The Coaching Journey

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Sean Afkhaminia on the show! Sean is the CEO and Technical Director of Footy Factory, based in Dallas, Texas. Our discussion today focuses on Sean's background, and how his playing career shaped his future coaching career in a desire to bridge the gap he saw with the training he and others were receiving. We talk a lot about Sean's decision to start Footy Factory, a training organization turned club, and the challenges he faced in getting it off the ground. This is a great conversation and eye-opener for anyone wanting to know more about building or growing a club! Be sure to follow Footy Factory on Twitter:@FootyFactoryDal Intagram: @FootyFactory Facebook: Footy Factory Dallas Website:www.footyfactory.us Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Tom Byer on the show! Tom is originally from New York, but has lived in Asia as a technical coach for the past 30 years, most notably with his time in Japan. He is the author of "Football Starts at Home" and is considered by many as a leading technical and development expert throughout world football.  Our discussion today focuses on skill acquisition at the youngest ages, breaking from certain myths on age appropriate development put forth by most governing bodies. We talk about Tom's own experiences breaking down these barriers with his children and his work in soccer schools throughout Asia, as well as his pilot program through US Soccer and the subsequent non-renewal that surprised many. Be sure to follow Tom on Twitter: @Tomsan106 , check out his website at www.tomsan.com and be sure to look into "Football Starts at Home" on Kindle here. Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review!

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome David Garcia on the show! David is a UEFA A licensed coach currently working as the Select Director of U9-U12 with Rapids Youth Soccer. Born in Mexico City and later moving to Rochester, David began coaching in upstate New York, and in 2013 moved to Spain to immerse himself in the country and bring his coaching to the next level. Working with various clubs in Spain, most recently TOVO Academy in Barcelona, he completed his UEFA courses and now returns to the United States. Our discussion today focuses around David's journey abroad, uprooting his life with the goal of learning the game from some of the best. We talk the sacrifices he needed to take, youth development, positional play, and more! Be sure to follow David on Twitter @IJASport and check out his website: www.itsjustasport.com   Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Face

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome back Paul Holocher on the show. Paul is the current Academy Director with the Houston Dynamo. Our discussion today focuses around the first steps a person will take as they embark in a new organization, especially in a leadership position. Paul talks about the culture they want to magnify at the Dynamo, the necessary progressions to create a comprehensive "development" culture, and more! Be sure to follow Paul on Twitter: @HolocherPaul, and the Dynamo Academy: @DynamoAcademy Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Jess Ibrom on the show! Jess is a coach who has most recently been the Technical Director of the Cook Islands, as well as a Coach Instructor under the guidance of the Oceania Football Confederation and FIFA. He has also served as the the Academy Director of Wellington Phoenix F.C., a High Performance Coach for Chelsea F.C. in New Zealand, and has a coaching career that has seen roles in the United States, Mexico, England, and beyond. Our discussion today focuses on how Jess began his coaching career, and the decisions that led to him leaving his home and traveling throughout the world for the beautiful game. We discuss the sacrifices required in making football a full-time career, as well as the adaptability needed for a coach when faced with differing roles and environments. Jess shares some great stories of his journey and experiences! Be sure to follow Jess on Twitter: @IbromJess, and you can read more on his website: https://www.jess-ibrom.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Adin Osmanbasic back on the show! Adin is a coach and analyst, with recent experience as the First-Team Analyst with the Columbus Crew and often featured on Spielverlagerung. Our discussion today focuses on how Adin sees the relationship between analysis and coaching, shifting trends in the modern game, and his approach to analysis as well as some common misconceptions. Be sure to follow Adin's work on social media and beyond: Twitter: @AdinOsmanbasic Youtube Website: www.adinosmanbasic.com Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Sean Nahas on the show! Sean is the current First Team Assistant Coach of the 2018 NWSL Champions, North Carolina Courage, as well as serving as the Girls Development Academy Director for the Courage. When the WNY Flash moved to North Carolina, becoming the Courage, they were a team that had just finished as NWSL Champions. Finishing as runners-up in 2017, the NC Courage capped off an incredible second season as NWSL Shield winners and NWSL Champions! Our conversation is an insightful one as Sean discusses his work with the Courage, the elite team culture fostered at the club, and his role in establishing that very same culture in the academy, with the hopes of developing excellent players on the field and people off the field. Be sure to follow Sean on twitter: @NahasSean Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coach

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is very excited to welcome Brett Uttley on the show! Born and raised in Rhode Island, Brett is the 1st Assistant Coach for the Rio Grande Valley Toros of the United Soccer League (USLPro), who are the 2nd Team of the Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer. In 2016, Uttley was the Fitness Coach for the Seattle Sounders reserve team in the USLPro, in addition to being the Head Coach for the Seattle Sounders U-13 Academy team. Uttley earned the MBP Master in High Performance Soccer (Barcelona, Spain) in addition to a Masters of Science in Soccer Coaching via Ohio University. He holds his NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and is currently in the process of obtaining additional USSF licenses as well as in the process of working towards his ATFA (Argentinean Professional Soccer Coach Association) “A” Professional License. Brett is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Website: www.togsoccer.com Twitter: @BrettUttley Email: buttley@houstondynamo.com Subsc

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Zac Ludwig on the show! Zac is the Founder and CEO of Switching the Field, a company that provides education and development services to youth soccer organizations in areas they otherwise are unable or struggle to sufficiently serve their members. He is also an instructor for various United Soccer Coaches and US Soccer coaching courses. In what is perhaps a timely conversation, our discussion revolves much around US Soccer on the coaching side, with the changes to US Soccer Licensing courses. We also discuss various topics that have been on Zac's mind from a coach development standpoint, and it is an excellent followup to our previous podcast discussion! Be sure to follow Zac and Switching The Field on Twitter and check out his website: https://www.switchingthefield.com/ Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Mark O Sullivan on the show! Mark currently works with coach and youth development with AIK, the Canadian FA as Coach Education Consultant, a District Coach Educator in Stockholm and a PhD Researcher! Our discussion delves deep into the topics of sport specialization, youth development, and much more. It's a great discussion which combines both practical experience with academic research in an approachable manner. Be sure to follow Mark on Twitter: @Markstkhlm and check out his website: https://footblogball.wordpress.com/ Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week the Coaching Journey is joined by Twitter’s own @soccrcoachprobs and a panel of her friends to speak about the rampant problems female coaches have in the world of soccer. @soccrcoachprobs joined Twitter in 2011 about three months after her players introduced her to the witty world of @soccergirlprobs. Anonymity has been an outlet for many personalities on the internet and for @soccrcoachprobs this is no exception as she tweets about a wide spectrum of problems from crazy helicopter parents and bad referees to difficult players and the pressure to win. In today’s podcast, we will discuss the topic of sexism as seen through the eyes of a female coach. She and her friends cover a wide demographic spectrum in their 20s, 30s and 40s and cover the categories of both youth coaches and college coaches, married and single, gay and straight, kids and no kids. Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Adrian Bradbury on the show! Adrian is the current founder and director of the Football for Good Academy in Uganda. Our discussion is an excellent one focusing on Adrian's journey that has brought him to a place few would have ever expected having started in Toronto. We discuss Adrian's work in creating and fostering a highly competitive academy in Uganda with the hopes of developing professional footballers and helping the greater community. We talk about their development as well as the idea behind natural talent and the issues that Adrian faces in a region that few are familiar with. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey is excited to welcome Carrie Taylor on the show! Carrie is a coach, writer for SoccerNation, and she is also the host of Women Talking Football, a radio show! Our discussion today focuses on women involved in the sport, as we look at the difficulties many women face in a sport that some wrongfully consider to be a "man's game." Why do we see a dearth of female coaches? Why does a man coaching a female team not raise any issues, but a woman coaching a male team raises concern? This is an important and frank discussion that everyone should listen to, because Carrie looks at the double standards that have been placed on the environment and discusses them in an open and honest manner. As we always say, together we can help shape the future of the game. Carrie offers one of our most important podcasts to date, and she provides some must listen commentary on a topic that has wide-ranging consequences. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Paul Holocher on the show! We have a fantastic discussion today looking at youth development in the United States and explore whether or not the professional youth development structure in the U.S. is maximizing its ability to develop pros. We tackle the issue of college soccer vs academy development, and explore the areas in which the youth landscape is improving, and the areas in which it needs to improve. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Tim Bradbury on the show. Tim is the current Director of Coaching with Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association, as well as an NSCAA Instructor, and the Director of Coaching Development for SUSA. Our discussion revolves around various "dogmas" within youth development as we discuss single vs multi-sport development, the best ways to educate coaches, and we also discuss the USSF and the changes taking place currently. It's a great discussion where Tim provides some thought-provoking concepts and offers some different ways to look at various concepts we've grown accustomed to hearing delivered the same way time after time. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Luis Swisher on the show! Luis is a former professional player and Guatemalan Men's National Team player. After his playing career, he worked with DC United and the New York Red Bulls, and is currently a Director of Coaching with FC Boulder, as well as their PDL Head Coach, and a CONCACAF Instructor. Our discussion this week focuses on Luis' story on how he got to where he is today. We talk about the player development pathway both in Luis' home country as well as the United States and the ways we can develop professionals in this country. It is a great discussion with someone who matches his experience with humility and a desire to constantly improve. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Reed Maltbie on the show! Reed is currently the Chief Content Officer and Lead Presenter at Changing the Game Project. We delve into various "concepts" within youth development, some good, some bad, and all misunderstood. We touch on some recent topics and go over some conundrums coaches may face when creating their own philosophy. It is a fantastic discussion for any educator, coach, parent, or even player! Be sure to follow Reed on Twitter at: @Coach_Reed and follow Changing the Game at: @CTGProjectHQ Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Frank Tschan on the show! Frank is a Coach Educator with US Soccer, but before that he was living and working in Germany as the Director of Sports and Club Manager for the International School of Dusseldorf for 15 years. Frank also served as the ODP Director of Coaching Education for Europe, the NSCAA Regional Director for Europe, and worked closely with the DFB’s coaching education department on a variety of programs and initiatives. Our discussion focuses on US Soccer's holistic approach towards coach education and the changes being implemented throughout the country. We have a back and forth over some cliches, such as "The game being the teacher" and we have a good chat with the work being done in Germany and the possible dangers in copy and pasting those "fixes" onto the US landscape. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to welcome Vlatko Andonovski on the show! Vlatko is the current Head Coach of FC Kansas City in the NWSL. He has been a part of an FC KC side that won the NWSL Championship in 2014 and 2015, and he was also named the NWSL Coach of the Year in 2013. We have an excellent discussion focusing on Vlatko's experiences working with some of the best women's players in the world, as well as his coaching and development methodology, lessons he has learned, and the culture he has helped establish within FC Kansas City! Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com

This week, The Coaching Journey Podcast is excited to bring Mark Parsons on the show! Mark is the current Head Coach of the Portland Thorns in the NWSL, and he is also the current NWSL Coach of the Year! Mark and Portland ended their 2016 league campaign in first, and advanced to the semi-finals in the NWSL Playoffs before losing to the eventual champions, Western New York Flash. Our discussion revolves around Mark's journey from England to the professional game in the United States. We focus on the culture that Mark has enhanced with the Portland Thorns, as well as the challenges in working with some players who are right out of college, and some players who are international stars and World Cup winners. Support the podcast and join our Patreon community by clicking here! Subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date on the latest episode and please leave a rating and review! Follow us on Twitter: @TheCoachJourney Follow us on Facebook: The Coaching Journey Music: http://www.bensound.com