COACHING EDUCATION
Development. Support. Dedication. Inspiration. Passion for learning.
State Office ContactS
| Gordon Miller | Technical Director | vysatd@vysa.com | (540) 693-1430 ext. 216 |
| Jessica Cottet | Director, Technical Department Operations | jessica@vysa.com | (540) 693-1430 ext. 222 |
Instructors
Central Virginia
| Melissa Boney | melissa.boney10@gmail.com | ||
| Jason Fargo | jason.fargo7@gmail.com | ||
| Carl Gray | coachop@gmail.com | ||
| Vicky Hall | vhall@pwsi.org | ||
| Erwan Le Crom | erwan@richmondstrikers.com | ||
| Heather Pedersen | heatherpe@gmail.com |
Northern Virginia
| Glenn Alpert | Glenn.alpert.dc@hotmail.com | ||
| Sam Bader | hussam81@hotmail.com | ||
| Garrett Budd | garrett.g.budd@gmail.com | ||
| Dustin Butcher | dbutcher@brysa.org | ||
| Lucas Cook | Lucasjcook@gmail.com | ||
| David Sandford | dave.j.sanford@gmail.com | ||
| Paul Ellis | roylmne@verizon.net | ||
| Marcelo Gangotena | mggolazo@aol.com | ||
| Karen Kelser | kckelser@yahoo.com | ||
| Matt Lacey | mlacey@vsaonline.org | ||
| Fabien Lewis | warrior.fabio@gmail.com | ||
| Philip Liversedge | philip.liversedge@yahoo.com | ||
| Nora Maguire-White | nora.maguire.white@gmail.com | ||
| Tim Lucas | tlucas19@gmail.com | ||
| Lauren Marcum | lmarcum07@gmail.com | ||
| Jim McLane | liv4soccer@live.com | ||
| Rob Olson | rbolson@syasoccer.org | ||
| Bobby Puppione | bobbypuppione@yahoo.com | ||
| Keith Tabatznik | kdtsoc@aol.com | ||
| Daniel Wadeson | daniel.wadeson@udc.edu |
Southeast Virginia
| Chris Panayiotou | chris.panayiotou10@gmail.com | ||
| Mark Waite | mwaite@beachfc.com |
Western Virginia
| Russell Dishman | rdishman@rcs.k12.va.us | ||
| Carrie O’Keeffe | carrie.okeeffe@gmail.com | ||
| Steve Oakey | soakey77@hotmail.com |
Technical Leadership
Information on Technical Leaders Day will be published in Spring 2024. Check back later to see more updates.
Personal and Professional Development
Book List
Soccer, Leadership, and Culture
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t
The Barcelona Way: How to Create a Winning Team
Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs
Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds and Matches
Legacy: 15 Lessons in Leadership
The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance
Teaching
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise
Practice Perfect: 42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better
Teach Like a Champion 3.0: 63 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College
Self-Improvement or Interesting Reads
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
Accelerating Women in Coaching
Official US Soccer Innovate to Grow Program
Offering free tuition for US Soccer Coaching Education courses and child care to qualified female candidates.
The Virginia Youth Soccer Association has been awarded a grant in U.S. Soccer’s Innovate to Grow Program that will work to increase the participation of women in coaching within Virginia and the District of Columbia.
The program entitled Accelerating the Participation of Women in Coaching will offer tuition free Grassroots 7v7, Grassroots 9v9, Grassroots 11v11, D License, and C License tuition reimbursement to qualified female candidates across Virginia and Washington, D.C.
US Soccer’s Innovate to Grow program was established in 2017, to help US Soccer member organizations launch new and innovative programs designed to grow participation of players, coaches, or referees in their markets.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be 16 years or older to enroll.
- Tuition reimbursement upon successful completion of course.
Host a Course
Clubs or Leagues interested in hosting a US Soccer Coaching License course should complete the registration form below.
B License
The purpose of this course is to prepare coaches to work with youth (U13+) or senior teams in a performance environment.
Eligibility
To register for the US Soccer C Course, individuals must be at least 18 years of age, Student Coaches must have access to a team playing 11v11 (U13+) for the duration of the course, and meet the following prerequisites:
- Hold a U.S. Soccer C license for at least one (1) year
- Have three or more years of coaching experience (any level)
- A waiver of the U.S. Soccer C License may be considered based on previous professional or national team playing experience or foreign licensure at the hosting member’s discretion. Please reach out to the hosting member for a waiver application.
Register for all courses through your Learning Center profile at learning.ussoccer.com/
C License
The purpose of this course is to assess, organize, design, and implement strategies for player and team development in a participation environment.
Eligibility
To register for the US Soccer C Course, individuals must be at least 18 years of age, Student Coaches must have access to a team playing 11v11 (U13+) for the duration of the course, and meet the following prerequisites:
- Holds a US Soccer D license for at least six months
- A waiver of the US Soccer C License may be considered based on previous professional or national team playing experience or foreign licensure at the hosting member’s discretion. Please reach out to the hosting member for a waiver application.
Register for all courses through your Learning Center profile at learning.ussoccer.com/
D License
The purpose of this course is to prepare coaches to create environments that are inclusive, fun and safe for children, ages U6-U12, promoting their love for the game.
Eligibility
To register for the US Soccer D Course, individuals must be at least 18 years of age, Student Coaches must have access to a team (U7-U12) for the duration of the course, and meet the following prerequisites:
OPTION 1
- Completed Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module
- Completed two Grassroots In-Person (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11)
- Completed one Grassroots Online (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11)
OPTION 2
- Completed Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module
- Previously earned US Soccer E License
OPTION 3
- Completed Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module
- Previously earned US Soccer F License
- Completed two Grassroots In-Person (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11)
Register for all courses through your Learning Center profile at learning.ussoccer.com/
US Soccer Grassroots Licenses
Coaching License Pathway
U.S. Soccer is committed to providing all coaches, from beginner to advanced, with education tailored to their experiences and the needs of their players. The Coaching License Pathway consists of a series of courses designed to meet the specific needs of a coach at every step of the way. U.S. Soccer believes education is a journey, and our goal is to provide the necessary tools, guidance, and mentorship a coach requires.
Step 1: Create a profile in the US Soccer Learning Center
Step 2: Complete the Introduction to Grassroots Coaching Module
This free introductory module, which represents the first step in the newly revised coaching license pathway, is now the general starting point of the pathway and is the required prerequisite to undergo any of US Soccer’s Grassroots Licensing Courses. Coaches who complete the module will also be provided with four complimentary Play-Practice-Play training sessions.
The module takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and can be accessed through your US Soccer Learning Center profile.
Step 3: Complete at least one of the four, age-appropriate grassroots courses
These courses specifically target the age-appropriate needs of players at the 4v4, 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 levels.
See what Grassroots courses are available in your area by selecting a course below!
Lesson Plans
In order for players to continue to progress, coaches have to be better prepared with the practice topic, the age appropriate progressions and the key points related to each. These plans will help you to stay organized and help you to further your own growth as well. Enjoy!
Thanks Gary Stephenson and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer for allowing Virginia Youth Soccer to have access to these age-appropriate lesson plans and in turn, be able to share them with you.