Meet The Coaches

Coach Kelly is currently a senior at West Chester University where she is studying for a Marketing degree. She grew up in Springfield, PA where she played numerous sports, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis and ran track and field. Throughout her college career, Coach Kelly has babysat for multiple families while also working at a gym daycare. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her parents and older sister and vacationing at their shore house in Sea Isle.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Midfield

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: The Pirate Game

Fun Fact: Coach Kelly’s favorite soccer team to watch is the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL

Coach Michael is originally from Bethlehem, PA where he grew up playing baseball and basketball.  He is currently a senior at Cabrini University where he is studying for a degree in Business Management with a Minor in Finance.  In his free time, he enjoys playing the guitar and video games! He also enjoys vacationing in Ocean City, New Jersey every summer!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Midfield

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Volcanoes

Fun Fact: Coach Michael has 3 first names in his full name!

Coach Molly has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old, and has played on numerous teams, holding the role as a center defender. She was very fortunate to get the opportunity to play both soccer and basketball at the collegiate level for DIII Marian University in Wisconsin. She graduated with a degree in Forensic Science minoring in both Biology and Chemistry, and is currently pursuing her master’s in organizational leadership at Eastern University. At Eastern, Coach Molly also is an Assistant Coach with their Women’s Soccer program. In addition to coaching, Molly will be helping evaluate current coaches to make sure we’re delivering the best as well as helping train new coaches!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Outside midfield (you get to be apart of the attack- something you don’t often get to do as a center back!)

Favorite Soccer Shots game: The Hungry Bear

Fun Fact: Coach Molly loves watersports and is a certified Paddle Board instructor!

Matt is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served 10 years in the service. A sports related injury took Matt out of the game he loved playing so Matt turned to coaching to ensure his passion for the game is passed on to other athletes. Matt recently completed his Master of Science degree in Recreation and Sports Science with a concentration in Soccer Coaching and has started his Doctoral of Education degree in Sports and Performance Psychology with a concentration Positive Leadership and Administration in January 2017. Matt has been coaching or teaching youth athletes for the past 6 years at many different ages. Matt always strives to put the person before the player and brings a scientific approach to player development. In addition to coaching, Matt will be helping evaluate current coaches to make sure we’re delivering the best as well as helping train new coaches!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Right Fullback

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: “What Time is it Mr. Fox”

Fun Fact: Coach Matt sang in his high school choir!

Coach Ashton is from Princeton, New Jersey and has played soccer her whole life. Coach Ashton played for numerous teams growing up, including indoor soccer and futsal teams. At The Hun School Of Princeton, she was captain of the varsity girls’ soccer team and went on to play for NCAA DIII Bryn Mawr College. Further, Coach Ashton had the pleasure of coaching girls’ soccer at Millburn High School. She adores educating youth as she was a Kindergarten Teacher prior to attending Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law where she will receive her J.D. in 2019. During each Soccer Shots’ session, Coach Ashton seeks to create a safe and nurturing environment where children can develop skills and become passionate about playing soccer. In addition to coaching, Ashton will be helping evaluate current coaches to make sure we’re delivering the best as well as helping train new coaches!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Center Midfielder

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Volcanoes

Fun Fact: Coach Ashton also played lacrosse and basketball for NCAA DIII Bryn Mawr College.

Coach Julia grew up in Walt Disney World’s backyard in Orlando, Florida. She was six when she began playing soccer and where she went on to play at North Greenville University. She studied English because she loves reading and writing stories. Lots of people ask her is she plays basketball because she’s so tall, but she likes soccer too much to play another sport. When she was 13, Julia started coaching with her dad, and she loves helping others learn the game. She loves telling stories, being outside and singing Disney songs at the top of her lungs! In addition to coaching, Julia will be helping evaluate current coaches to make sure we’re delivering the best as well as helping train new coaches!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite position: Defense

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Shooting Stars

Fun Fact: During hurricanes in Florida, Julia used to go outside and pretend she was talking about the weather on the news!

Coach Eric started playing soccer at age 10 and loves that it is an outside-sport! Coach Eric is currently attending West Chester University in pursue of becoming a Health and Physical Education Teacher. Coach Eric loves to inspire young kids to believe they can achieve anything they put their minds to. He also loves to travel and experience new cultures.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Midfielder – (You get to have the best of both worlds)

Fun Fact: Coach Eric has floated in the Dead Sea!

Coach Michele has been playing soccer since the age of four, and was a captain of Abington High School’s varsity team. Her favorite team is ACF Fiorentina, from Florence, Italy. She has a background in psychology, and is a big fan of sports as a way to build life skills! When she’s not coaching, Michele writes and performs stand up comedy around Philadelphia.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Right Midfield

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Volcanoes Game!

Fun Fact: Michele has played the viola at Carnegie Hall.

Coach Walter hails from Argentina and is very passionate about the sport of soccer and children. To Walter, soccer meant playing everyday in recess, at school, every afternoon, and every time he saw a ball. Most importantly, soccer has been the reason he has met his best friends. Walter still remembers the days he played until there was no sunlight and didn’t not know who was winning the game. At the end of the day someone would ask: “Who is winning?” Nobody would know the answer but whoever scored the last goal would win! Walter wishes every child could experience soccer in the way he did in his native Argentina. This is why Walter loves being a part of the Soccer Shots team. Walter works as an Orientation and Mobility Instructor for Families with Children who have Visual Impairments or are Blind Under Three Years of Age at the Overbrook School for the Blind.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Striker

Fun Fact: Each year the POSB (Principals of Schools for the Blind) organization recognizes the contributions of remarkable individuals from around the nation who work with students with visual impairments through the annual POSB awards program. Walter was selected as the recipient of the 2016 Outstanding Provider of Outreach Services award!

Coach Liz started playing soccer at the age of 5 for Haverford Township. She also played field hockey, since field hockey and soccer are during the same season she picked to play field hockey competitively. From there, she played pick up soccer in college and then at YSC in the coed soccer league. When she is not busy playing soccer, softball, or field hockey, she is busy teaching in the classroom. Hopefully one day, she will be able to coach soccer as an after-school club at the elementary level.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Defense

Fun Fact: Coach Liz loves Belle from Beauty and the Beast

Coach Olivia is currently a student at West Chester University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in African American Studies and Youth Empowerment/Urban Studies. Olivia fell in love with soccer at a very young age and her favorite National Teams to watch are Colombia, Brazil and Mexico. She always worked multiple jobs throughout high school and college, but never enjoyed any work as much as when her work got to focus on child care. When childcare can be combined with sports, she finds it even more rewarding! She enjoys running, doing yoga, weight lifting and following professional basketball and football in her free time. Traveling is a big passion of Coach Olivia’s. She’s been to many different countries – some even on her own!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Midfield

Fun Fact: Coach Olivia displaced the retina in her right eye on two separate occasions while playing soccer in high school! She also has a pit-bull named Lilo!

Coach Alondra started playing soccer around the age of 8. She is currently working on getting her bachelors from Eastern University in Criminal Justice in hope to work with law enforcement and immigration. During the soccer offseason at Eastern, she even played semi-pro soccer! She often travels to Guatemala to visit her family and loves exploring new places!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Midfield

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Catch the wild zoo animals!

Fun Fact: Coach Alondra is bilingual. She speaks English and Spanish fluently!

Coach Noah grew up in Stockton, New Jersey and fell in love with soccer at 5 years old. He played in middle school through high school and continued on to play club at Ithaca College. Noah has played competitively for many years and you can still find him playing in many adult leagues in the area.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Midfield

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Dribble gates. It teaches honesty and improves their dribbling and change of direction skills.

Fun Fact: Noah has a twin sister!

Coach Matt grew up in Havertown Pennsylvania where he grew up playing soccer from grade school, through to high school. Matt is currently enrolled in West Chester University getting his 2nd undergraduate degree in K-12 Health and Physical Education.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Right Full Back

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Snowman Game

Fun Fact: Coach Matt used to make pizza in a pizzeria and loves to make mac and cheese!

Coach Lauren has been playing soccer since the age of 5 for Harleysville and Towamencin soccer leagues. She would still love to play today but education is very important to me. She plans to go to West Chester University in the fall of 2017 to finish my degree in early education and get a minor is special needs as well. I love to teach children and watch them grow as an individual.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Striker

Favorite Soccer Game: Treasure Hunt

Fun Fact: Coach Lauren enjoys baking and cooking in her spare time. She also enjoys going down to Wildwood NJ with her family.

Coach Darren grew up playing soccer in South Africa and has had a passion for it since he was a kid. When moving to America, soccer became the bridge of cultures for Darren as he played through high school on numerous teams. He now enjoys watching soccer, playing FIFA and of course coaching for soccer shots! If Coach Darren had to describe himself as a cereal box, it would be Cap’n Crunch because of his ultimate dream of owning a pirate ship and sailing across the ocean!

FUN FACT:
His favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip!

Coach Patricia is fondly known as “Coach P”. Her motto is “Kids MUST have fun”. When she is on the field with her soccer shots kids, one wonders who is having more fun- the kids or the coach! Coach P loves kids and loves soccer. “Coaching kids in soccer is the best of both worlds and the elixir of youth” she says. When Coach P is not on the field coaching soccer, she is at a soccer field somewhere cheering-on her children as they play soccer.

FUN FACT: Coach P loves music, dancing and good food!

Ed is a former Health and Physical Education teacher who enjoys coaching various sports: cross country, track and field, baseball, wrestling, and soccer while educating student/athletes to have fun and be successful both in their sport and in life. He has coached teams to State and Conference Championships and individuals to National and All State recognition and rankings. He currently coaches a middle school soccer team and coached the Widener University club soccer team before he moved into his current role as Widener’s Club Sport Coordinator.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: All – it takes a team to win

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: The Hungry Bear

Fun Fact: Ed is married and has 3 boys who are very active and enjoy playing the game of soccer

Coach Kayla who is originally from Allentown, has played soccer since she was 4 years old and has played in high school and in college. She was also invited to be on the D-3 USA Women’s team to play in Brazil! Coach Kayla studied criminal justice at Arcadia University and also spent a semester abroad in New Zealand.

FUN FACT:
Coach Kayla has bungee jumped from the highest place in the southern hemisphere!

Coach Ashley grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to PA when she was 10 years old.  She is currently majoring in Early Childhood and Special Education at Bryn Athyn College.  At the age of 7, Coach Ashley fell in love with soccer and continues to play for her college team.  When she’s not coaching future soccer stars, she enjoys playing soccer and fishing!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: The Volcano Game

Favorite Position to Play: Midfield

Fun Fact: Coach Ashley has a YouTube channel and enjoys filming videos to make people smile and laugh!

Coach Alyssa is currently a Junior at Eastern University studying Early Childhood Education with Special Education. She has always loved working with children and plans to do it for the rest of her life. Coach Alyssa is apart of the Eastern University Women’s soccer Program. Soccer Shots is such an awesome job for her because it allows her to work with children, play soccer, and practice her future teaching strategies.

FUN FACT: Coach Alyssa used to be a gymnast!

Coach Jay has been playing soccer for 27 years. He also has been coaching and training soccer players for almost 13 years for several ages and all genders. His passion is to help athletes set goals and achieve them no matter what their experience may be. Although he doesn’t play soccer as much as he used to, Coach Jay spends his free time with his wife, three kids and a puppy named “Checkers”

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Center Midfielder

Favorite Soccer Shots Game:  “Blob Tag”

Fun Fact: Coach Jay also has experience as a Chef,
Bon Appetite!!

Jack was born in Havertown PA and later moved to Exton where he fell in love with soccer at the age of 10. He is currently a rising senior at West Chester University and is enrolled in the Professional Studies Liberal Arts program. With graduating in the spring of 2019, he hopes to one day move out to the west coast. Along with coaching, Jack will be helping out with scheduling, season planning and administrative duties.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Right Back

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: Lumberjacks and Giants

Fun Fact: Coach Jack has a twin sister!

Coach Thom has over ten years experience coaching and teaching student-athletes throughout the Delaware Valley. He is an avid supporter of athletics and the opportunities they provide participants to learn the importance of teamwork, fair play, and effective leadership. Coach Thom has played soccer, ice hockey, roller hockey, rugby, and also has run track at various points throughout his high school and college careers. In post-college life, he has focused on coaching and limited himself to the playing in the occasional soccer or hockey pick-up game or adult league.

FUN FACT: Coach Thom is also a professor at Widener University!

Coach Jason started playing soccer at the age of 5. He is currently attending West Chester University pursing degree’s in finance and economics. Soccer has been such an inspirational sport that Jason continues to play at West Chester through intramural leagues. He has a passion for teaching children and wants children to get the best experience out of soccer shots.

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Center Forward

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: What Time is it Mr. Fox?

Random Fun Fact: He has went zip lining in Jamaica!

Coach Osmond who is originally from Nigeria, started playing soccer when he was 4 years old. Along with his 6 brothers, he would play soccer from sun up till sun down! After graduating high school from West Philadelphia High where he captioned the soccer team, he went on to play at Widener University. When Coach Osmond isn’t coaching soccer, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughers – Joy who is 7 years old and Grace who is 3 years old!

Over the past decade, Coach Matt has prioritized two things: sports and working with children. Matt’s time as a Summer Camp Counselor with the YMCA has helped install a variety of characteristics that are essential for helping a child live a happy, healthy, and fun life! Playing soccer since he was a child, Matt’s adoration for the game has helped fielded his passion for pursuing a career at Soccer Shots. Coach Matt is currently a student at Temple University studying for a degree in Media Studies and Production.

FUN FACT: Coach Matt was just recently nominated for 3 colligate Emmy’s!

Coach Isabel is a recent returning Soccer Shots coach and is very excited to be back! When not on the field, Coach Isabel is either at the Media Fellowship House where she serves as the Executive Director or at home with 10 (yikes!) teenagers in her role as the Resident Director of Radnor A Better Chance. Isabel loves sports — soccer, football, basketball, and tennis especially, all things science fiction, and also spends quite a bit of time walking her dog, Baku.

Coach Kristen grew up in Souderton PA where she enjoyed playing soccer and basketball.  She then took her passion for soccer with her to college where she played at Moravian College for a year and a half until transferring to Temple University.  She is currently a senior studying recreational therapy and plans to continue school for occupational therapy.  In her free time, she enjoys going to Margate Beach!

FUN FACTS:

Favorite Position: Forward

Favorite Soccer Shots Game: “What Time is it Mr. Fox?!”

Fun Fact: Coach Kristen enjoys snowboarding!