ABOUT THE COACH

• Areas of Specialization:
• Qualifications / Recognitions:
• Playing Career / Highlights:
• Coaching Career / Highlights:
• Personal Coaching Philosophy:
• Other Duties / Responsibilities:
• Education:

Areas of Specialization:

• Confidence buidling
• Developing Championship Focus & Concentration
• Mistake, Anxiety & Stress Management
• Faster Recovery during Injury Rehabilitation
• Skills Development
• Teamwork & Team Cohesiveness
• Improving and Maintaining Motivation
• Developing Emotional Intelligence
• Developing Effective Mental Strategies & Game Plans
• Goal Setting & Inspiration
• Soccer specific training (including physical, tactical, technical and psychological)
• Developing the Mind of a Champion & Life Skills

Qualifications / Recognitions:

• Certified Sports Psychology Coach by National Exercise Sports Trainers Association
• Certified in ‘Psychology for Soccer’ by English Football Association
• Member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)
• Holding a National Soccer Coaching License
• Certified in ‘Player & Match Analysis’ by FA
• Manchester United (Barclays Premier League) Coaches Symposium Certification.
• Designated as a “Sports Ambassador” by the former President – Ronald Reagan.
• Certificate of Merit in Recognition of Outstanding Athletic Achievement by the NY State Senate.

Playing Career / Highlights:

Over 30 years of experience playing the game of soccer, from youth levels (in a Professional European Soccer Academy) through some of the highest levels of the game. As a youth player, was selected (multiple times) to represent the former Eastern European Republic at the Regional & National Championships & Tournaments. Moved to the U.S., and played High School Soccer for two years as a midfielder, helping the South Shore H.S. win its first Championship, by scoring crucial goals including the winning penalty in the final shoot-out. Was selected as an All-Star NY High School Select Team midfielder, representing NY at the Regional Championships. Played in JCSL (with the Norwegian “Sporting Club of Gjoa”), helping it capture numerous top U17 and U19 titles, ‘Hans Bayen Cup’ and many prestigious championships. The highly competitive league featured many future soccer stand-outs at the Collegiate and professional levels, including National and World Cup players. Was offered Soccer Scholarships at Columbia University & other Higher Education schools. Played Division I College soccer, while concurrently playing in a semi-professional league. Playing alongside of many Youth International (and World Cup) players, as an All NY Select Team midfielder, was recipient of the two Silver Medals at the Empire State Games.

As one of the youngest members of the US Pan American team, was selected to represent the U.S.A. to compete in one of the most prestigious Olympic-style International competitions – The Pan American Games. The 1983 Pan Am Games were held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with ‘Team USA’ winning the Silver. On its way to the Final, the ‘Team USA’ successfully competed against such soccer powers as Mexico (1:1), Peru (4:2) and Argentina (2:0). The team’s only loss of the tournament (1:3) came in the Final against the host nation (Brazil).

Played in the “Super League” for several seasons in the 80’s. As a midfielder for one of the ASL’s original members and the former U.S. Challenge Cup Champions – “Bklyn Italians”, provided the two assists in the win (4:3) against the “NY COSMOS” of the North American Professional Soccer League at Giants Stadium in 1985.

Semifinalist at the ‘Del Torneo di Calcio – Santa Rosalia’. Played an instrumental part in helping “Bklyn COSMOS” challenge for the GASL Championship, scoring some important goals. During my playing career, many of my teammates, as well as opponents included professional players from (former) Yugoslavia, Ireland, Nigeria, Poland, Germany, England, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Jamaica, as well as International & World Cup players, (including the ‘Italia ’90’ World Cup US National Team Captain).

Coaching Career / Highlights:

Coaching & training youth teams and players for many years, including Olympic Development Camp, Traveling & “Elite” teams. Gave skills clinics throughout NJ for various traveling players / teams. Coached at the local, regional, national & international levels. Successfully coached at 3v3 Got Milk Soccer local, regional and National Championships. Led the team to the 1st place finish and to the runners-up positions at the MetroStars Cup at Giants Stadium. Led the team to the 2nd place finish at the East Regional Games. Led the team at the National Championships Finals in Orlando, Florida.

As a trainer/coach of one of the top “Elite” youth teams in the US, helped guide it to success at various Premier local, Regional & National tournaments. In just about 2.5 years of training and coaching the team, helped guide it to three State Cups, as well as the Regional & National Finals. The team went from the 7th to the undisputed 1st position in the state, as well as to the 2nd ranked position in the Region and finished in the top 5 position in the Nation. Helped guide the team to its first NJ National Championship State Cup, US Club Soccer Championship and Futsal State Cup Championship. Successfully coached the team at the National Finals of the Super Y League in Tampa Florida (finishing with a record of 2 Wins, 2 Ties and 0 Losses). Successfully coached the team at the Dallas Cup International Tournament and achieved a record of 1 Win, 1 Tie, 1 Loss against teams from Mexico, California and Texas. Several of the players that I’ve mentored became members of the US U-17 and U-20 National Teams.

Personal Coaching Philosophy:

As a Youth Trainer / Coach, I believe first and foremost in developing skillful, creative, mentally
tough players with lots of flair and imagination. My training, for the most part, is largely based
on a myriad of fun games and exercises that promote skills, footwork, speed, creativity and
imagination, tactical awareness (development of a “soccer brain”), and mental toughness (through practical mental training techniques and methods). I do not believe in “winning at all costs”. Building great team and social cohesion and overall team chemistry, playing with high degree of emotional control and mental toughness, flair, skill, risk taking, flowing and attacking soccer, is what I always preach to my players.

After attending The Manchester United Symposium for Coaches some years ago, as well as carefully studying the training methods of the great Dutch ‘Ajax’ system, I was able to re-confirm and develop my own coaching philosophy and training style, which I’ve been applying with youth soccer players and teams over the years.

Not only I was very honored and fortunate to meet the Director of the Manchester United Football Club and the former 1966 World Cup winner – Sir Bobby Charlton, but also, personally had the great opportunity to meet the most successful Manchester United Reserves Coach – René Meulensteen (the club’s Technical Skills Development Coach at the time), and now the Manchester United First Team’s Coach. As a Skills Development Coach, René worked with such players as Ronaldo, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Paul Scholes and many other stars. At Manchester United (since 2001), Rene has implemented his coaching philosophy throughout the club (including their Academy). I was really able to relate to Rene’s training philosophy, because I had always been a strong believer (and ‘preacher’) of skills development myself. I am a true believer in ‘economical training’ – method of training where all four aspects of the game are incorporated in the same session.

By implementing a myriad of 1v1 exercises and small-sided games during training, coaches not
only can develop and promote individual flair, creativity, ‘trickery’, composure, various defensive
skills, stamina and top conditioning, etc., but also instill mental toughness in their players.

My personal player development coaching philosophy very much resembles the one famously used at the Manchester United Soccer Academy and the great ‘Ajax’ Academy. Aside from
physical and tactical training, it concentrates heavily on the technical aspect of the game, with
great emphasis on 1v1 attacking and defending, as well as a great variety of small-sided games. Another crucial part of my personal coaching philosophy, for complete player development,
emphasizes the most important component of the player development ‘pyramid’ dealing with the
mental aspect of the game. I teach my players to play with their mind first, then with their heart.

Unlike “regular” sport psychologists or mental game coaches, I’ve been involved in soccer, for most of my life. While I had been fortunate to have played the game on some of the highest levels, I had also developed an intimate and profound knowledge of the game. As a soccer coach, trainer and a sports parent, I’ve been privileged to have worked, coached and observed some of the brightest young talents in the game (some of which are current members of the US U-17 and U-20 National Team). As a result of many years of successful playing & coaching, I had acquired high level of expertise in fundamental and advanced technical, tactical & physical skills training.

Most importantly, I am also able to genuinely relate to athlete’s state of mind, due to my deep understanding & appreciation of the dynamics and unique qualities (such as ‘emotional intelligence’, anticipation, imagination, team chemistry building, motivation, ‘best practice’ modeling, inspiration, etc.) pertaining to the game of soccer. Other Duties / Responsibilities: - Functioning as a School Director (Brooklyn, NY). - Acting as a Senior Partner of a Consulting firm (Springfield, NJ).

Education:

• Foundations of Sport & Exercise Psychology Certification Program
• Studied, analyzed & reviewed numerous case studies of amateur through elite level Olympic & professional athletes in multiple sports
• “Psychology for Soccer” Certification Program
• Brooklyn College, City University of New York
• Bachelor’s Degree in Information & Computer Science