Local Leadership Information

Rian Heim (Owner & Director) & Alyssa Heim (Owner & Director)
rian@soccershots.org
alyssa@soccershots.org

Soccer Shots is owned and directed by Rian Heim and his wife Alyssa. Their passion for soccer and working with youth was their motivation for bringing Soccer Shots to Los Angeles. 2012 marks the fifth year that they have been running Soccer Shots here in Los Angeles.

Rian is the Director of the Soccer Shots Los Angeles program. He began playing soccer when he was five years old and is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association. Prior to Soccer Shots, Rian successfully established a design and branding firm. In doing so, he has refined his customer service skills, listening skills and attention to detail. You can expect the same professional work ethic with Soccer Shots! His passion for soccer and working with youth was his motivation for bringing Soccer Shots to Los Angeles. Rian also enjoys spending time with his family, reading and playing poker.

Alyssa is the Director of the Soccer Shots Los Angeles program. She is a native of Southern California and a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association. Alyssa holds her California Teaching Credential. Alyssa loves spending time with her family, reading and shopping!

Together with their team of excellent coaches and managers they make every effort to deliver a solid program that children, parents, and schools will benefit from and enjoy. Rian and Alyssa currently live in Playa Del Rey with their one and a half year old son Charlie and dog Buddy.

“We believe it is important that all children have a positive first experience with organized sports. Our goal is simple: to leave a lasting, positive impact on every child we serve.”

Research shows that children who are exposed to the joy and benefits of an active lifestyle at an early age are more likely to develop healthy habits that they carry with them as adults.

Our innovative curriculum extends beyond physical activity to incorporate values like respect, sharing, teamwork, encouragement and cooperation. The enhancement of a child’s coordination, balance and agility is often seen immediately, but it is the building blocks being created for a life long love of sports that have the strongest impact. In each 35-40 minute class, experienced and enthusiastic instructors focus on having fun while guiding children through imaginative games that teach basic soccer skills. Our instructors are energetic and enthusiastic, are great teachers, and love working with children.

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Ali Lawson (Assistant Director)
Soccer Shots Los Angeles Office
Ali is a native Oregonian who has recently relocated to Southern California. She brings with her a diverse range of experiences. Some of her favorites were when she traveled the world as a Corporate Flight Attendant. She also earned her degree in psychology which she believes has helped her to become the well rounded person she is today.

Through life experiences, Ali has developed the tools to deal with whatever comes her way. She embraces life’s challenges and looks forward to the future. She is thrilled to be employed with Soccer Shots and can’t wait to work with everyone, including parents, school staff, coaches and of course, the kids.

She enjoys many sports, including soccer and loves working with and being around kids.

“I find it so rewarding to see kids having fun playing while increasing their fitness levels. That’s one of the great things about kids, they don’t know that they’re actually getting a work out, because they’re too busy just having fun.”

She feels that their energy and zest for life is infectious, which is a great reminder to not take yourself or life too seriously.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé Neil and hiking with their Mini Australian Shepard, Maile.

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Coach Andy Baena (Assistant Director of Coaching & New Business Development (Leagues/Partnerships/Bilingual Programs) & Lead Coach)
Soccer Shots Los Angeles Office
Originally from Manizales, Colombia, Andres "Andy" Baena has lived in California since the tender age of three. He remembers watching his father play soccer and it was then that his passion for the sport was born.

At the age of five, Andy started what would be his soccer career. By the time he reached high school, he was a part of several nationwide traveling teams. He then continued to play for two years at Los Angeles Mission College which led to being part of the first team in 2003 to be honored by the Western State Conference.

At this point in his life, Andy turned his attention to developing strong soccer players, spending time educating and physically training them.

In early 2012, Coach Andy took on the role of Assistant Director of Coaching as well as the responsibility to further develop partnerships with popular leagues, clubs, and bilingual programs in the local Los Angeles soccer world.

With several years of personal and professional experience in youth soccer development, Andy is looking forward to contributing and acquiring knowledge.

"I believe that positive youth development is extremely important to making the future a better place to live in."

He also worked at a soccer store with almost 10 years of experience helping players from age two and up making sure they have all the right equipment to maximize their soccer skills.

Great friendships, discipline, and the meaning of hard work on and off the field are all lessons soccer has taught him. He enjoys helping children start their soccer experience in a fun, positive and healthy environment.

Andy now plays soccer for fun and is happy to be a part of the Soccer Shots team. 

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Coach Amanda Rosellini (Intern & Westside/South Bay Coach)
Soccer Shots Los Angeles Office
Amanda recently graduated from Simi Valley High School in 2011 and started at Santa Monica College as a communication major. She has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old and has continued to love it more and more through the years. She began playing for a competitive club team when she was 12 years old where they ended up coming in second in the National Cup.

She is the oldest of four children in her family and has always loved kids. Amanda is truly excited to join Soccer Shots. She feels the idea of teaching children the fundamentals of soccer is so exciting!

Currently, she is on the SMC team and hopes to transfer to a four year college and continue playing. In addition to soccer, Amanda enjoys running, hiking, surfing and basically anything that gets her outside.

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Directors/Area Managers/Instructors
Soccer Shots’ outstanding crew of instructors consists of local college soccer players, and other highly qualified and motivated soccer coaches. Their #1 goal is to ensure your child is having a good and safe time all the while learning basic soccer skills, coordination, agility, teamwork, fair play, and respect. Soccer Shots is fully licensed and insured. All of our instructors have completed full background checks with the state of California. 

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Coach Paul Parzik (West San Fernando Valley Director & Coach) soccershotssfv@gmail.com
Paul brings 25 years of experience working with children in sports and recreation for organizations including non-profit organizations, public schools and with the Disney Company. Additionally, he also operates a robust children’s party entertainment company with his wife. During Paul’s career his certifications have included youth sports coach and personal trainer and his lifetime of experience coaching youth soccer for preschoolers and older children began in 1986!

After the birth of his second son five years ago and following the acquisition of two additional party companies, Paul resigned from his role as an Executive Director with the YMCA to spend more time with family and with the family businesses. With his youngest son beginning kindergarten he took on a part time management role as Coordinator of the Topanga youth sports program in 2009 involving 200 children ages 3 to 13 in various sports including a rapidly growing soccer program in which he continues to coach several teams each season.

With a diverse and enriching body of experience well suited to coaching and working with young children, Paul began coaching for Soccer Shots at the beginning of 2010. His experience with sports and working with children has been a great match!

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Coach Adam Marino (Area Manager & Coach)
As a native Californian, Adam brings to Soccer Shots the most important component for your children’s success...Passion.

His passion for travel, soccer, education and working with children make him a perfect fit with Soccer Shots. Starting in 2004 and continuing to the present, Adam has traveled to over 25 countries on three different continents. But it was his six months in South America that changed his life. Working with local and very small communities, he truly saw the importance of education and soccer in providing a positive foundation for families.

He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in History and went on further to obtain his Masters Degree in Education from UCLA. Since 2009, Adam has worked in public schools teaching grades 6th through 12th and coaches his niece’s under 6 soccer team. He expands his passion and skills for teaching into every child he coaches.

With his diverse background, Adam looks to spread the name of Soccer Shots, and bring the program to grade school age children throughout Los Angeles. “I feel very fortunate to be able to bring my love of soccer and teaching to the Soccer Shots team. My philosophy in life is to find your passion and give everything you have to make that passion a reality.” From this philosophy, Adam strives to ensure that his students and players practice honesty, perseverance, teamwork, and patience. Above everything else, he aims to have kids understand and embrace these beliefs.

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Coach Alyssa McGarigal (San Fernando Valley Coach)
Alyssa came to Los Angeles more than 2 years ago from the East Coast, with a lifelong love for soccer and passion for working with kids!

For as long as she can remember, soccer has been important to her. Playing on travel teams coached by her Dad, junior high and high school teams, she gained experience and appreciation for sports and exercise. Hiking and running a few road races each season are two of Coach Alyssa’s favorite hobbies since playing intramural soccer, and running Cross Country and Track in college. She also enjoys cheering on the United States and Major League Soccer teams when she can!

Currently attending Loyola Marymount University for a Masters degree in School Counseling, making a difference for kids has always been a part of Alyssa’s life. She has been a Big Sister, for Big Brothers Big Sisters and worked as a Behavior Therapist for children with developmental disorders.

Alyssa is excited to be a part of the Soccer Shots team and share her love of soccer, positivity, and belief in teaching social skills in a fun and engaging way.

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Coach Alia Jamison-Dinowitz (San Fernando Valley Coach)
Alia was born in the San Fernando Valley and has been playing soccer ever since she was 4 years old. She began her soccer career at AYSO and quickly became known as a “speedster” because of her agility on the soccer field. Alia has played on a variety of all star teams and loves to play soccer every chance she can get.

Alia comes from a sports household as both her mom and dad have coached a variety of sports team from toddlers to high school, so Alia likes to employ some of their coaching styles into their own.

As a recent graduate from UCLA, Alia wanted to find a way to give back to the community. She has worked with the SAPESS program at CSUN for 2 years as a TA. With her nice and charming personality, she is well-liked and the students come to her with problems. She is volunteering right now at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center while pursuing her masters in nursing. Alia is thrilled to be a part of the Soccer Shots team.

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Coach Ryan Rodriguez (San Fernando Valley Coach)

 

 

 

 

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Coach Lindsay Minter (San Fernando Valley Coach)
Soccer is a huge part of Lindsay’s life. She has been playing since she was six years old and started playing club soccer at the age of 10. Her club team was even seventh in the nation and second in the state at one point.

Lindsay also has a desire to help others. She graduated last spring from UCSD with a degree in Psychology and she currently runs grief groups for children in the San Fernando Valley at Our House Grief Support Center. She has a lot of volunteer experience, such as teaching Vacation Bible School, organizing UCSD’s Relay For Life and working in an Autism Lab at UCSD.

She enjoys being around kids and cannot wait to teach them about the sport she loves so much.

She enjoys being a part of a team and that love followed her into varsity soccer at Louisville High School. As the captain, she was talking to division 1 college coaches about playing at their schools when in a preseason high school game she tore her ACL. Her desire to play didn’t fade; after rehab, she joined the club soccer team at UC San Diego only to tear her ACL again. She went through another long process of physical therapy so she could continue to play the sport she loves. She now enjoys playing pick-up with her friends and is currently on an indoor soccer team. She also just finished her first season as the assistant varsity soccer coach at Louisville High School.

Lindsay’s goal is to be a social worker and she is currently waiting to hear back from graduate schools. With her desire to help and love for kids and soccer, Lindsay is very excited to be a part of Soccer Shots!

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Coach Matthew Wong (Westside/Los Angeles/Hollywood Area Manager & Coach)
soccershotsla@gmail.com
Matthew's passion for soccer began at the age of five. Recognizing his talent, coaches throughout Central Jersey hand- picked him for traveling teams up until High School. One of the chosen few, he played 4 years of Varsity, was voted captain and named MVP two years in a row. Winning two Central Jersey State Championships back to back, Matthew was awarded First Team All State. In college he continued playing on a recreational level and continues his love for soccer.

In 1993, after graduating with his business degree from The University of Virginia (McIntire School of Commerce, Class of '91) he established his own fitness and wellness company. He catered to New York City's elite, where he trained CEO's and their families. The focus was on creating healthy lifestyles that integrated the mind body and spirit. He also consulted for Mens Health Magazine ensuring that all photographed exercises were done in proper form.

Matthew is very family oriented and works closely with his Sister Jennifer and his Mother Gayook. In 1998, the three created a family wellness business in Hawaii teaching children and their families Swing Dance as a vehicle to learn leadership, communication, team building and overall wellness skills. They were written up in numerous magazines, newspapers and were seen on television interviews/commercials.

Today, Matthew brings his love of soccer, his expertise in fitness and his commitment to working with children/families to Soccer Shots where he creates a fun, safe yet disciplined environment for children to learn what he thinks is the greatest sport in the world, SOCCER!

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Coach Karthik Srinivasan (Westside/Los Angeles Coach)
Born and raised in New Delhi, India, Karthik (or "Coach K" as he is fondly called by the kids) started playing both soccer and cricket at the age of 4. As the years went by, cricket was to play second fiddle to his love of soccer, which remains true to this day.

After finishing up his Electrical Engineering Degree at Virginia Tech, he worked as a Systems Engineer while pursuing his love for filmmaking/acting. Since moving to LA in 2010, he has had a chance to act in multiple plays, shoot commercials for Teen Nickelodeon and Coca Cola, and make his foray into the voiceover industry by recording an audiobook.

Despite other interests, his passion for soccer remains the oldest and is still going strong. Having played for his school team in India, he continued that tradition after moving to the US at the age of 13, and has since played at high school and travel levels, at the collegiate club level at Virginia Tech, as well as for Division 1 teams in the Northern Virginia Soccer League. Karthik currently plays as a striker for FC Silverlake, a top division team in Cal South's LA Parks & Rec league, and is very excited to join the Soccer Shots family!

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Coach David Bensimon (Los Angeles/Hollywood/San Fernando Valley Coach)
Hailing from Boca Raton, Florida, David fondly remembers running onto the soccer field at age 6 for his very first game. Above all other team sports, soccer has had the biggest impact on his youth, building a foundation for team work, physical fitness, and camaraderie. Since then David has continued his devotion to soccer while bridging out to other athletic arenas such as Boxing, Wrestling, and Martial arts. His interest and knowledge are in sport specific training, sports nutrition, and body conditioning.

In the past four years David has instructed youth ages 3-15 in a variety of kid designed athletic arenas. His training program emphasize balance, coordination, and speed all of which improve motor function while maximizing fun, fun and more fun. Now at soccer shots, David is delighted to introduce a new generation of kids to a nourishing, exciting, and safe environment for the greatest game ever played...soccer.

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Coach Kristin Winn (Westside/Los Angeles Coach)
Kristin Winn was born in Vallejo, Ca. and moved to Los Angeles with her family at the age of 12. Kristin cannot remember a time in her life that she was not in tune with sports and is considered the tomboy of her family, which consists of 8 siblings, 6 girls and 3 boys. A fond memory of Kristin’s was looking up to her athletic brothers and watching football, soccer, baseball and track with them on Sundays.

Kristin began her sports foundation in high school and played volleyball and softball at Westchester High School. In 2003, she went on to attend college at California State University Northridge where she learned how to play soccer leisurely. She holds a degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Physical Education and absolutely loves training children through sports.

In 2007, Kristin began coaching a plethora of sports including basketball, softball and volleyball to elementary aged children in the San Fernando Valley. Through her coaching career, Kristin has been fortunate to both familiarize herself with coaching as well as fulfill her love for teaching children sports.

2011 is Kristin’s first year working with Soccer Shots. Through coaching, she hopes to motivate children to continue playing soccer for a lifetime as well as aid in building their self confidence.

During her free time, you can find Kristin hiking with her friends, exploring multi-cultural festivals with her sisters, challenging herself at the gym or reading fitness articles.

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Coach Mallory Nelson (Westside/South Bay Coach)
Mallory was born and raised in beautiful Seattle, Washington and moved to the Los Angeles area just over a year ago to pursue a career as a school counselor. Growing up, Mallory spent the majority of her time on the soccer field, traveling with her premier soccer team competing in tournaments all over the country and winning many Washington State Championships. Off the soccer field, Mallory developed other passions for horseback riding, running, college football, and most importantly, working with children of all ages and abilities as a nanny, soccer coach, and special needs therapist.

A University of Washington graduate and currently attending Loyola Marymount University for a Masters degree in Counseling, Mallory cannot wait to complete graduate school and start making a difference in the lives of her future students. Mallory is thrilled to be a part of the Soccer Shots teams and be able to combine two of her passions in life: soccer and working with kids!

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Coach Amy Monfort (South Bay Area Manager & Coach)
soccershotssouthbay@gmail.com
Amy has had a continued interest in the sport of soccer since she was just 4 years old. She has played in numerous all-star soccer teams as well as playing on the Varsity team for her high school, Redondo Union High School. Growing up in the South Bay, Amy has always had an interest in helping her community. She spent 12 years working with children at the local Elementary schools. She also worked in the Recreation Department for the City of Redondo Beach where she was involved in their After School Playground Program. Amy also spent her free time in the After School Enrichment Program of her home town, Manhattan Beach.

In addition to sports, Amy is also very interested in wellness and nutrition. After graduating from The South Bay Massage College, she pursued a career in Massage Therapy, specializing in Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage. She gained experience by working with various chiropractors and the Equinox Fitness Club in Palos Verdes. In addition Amy currently runs a mobile spa servicing the South Bay to ensure that people receive the true benefits massage bring to health and wellness. Family and friends have always been a big part of Amy's life. She enjoys spending time with her 9 year old son, Caleb and looks forward to continue sharing her love of sports with him.

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 Coach Phil Bendik (South Bay Coach)
Coach Phil is delighted to join the Soccer Shots team. 

With over 20 years of youth sports coaching and mentoring, he is excited to share is experience and help mold the young lives of today so that they can become confident future leaders. 

His passion for working with youth programs was realized years ago when he began working with the Torrance Recreation Department. He has enjoyed supervising sports programs, summer camps and even teaching pre-school! There’s no doubt that his time spent working with kids helped prepare him for fatherhood as he is a proud Dad to four wonderful children. Ranging in ages from 15 to 5, he spends as much time as possible playing, listening and laughing (the list could go on and on) with his kids.

When not on the field or spending time with his family, Phil enjoys classic movies, reading and witty conversation. In 2001, he caught the triathlon bug and soon after, completed his first Ironman in Coeur d’Alene, ID. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University and is in the process of beginning his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.

Thankful for the many opportunities and accomplishments that have come his way, Coach Phil is truly inspired by the success of others.

“There is no greater feeling than watching someone else cross that finish line and accomplishing their goals.”

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Coach Lindsay Munce (South Bay Coach)
Lindsey grew up within a household surrounded by sports and fell in love with the game of soccer when she was 8 years old. Whether playing alongside her father, winning trophies with her team or simply trying to keep up with her older brother she knew at a young age that soccer would always be a part of her life.

While attending the University of Oregon, Lindsey participated and helped lead a summer program for kids on military bases around the world. This program ignited a passion for not only working with children but culture and travel as well. Since then, she has lived and/or studied in It