 NCAA Elite Eight and 2008 NCAA Sweet Sixteen. He scored 12 goals and added 12 assists during his three seasons, during which UIC won the 2007 Horizon League Tournament title and the 2008 Horizon League regular-season championship. He remained with the program as a senior in 2010, serving as an undergraduate student assistant on current head coach Sean Phillips' first staff at UIC.

Early in his playing career, Trout trained in the youth systems with one of England's top clubs, Leeds United. He later signed with Lincoln City FC on an apprenticeship and also played with Gainsborough Trinity in England's Conference North, but his playing career was cut short by a series of injuries.

A native of Nottingham, England, Trout holds UEFA and US Soccer "B" licenses. He resides in Chicago.