About

Mission Statement:

My goal is to create a strong foundation of positive life skills for children and elite athletes, utilizing a holistic approach. By focusing on psychological and physical development and learning technical and tactical soccer skills, children will develop while having fun!

Summer 2017 D.A. College Pre-Season

Bio

My life experiences and academic preparation lead me to this point. I have worn many hats to get to where I am today, which inspired me to teach, develop, and help guide our next generation into positive role models.

It all began in Colombia, my native country, where I developed the love for the game. Throughout my youth, I played club, and eventually in College. After High School, I joined the US Army, where I learned valuable lessons while deploying to Afghanistan and becoming an Infantry Sergeant. I have been coaching soccer for over ten years, and thorough that time I have coached from 3-years old, up to college level, both boys and girls. I have been a Head Coach for multiple clubs, Middle School, and High School Varsity programs.

I am coaching at Riverhounds with the 09 ECNL & 08 RL teams. Also, I worked with NA Boys High School, where I was named WPIAL coach of the year, and we made the States Quarterfinal. Previously, I lived in Santa Clara, CA, where I coached at De Anza Force and De Anza College as an Assistant Coach for the Men and Women’s program, where I was for six years. So far, my highlight has not necessarily been how good some of my teams have been but the life lessons they learned through soccer and the number of players who moved on to play in College.

When it comes to academics, I earned a BA in Criminal Justice, and Psychology, and a Masters in Kinesiology. I currently hold a “Premier” license from United Soccer Coaches and “C” license from the US Soccer Federation.

I am married to my amazing wife Melissa, and we have a six-year-old called Santiago.

All of my life, coaching, and academic experience, guide my coaching and teaching philosophy. I have found that developing a player to play in College, or winning every game is not how a successful soccer coach should be measured. Instead, it should be the life lessons and development that are taught along the way, while having fun.

Resume

Top-performing coach with a deep understanding of mental conditioning tactics, strategic thinking, and experience in spearheading high-performance teams while maintaining excellent academic scores. Proficient in assessing students’ needs, initiatives to boost performance, and cross-department coordination abilities.

Education and Certifications

  • Fresno Pacific University, CA, M.A. in Kinesiology                                                   (2021)
  • John F. Kennedy University, CA, M.A. in Sport Psychology                                  (2021, Expected)
  • San Francisco State University, CA, B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Criminal Justice     (2014)
  • De Anza College, CA, A.A. in Liberal Arts- Social and Behavioral Science    (2012)
  • United Soccer Coaches “Premier Diploma”, NC                                                     (2018)
  • U.S. Soccer National “C” Long Island, NY                                                               (2023)

Core Skills and Competencies

  • Data-Driven Analysis
  • Strong Interpersonal Skills
  • Results-Oriented
  • Coaching and Mentoring
  • Behavior Management
  • Budget Management
  • Time Management
  • Relationship Development
  • Mental Conditioning
  • Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Staff Development
  • Strategic Planning
  • Recruiting
  • Bilingual & bicultural (English/Spanish)

Professional Accomplishments

  • Developed time management skills in order to prioritize tasks and deliver results with minimal oversight. This required assessing athletes’ performance and developing comprehensive training plans.
  • Leveraged on empathic communications to build rapport with cross-cultural audiences including students from different background to coach and mentor them and provide guidance concerning which College/University met their student-athlete goals.
  • Boosted teams’ productivity by formally acknowledging outstanding performance, monitoring individual and team effectiveness, and recommending improvement to facilitate collaboration. This also involved creating a competitive and nurturing environment to foster technical and tactical development.
  • Was entrusted by my athletes as a role model to orienting them regarding transferring lessons learned on the field and applying them to life.
  • Consistently increased performance by scouting, recruiting, and retaining top-quality talent while lowering turnover rates by successfully completing the recruiting cycle as needed.
  • Lowered organizational risks by ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
  • Capitalize on development and planning leadership skills by creating a challenging environment, keeping players accountable, and promoting a team culture.
  • Guaranteed the continuity of operations by spearheading fundraising initiatives and planning and monitoring the annual budget.
  • Boosted stakeholders’ support and found a consensus by identifying underlying differences and resolving conflicts openly and empathetically.

Professional Experience

  • Riverhounds FC, PA, Head Coach, Girls 09 ECNL, & 08 RL (2022-Present)
  • North Allegheny High School, PA, Varsity Boys Head Coach (2022-Present)
  • De Anza Force, CA, Head Coach, Boys 2010, 2004, 2005                                                (2020 – 2022)
  • De Anza College, CA, Assistant Coach, Men’s Soccer                                         (2016 – 2022)
  • Breakers Academy, CA, Assistant Coach, Boys 2006, 2003, 2002/01         (2019 – 2019)
  • Almaden F. C., CA, Head Coach, Boys 2000/2001, 2002, 2003                      (2016 – 2019)      
  • Westmont High School, Campbell, Head Coach, Men’s Varsity Soccer    (2017 – 2019)
  • Cristo Rey High School, San Jose, Head Coach, Men’s Varsity Soccer      (2016 – 2017)
  • San Jose State University, CA, Mental Cond. Coach, Men’s Soccer and Women’s Softball           (2016 – 2016)    
  • Skyline College, San Bruno, CA, Assistant Coach, Men’s Soccer                 (2015 – 2016)
  • June Jordan High School, CA, Head Coach, Women’s Varsity Soccer        (2013 – 2016)
  • University High School, San Francisco, CA, Mental Cond. Coach, Boys’ Soccer      (2015 – 2015)
  • Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation, Byron, CA, Mental Conditioning Coach Intern   (2015 – 2015)
  • S.F. United, San Francisco, CA, Soccer Coach                                                       (2012 – 2013)
  • California National Guard B. co. 1-184 INF, Dublin, CA, Squad Leader   (2010 – 2014)
  • U.S. ARMY, FT. Lewis, WA, Team Leader                                                              (2007 – 2010)