The Arizona Soccer Association is pleased to announce the 2020-21 Olympic Development coaching staff.

 

Tryouts for this year's ODP will be held at the Grande Sports World on August 29th and 30th for the 04-10 age groups. 

 

Register for ODP Tryouts

 

ODP serves as an additional identification opportunity for those looking for additional exposure to college coaches and U.S. Soccer scouts.

 

Following tryouts, the ASA ODP will hold pool training on October 4, November 15, and December 5-6 and 19-20. The 2021 ODP West Championships will be held at Reach 11 from January 9-12. It is at this event where players are identified and invited to the ODP West Region ID Camp and then the Boys and Girls Interregional Events. Click here to see the Arizona ODP calendar. 

 

Numerous professionals from Arizona have competed in the ODP, including two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz and MLS record holder for consecutive regular-season starts Luis Robles.  

 

2004 Boys

 

• Phil Reid (Head Coach) has his USSF National "B" License and is currently the assistant men's coach at Embry Riddle University (Prescott). 
• Mike Varela (Assistant) has his USSF National "B" License. As a player he won a state championship with Apollo High School.
• Steven Green (Assistant) holds his USSF National "C" License. He admires Marcelo “El Loco” Bielsa and credits the famous manager for tactical inspiration. Green enjoys nothing more than watching his kids play soccer.  

2005 Boys

 

• Chris Behler (Head Coach) has his UEFA "A" License. Behler played professionally from the San Jose Earthquakes from 1986-1989 and won the US Open Cup in 1992 with the San Jose Oaks Soccer Club. Behler coached at DI San Jose State University from 2003-2015 and is a Region IV ODP Staff Coach. His fondest soccer memories were winning the US Open Cup and winning a National Championship as a coach. 
• Mike Duhaney (Assistant) has his USSF National "C" License. He played collegiately at DI UNLV and professionally for six years in Major League Soccer for the Tampa Bay Mutiny, MetroStars, and Columbus Crew. He was named the 1997 Major League Soccer Rookie of the Year. He also played one season for German second division team 1. FSV Mainz 05 under head coach Jurgen Klopp. He has represented the U.S. at the U23 level and currently coaches at Benedectine University, Mesa. 
• Alex Hernandez (Assistant) has his USSF National "A" License and was a former USSF National Licensing Staff Coach. He has coached at the ODP Region II, III, and IV, and was a Chicago Fire Academy Staff Coach. 

2006 Boys

 

• Jake Zimmerman (Head Coach) has his USSF National "C" License. He won five Arizona State Cup titles as a youth player and was the 2015 Arizona Soccer Association Boys Competitive Coach of the Year. 
• Joe Kiefer (Assistant) has his USSF National "A" License and played collegiately at the US Naval Academy where he was Colonial Athletic Conference champion. His fondest soccer memory was playing in Morocco against France, Morocco, Poland, and Tanzania in the World Military Soccer Championships. 
• Asani Igulu (Assistant) is in his third season as an Arizona ODP coach. His fondest soccer memory was winning an Arizona High School State Championship in 2010 with Palo Verde Magnet High School. 

2007 Boys

 

• Mark Biagi (Head Coach) has his USSF National "B" License. He is a U.S. Soccer Scout and the 2007 Region IV head coach. 
• Eddie Hertsenberg (Assistant) has his USSF "A" License and played professionally from the USL's Dayton Dutch Lions. 
• Bobby Smith (Assistant) has his UEFA "B" License. He previously coached at Leeds United and Sheffield United. His fondest soccer memory was going to the San Siro and watching Leeds United defeat AC Milan 1-0 in the 2000/01 Champions League.

2008 Boys

 

• Steven Day (Head Coach) has his USSF National "C" License and played professionally in England for Hayes F.C. and Witton Albion F.C. 
• Derick Brownell (Assistant) enters his 13th year coaching in the Arziona ODP. He played professionally for MLS's San Jose (Clash) earthquakes, and USL's Monterey Bay Jaguars (National Title), A-League's Charleston Battery and represented the US U-23 MNT in the University Games and Olympic Festivals. He played collegiately at Santa Clara University where he was West Coast All-Conference. 
• Mark Aros (Assistant) has been coaching for more than 16 years and his favorite player was Diego Maradona. 

2009/10 Boys

 

• Erik Anderson (Head Coach) has his USSF National "C" License and played collegiately and coached at Phoenix College and DII Colorado State University-Pueblo. His fondest soccer memory was scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to beat the top team in the nation at Colorado State University-Pueblo. 
• Dany Gonzalez (Assistant) has his USSF National "C" License and he coached the 04 Boys to the 15U title at the 2019 ODP West Championship. 
• Lee Christie (Assistant) has his USSF National "A" License in addition to a National Youth License. He previously was a U.S. Soccer licensed coaching instructor. He served on the Region IV ODP staff for five years and his fondest soccer memory was watching his son play. 

2004 Girls

 

• Trey Thompson (Head Coach) has his USSF National "A" License. He coached the 03 Boys (2018) and 04 Boys (2019) to ODP West Championships titles and coached a 19U side in 2018 to an Arizona State Cup title. He played collegiately at Kansas Wesleyan University and was the 2018 Arizona Soccer Association Boys Competitive Coach of the Year. 
• Roberto Garcia (Assistant) has his USSF National "A" License. He coached the 02 Girls to the 17U title at the 2019 ODP West Championships. In 2020 he was named the Arizona Soccer Association Male Competitive Coach of the Year. 
• Chris Sarafini (Assistant) has his USSF National "B" License and one of his fondest soccer memories was going to Italy to watch the 2006 World Cup. 

2005 Girls

 

• Beny Sanchez (Head Coach) has his USSF National "B" License and his favorite team is Real Madrid. 
• Kyle Porter (Assistant) coached the 06 Boys to the 13U title at the 2019 ODP West Championships. 
• Logan Sanchez (Assistant) has his USSF National "C" License. He played collegiately at Concordia University and currently coaches at Park University as an assistant coach for the men and women's soccer programs. 

2006 Girls

 

• Tom Hurdle (Head Coach) has his USSF National "C" License. In 2019, Hurdle guided the 2005 Girls to the 14U title at the ODP West Championships. Hurdle played collegiately at Grand Canyon University and currently coaches at Scottsdale Community College. His fondest soccer memory was defeating Phoenix Rising FC in the 2nd Round of the 2018 US Open Cup with Sporting AZ FC and coaching Team USA 6v6 at the 2018 World Cup in Lisbon and 2019 World Cup in Crete. 
• Jason Hammonds (Assistant) has his USSF National "C" License and coached the Casteel High School girl's soccer team to state titles in 2018 and 2020. 
• Paul Barron (Assistant) played collegiately for Grand Canyon University and served as an assistant on the men's team from 1999-2002 and on the women's team from 1996-2015. His fondest soccer memory was defeating then ranked #1 Richland College to secure a place in the NJCAA National Tournament. 

2007 Girls

 

• Paul Lester (Head Coach) has his USSF National "A" License and is a USSF Grassroots License instructor. As a player, Lester won the 1992 US Open Cup with San Jose Oaks Soccer Club and played indoor for San Jose Grizzlies. As a coach, Lester spent eight years with the UC Santa Cruz women's soccer team and has coached World Cup winners Julie Ertz, Tiffany Roberts, and Lorrie Fair.  
• Dan Soutar (Assistant) has his USSF National "C" License and has coached in the Player Development Centers in England for Southhampton FC, Arsenal FC, and West Ham United FC. 
• Mike Heintz (Assistant) has his USSF National "A" License and played collegiately at California University at Sacramento. One of his fondest memories was transitioning from player to coach and giving back to the game that started with coaching his children and then embracing the licensing process. Mike has coached dozens of youth teams over the last 35 years.

2008 Girls

 

• Courtney Kellenaers (Head Coach) has his USSF National "B" License and United Soccer Coaches Advanced National license. He played collegiately at Kansas Wesleyan University and currently coaches the men's soccer team at GateWay Community College. His fondest soccer memory was traveling to England with a regional select team to compete in tournaments when he was 14 years old. 
• Doug Shank (Assistant) has his USSF National "A" License and has previously coached at DI Stony Brook University.
• Kiera McMorrow (Assistant) previously coached at Scottsdale Community College and her fondest soccer memory was being in Ireland for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. 

2009/10 Girls

 

• Raiff Gwinnett (Head Coach) has his USSF National "C" License and played professionally in England for Torquay United and Weymouth United. In 2019, Raiff guided the 05 Girls to a title at the 2019 ODP West Championships. 
• Megan Johnston (Assistant) has her USSF National "C" License. She joins the Arizona ODP after spending the past 10 years with New Mexico's ODP. She played collegiately for Paradise Valley Community College and DII Belmont Abbey College. Megan also played for the US Deaf Women's National Team (USDWNT) from 2003-11 and won the gold medal in the 2005 and 2009 Deaflympics. Most people do not know about the Deaf Sports Federation or the US Deaf National Teams. learn more here: http://www.usdeafsoccer.com/home | https://usdeafsports.org/
• Rene Yebra (Assistant) has his USSF National "C" License and one of his favorite players in Abby Wambach. 

Staff

 

• Chelsea Buckland has her USSF National "C" License and is a former Canadian National Team player. This is her fourth year on the Arizona ODP and she is on the Region IV ODP staff. 
• Vincent Gallegeos has his USSF National "C" License and one of his fondest soccer memories was playing futbolito in Lima, Peru. 
• Fergus Sharp has his USSF National "C" License.
• Ben Pada has his USSF National "B" License and his fondest soccer memory was winning a 19U National Championship in 1993. 
• Brady Taylor has his USSF National "C" License. Taylor played collegiately at CSU Stanislaus and his fondest soccer memories were winning the CCAA Tournament as a player and winning the 16U Boys division at the 2018 Arizona State Cup. 
• Zachary Jens played collegiately at DII CSU Stanislaus where he won the CCAA Championships in 2012. 
• Alex Pozo has his USSF National "B" License in addition to a National Youth License and one of his fondest soccer memories was coaching youth players for FC Barcelona-Barca Escola program in Barcelona while Lionel Messi, Suarez, and Pique were observing their kid's training with us. He also is a USSF Grassroots License instructor. 
• Jason Johnston has his USSF National "C" License and has been coaching since 2008.
• Robert Olayo played professionally for the El Paso Patriots and Tucson Amigos. He played collegiately at California State University Bakersfield where he won the DII National Championship. 
• Jerrett Galigher hails from Illinois and this is his first year on the Arizona ODP staff. 

Goalkeeper

 

• Cory Robertson (Director of Goalkeeping) has his USSF National "B" License and is the goalkeeper coach for USL's Phoenix Rising FC 
• Mike Hewitt played professionally for Queen Park and Dundee Football Club in Scotland and the NASL's Tampa Bay Rowdies and San Jose Earthquakes. He was #5 on the NASL All-Time Goalkeepers 1970/80s. One of his fondest soccer memories was playing against the Pele led Cosmos. 
• Joe Waggoner has his USSF National "C" Licnese and he coached at DI Southern Methodist University (SMU) for 10 years; six seasons with the women's team and four with the men's team. He also served as the Head Goalkeeper Coach for North Texas ODP from 2001-2010 and his fondest soccer memory was watching a player he coached being drafted in the first round of the Major League Soccer draft. 
• Carmen Esnal played collegiately at Grand Canyon University and is now an assistant coach at Phoenix College.