Meet The Coaches

Laura’s love of soccer ignited in Virginia during middle and high school. She captained her school teams five of six years while playing forward or outside defender before settling in at center midfielder.  She continued on to play intramural in college and still plays weekly in the Austin Women’s Soccer League.

Called to impact youth, Coach Laura earned degrees from the University of Virginia and North Carolina Central University. She then taught kindergarten through fifth grades in North Carolina and Texas.  She also brings experience as a curriculum developer and educational consultant.  She began coaching soccer and swimming during college and has coached Austin youth for over ten years. She enjoys mentoring fellow coaches and thrives through the smiles shared with children as they build confidence, friendships and fun!

Arianne has over 20 years of soccer experience! Hailing from the DFW area, she started playing select for FC Dallas Youth, then IM while in college, and in Paris, France for the SciencesPo women’s team. Her favorite position is forward because she loves the challenge of scoring goals.

She received her degree in International Relations and French from UT and fell in love with the city as a Longhorn. She started coaching kids while in high school through tennis clinics and as a volunteer rec soccer coach. Arianne also served as a camp counselor, childcare supervisor, and AmeriCorps literacy instructor for AISD. Her favorite part about working with children is their unfailing ability to find fun and joy in the smallest things. Arianne loves the vibrancy and culture of Austin. In addition to playing soccer, you can find her playing tennis, paddle boarding, reading, and volunteering.

Fun Facts: Coach Arianne checked off an item on her bucket list by attending a European soccer match for PSG and seeing Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action! And her best friend is her pup, Eleanor Rigby.

Kait brings to our team years of childcare experience, account management and is a customer service guru! She works behind the scenes to ensure that every family, player and partner have an exceptional experience with our program. She grew up playing a variety of sports including soccer, softball, dance and ran track. She came to Austin 12 years ago from Abilene, TX, and is here to stay! Kait was a professional nanny, camp counselor, coach and makes a positive impact on everyone she meets. In addition to her passion for teaching children, she also loves music, walking her dog, Vincey, and is on a mission to find the best Italian sub sandwich in the city. If you have any suggestions – let her know!

Fun Fact: Coach Kait plays 2nd base on her community softball team, is earning her certificate in professional organizing and is unbeatable in ping pong!

Serafina grew up playing soccer in Dallas, TX. She played left wing throughout high school and intramurally at Texas State University where she studied Exercise & Sport Science. Her teaching experience comes from coaching Middle School Athletics and Elementary Physical Education. She has always had a passion for soccer and shares that her favorite parts about coaching are providing a fun learning environment and being a positive influence.

Fun Facts: Coach Sera has been attending Dallas Burn/FC Dallas matches since she was a child. She has also become a huge Austin FC supporter because of their growing impact on the community and strong focus on youth development!

Jeremy joins our Soccer Shots Austin team with over 25 years in soccer experience and transitioning from a 20+ year career in restaurant management. His soccer career started from humble beginnings at his YMCA in Midland, TX, and then progressing to his high school team and later Midland College. Jeremy played as a keeper and full-back until a knee injury took him from the field and to the office. Now, he enjoys disc golfing, snowboarding, and cycling to stay active and outside. He loves living in Austin, with its laid-back vibe, vibrant music scene, and appreciation and stewardship of the environment.

Fun Fact: Jeremy is also an avid “maker” and was previously in the craft show and Etsy scene!

Kristine comes to Austin from Connecticut, living there her whole life until she decided that she was ready for a change! We’re lucky that she chose Austin because she brings years of early childhood and soccer experience with her (plus, she’s a ton of fun!). She started playing soccer when she was 11 years old as a midfielder, playing with different rec teams. Now, she loves playing pick-up with friends and also adds hiking, swimming, and paddleboarding, to her ways to staying active and healthy.
Kristine also served as a teacher’s aid for preschoolers, volunteered as a young women’s mentor, and babysat for 10 years. Her favorite part about working with kids is watching them grow and develop so quickly and listening to their crazy stories! She is also a proficient Spanish-speaker and loves Austin’s music scene and sense of community.

Fun Fact: Kristine has two rescues: a puppy named Charlie and a cat named Simone (they’re the best of friends)!

Coach Joe comes to us from California playing soccer since he was 8 years old! He’s really excited to start coaching and bring the excitement and love of the game to our Central Texas families. While Coach Joe played competitively throughout middle and high school, he now just likes to play for fun. His favorite positions are right and left wing and supports FC Barcelona!

Fun Fact: Coach Joe loves to go backpacking through the backcountry!

Coach Sam B. hails from Midland, TX and played as both goalie and forward during his soccer career. Moving through rec leagues in middle school and then up to travel teams, he loves playing the game and making an impact. He has previous experience as a camp counselor and has been a part of the Soccer Shots team for a few seasons now. He hopes to gain a solid coaching foundation and build up his experience!

Fun Facts: Coach Sam plays the guitar, loves Sour Patch Kids, and has been to Guatemala!

Coach Graham hails from Chelsea, Michigan and started playing soccer at just 3 years old! He continued through high school, playing with a competitive travel team and various pick-up teams. Now, he still gets out on the field with friends and adds basketball, hiking, camping, skiing, and snowboarding as other hobbies to be outside and healthy. His favorite part about working with children is how funny they are and the silly jokes they make, and the unique perspective they bring to life each day. He’s excited to join the Soccer Shots team and as a Coach, he hopes to gain a feeling of purpose within the Austin community and for the children. 

Fun Facts: Coach Graham loves to travel: He has been to more than seven different countries and lived the van life up and down the West Coast!

Coach Lou joins us all the way from England! Growing up across the pond, it’s no surprise that Coach Lou has been playing soccer since she could walk! She has played for various school teams and academies over the years, and has played almost every position on the field! Coach Lou has been coaching since she left school in 2016, and is looking forward to coaching in a new environment and learning new games, skills, and tricks.

Fun Facts: Coach Lou loves living in Austin because it is such a walkable city, and she can do a handstand!

Coach Marie is a native Texan hailing from Houston! Marie played high school soccer at the Kinkaid School in Houston, and has totaled over 19 years of experience playing soccer. She loves to play midfield and outside defender and is still currently involved in pickup games and futsal! Coach Marie’s favorite thing about working with children is their limitless imagination and energy. She has experience babysitting and volunteering with children, and hopes to make real connections with her players while keeping them engaged and having fun! When not playing soccer or futsal, you can find Coach Marie playing volleyball, running, and boxing.

Fun Facts: Marie is conversant in Mandarin, wanted to be an actress growing up, and supports Austin FC!

Coach Abe was born in Sweetwater but grew up in Round Rock, TX. Although new to coaching, Coach Abe grew up helping to take care of his large family and younger cousins. As a Soccer Shots Coach, he is excited to grow and learn in experience and working with children, and he is excited to work in a fun environment!

Fun Facts: Coach Abe plays the saxophone and is pursuing an engineering degree at Texas Tech!

Coach Alex is native Austinite who started his soccer journey here in the city playing varsity for his local high school. He now plays pick-up from time to time and loves to run to stay active. Like many locals, he spends plenty of time outdoors and is all about the Austin music scene. Coach Alex loves to teach his favorite sport to kids and sharing the game with others.

Fun Facts: Coach Alex is colorblind and makes beats for fun!

Coach Alfredo hails from California and is a lifelong soccer fan! He is currently pursuing a career in education and hopes to continue to expand his experience working with children.

Fun Facts: Coach Alfredo is fluent in Spanish, his favorite color is green, and he even has a background in Journalism!

Coach Amanda joins us from just up the road in the DFW area. She has played a lot of soccer in her day including club, high school, and for Texas State University! She has worked with kids in research and coached high school soccer for a year, and she loves helping kids have fun and move their bodies. Coach Amanda hopes to bring joy and to help children learn at Soccer Shots!

Fun Facts: Coach Amanda can do a flip throw-in and she skipped the second grade!

Coach Cecile grew up Shanghai, China and comes to the Austin team with a ton of experience working with children! She has worked with all ages, from infants to adolescents, as a teacher and private tutor over the past ten years. She loves when she sees the progression in a child when they grow stronger and healthier physically, mentally, and even spiritually. As a Soccer Shots coach, Coach Cecile aims to help them build their character and soccer knowledge to last them a lifetime, and hopefully, they can look back and remember all the fun they had! Her passion for soccer started when she was in college and now continues to play recreationally. Forward or midfield are her preferred positions. Coach Cecile is also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, and is TBRI-trained. You can find her working out around the city, volunteering with local youth programs, or polishing up on her French!

Fun Facts: Coach Cecile is not a fan of cilantro, recognizing it’s a key ingredient in many Asian cuisines, and working hard to improve her sewing skills. Let her know if you’ve got an 1800s Singer machine lying around that she can try her hand at!

Coach Charlie joins our team all the way from Guatemala! With almost 20 years of experience playing soccer including a 2-year stint with the U17 Guatemalan national team, Coach Charlie knows the ins and outs of the game and is still playing soccer. In addition, Coach Charlie is a pro endurance athlete with his primary sport being ultra trail running. He is a father of 4 children/young athletes and is committed to giving back to the kids in his sessions through soccer and his love for fitness.

Fun Facts: Coach Charlie is a top 200 ultra trail runner in the world and a sports entrepreneur!

Coach Cody grew up in Austin and loves that there is always something to do in town! They have over 9 years of experience playing soccer for club and rec teams, and Coach Cody even played with Soccer Shots when they were in Pre-K! They hope to gain leadership experience through coaching children and trying something new!

Fun Facts: Coach Cody has 2 English Mastiffs and loves changing their hair color!

Coach Deb is from Dallas, TX, and she played soccer all through middle school as a defender! She likes to stay active by doing weightlifting these days, and she has experience with kids through babysitting and a couple years of working at a daycare! Coach Deb would love to gain a fun and enjoyable environment at Soccer Shots.

Fun Facts: Coach Deb loves kayaking and cooking!

Coach D is from Temple, TX and loves the diversity and city layout that comes with living in Austin. She played soccer on and off growing up, and she played 3 seasons in high school before moving on to IMs and pickup games in college. Coach D loves kayaking, cycling, hiking, and pickleball, and working with kids. She worked as a summer camp volunteer, mentor, and babysitter before joining us at Soccer Shots, and she loves how kids are full of energy and always willing to try new things!

Fun Facts: Coach D is a natural gatherer and she studied chemical engineering at UT Austin!

Coach DJ joins us in Austin from Houston, Texas. He has played soccer for 9 years as a goalkeeper, and he even played in college! Coach DJ finds watching his kids develop to be very fulfilling, and he loves to do everything he can to help them in that!

Coach Ed is from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and is loving the food and live music he’s found in Austin! He has over 25 years of experience playing soccer as a member of the varsity team in high school, intramural teams in college, and pickup teams as an adult. Coach Ed also coached for 2 years at a Boys and Girls Club soccer site in North Austin, and led an 8-week camp for 3-12 year-olds. His favorite part of working with kids is seeing the “light bulbs go off” in their heads when they make new connections about the game.

Fun Facts: Coach Ed is fluent in Spanish and has been inside the Great Pyramids!

Coach Ellie is an Austin native who got her soccer start in grade school and loved playing midfield because she could run her heart out! She eventually switched to cross and county and track after realizing she could compete to run in circles. In addition to running and coaching, Coach Ellie enjoys playing ultimate frisbee.  

With her former experience in babysitting and tutoring, she hopes to grow in keeping children engaged and having fun and be the best instructor she can be. Coach Ellie has a passion for ecology and art too; she often shares fun facts about animals and nature with the children she coaches to spark their curious minds and encourage creativity.

Fun Facts: Coach Ellie is learning to ride a unicycle and she likes art!

Coach Emma is from Round Rock, TX and loves living in the Austin area because  it is full of great food and great people! With almost 15 years of soccer experience, she is ready to bring her talents to the fired with Soccer Shots! Coach Emma has experience working with kids through volunteering at soccer clinics and PALS, and she loves to be able to make fun activities for them and bring out her own inner child.

Fun Facts: Coach Emma has never broken a bone and she knows how to play the piano!

Coach Heidi is an Austin local and loves everything about her city. She stared playing soccer at just 5 years old with a local rec team, and later transitioned to more competitive play through the River City Rangers club as a center defender. While she is not currently playing, Coach Heidi still enjoys playing for fun with her family and friends. 

Coach Heidi gained childcare experience as a babysitter of children spanning all ages, and she recently has been working as a PALS mentor for elementary-aged children through school. Her favorite part about working with children is seeing their joy and excitement shine through when they’re doing something they love. She hopes to continue to nurture their passions and looks forward to making a positive difference in the lives of the young athletes she coaches.

Fun Facts: Coach Heidi comes from a huge family and loves animals!

Coach Isaac may be a recent Austin transplant but he’s been around soccer his whole life. Originally from New York, Coach Isaac has experience playing competitively for his college team and has two years of coaching children to draw from as well. In addition to coaching, you can find him playing pick-up soccer with friends, honing his skills at disc golf, and at the Q2 stadium supporting Austin FC. As a Soccer Shots coach, he strives to share the happiness that soccer brings to the kids he works with!

Fun Facts: Coach Isaac has a collection of seashells from around the world and his favorite soccer team is Arsenal FC.

Coach Itza was born and raised in Austin and hopes to bring joy to kids through her coaching at Soccer Shots! With over 10 years of soccer experience including playing for the UT Women’s Soccer Club, Coach Itza is ready to take the field as a coach and have fun with the younger generation. She has experience working with kids through volunteering with church and her school and she was also a babysitter for a couple years!

Fun Facts: Coach Itza has broken her wrist twice (both times in the finals for soccer) and she goes to a concert nearly every month of the year!

Coach Jen grew up in Chicago before moving to Ohio when she was in high school. She played soccer for 13 years in Chicago before finding a love for coaching in Ohio. Coach Jen has 15 years of experience coaching kids 4-18, and she has also worked as a preschool teacher for the last 15 years! Coach Jen has always loved soccer and kids, and she is looking forward to learn new ideas and fun ways to promote soccer and encourage positivity.

Fun Facts: Coach Jen may spontaneously break into song and/or dance, is always down to try new things, and she loves peach rings!

Coach JJ joins the Soccer Shots team all the way from Hawaii! His hometown is Oahu, and she has over 15 years of experience playing soccer. She has experience working with kids through babysitting and soccer camp training during high school. Coach JJ’s favorite part about working with kids is the joy that they share when they learn something new! As a Soccer Shots coach, she hopes to gain skills for working with kids using different methods and some general creativity pertaining to making up games on the fly!

Fun Facts: Coach JJ is left handed and she played soccer in Japan!

Coach Joaquin, “Coach J” is a native Texan! Bored and raised in Austin. He really enjoys that there are so many adventures left and right here in Austin that he can explore. He has been playing since the age of 5 to currently. Coach J played for Westlake Liverpool, Capacity, and currently plays soccer for his high school as an outside back. He has a real love for soccer! Coach J also enjoys building legos on his free time! He hopes to impact the soccer youth of Austin positively while having lots of fun teaching children soccer.

Fun Facts: Coach J is left handed and he can speak a bit of Spanish!

Coach JT is a proud Austinite who has been playing soccer ever since he could walk. He has played all over the city (Dove Springs, CAYSA, Millienium) and throughout high school where they won state his senior year. In college, he did rec soccer both indoor and outdoor as either a forward or defender. To stay active, he continues to play soccer in his free time, work out, and weight training, as well as play online FIFA 22.

Coach JT has been working with children his entire life: through teaching them how to code, coaching soccer, and leading arts and crafts. He loves getting to inspire the next generation and leaving a positive impact. As a Soccer Shots Coach, he hopes to introduce his young athletes to the beautiful and most popular sport in the world!

Fun Facts: Coach JT is an enthusiastic, new dad and when he’s not teaching or playing soccer, he helps to run a STEM non-profit!

Coach Karolyn hails from the Pacific northwest and joins the Soccer Shots team all the way from Redmond, Oregon! She has been coaching sports for two years, and she loves bringing happiness to the lives of kids. Coach Karolyn hopes to grow in herself and her abilities as a coach as she joins our team!

Fun Facts: Coach Karolyn is an Enneagram 4, loves Doritos, and is a Seattle Seahawks fan!

Coach K’s hometown is Tulsa, Oklahoma, but he loves living in Austin because of the youth sports environment! Coach K definitely has a great passion for the craft – in addition to Soccer Shots, he also coaches flag football and girls basketball! He has over 7 years of experience coaching children, and his favorite part is seeing them develop throughout the year. He hopes to continue to improve as a coach at Soccer Shots and be able to work with lots of different kids!

Fun Facts: Coach K likes to be outdoors and his favorite snack is Lunchables!

Coach Key joins the Austin team all the way from North Carolina! She played a little bit of soccer growing up, and likes to stay active with basketball these days. Coach Key has been working with kids for a while now through teaching at a Montessori and staying busy with babysitting. She loves working with kids because they are so free-spirited and know how to have a good time! While coaching with Soccer Shots, Coach Key hopes to gain personal growth and patience.

Fun Facts: Coach Key is an entrepreneur, and her favorite candy is Peanut M&Ms!

Coach Kristi or “Coach K”, is from Rowlett, Texas! So she is another one of our native Texans! Coach K has been playing soccer for 24 years now. She started playing soccer whenever she was just 4 years old and played in high school, college, and was in club soccer. She played defensive center mid! Coach K has coached soccer for 4 years, so she is excited to expand her experience and share her passion for soccer at Soccer Shots. While coaching children at Soccer Shots, Coach K wants to be a positive role model for the children and have a meaningful, long lasting impact on them. Besides soccer, Coach K enjoys taking her dog to different parks in Austin on her free time! Fun Facts: Coach K once held a koala named Ellen and has a silver lab named Izzy!

Coach Kyle was born and raised in Austin, TX and has been immersed in soccer for years as a player, coach, and referee! He started playing when he was just 4 years old and continued on to coaching a U-10 soccer team, and then also added referee to his resume–a position he’s held for the past 27 years! Coach Kyle truly enjoys teaching children and helping them to better their skills to be the best they can be!

Fun Facts: Coach Kyle was also a fire fighter and professional Santa Claus!

Coach Laura is originally from Dallas and played soccer for about six years as a defensive mid and outside wing. While she no longer plays, she loves to catch soccer and football games on TV and support her favorite teams. Previously she coached soccer and basketball and loves watching the kids progress and develop their communication and interpersonal skills and build on their athletic abilities! As a Soccer Shots coach, Coach Laura hopes to enhance her own teaching and communication skills to make the most positive impact she can.

Fun Facts: Coach Laura enjoys running cross country and has a passion for sports journalism!

Coach Mia is a versatile athlete who has 8 years of competitive soccer experience. She played all over the field as a midfielder, outside back, and even goalie. In addition to her time playing on the field she also has experience being both a coach and a referee for youth soccer. She loves teaching children to have confidence in themselves by improving their soccer skills and having a ton of fun while doing it. Coach Mia is also known to frequent weights training and run half marathons to stay in shape. She is also a student, currently studying at UT, she works hard on the field and in the classroom. She looks forward to making a bright and positive impact on all the children she coaches and hopes to share her love of soccer with them!

Fun Facts: Coach Mia can play guitar and loves to eat Goldfish!

Coach Michel is one of our most veteran coaches, joining the Austin team back in 2014! The joy and life they bring to each session makes such an impact on the kids, parents, and coaches that they work with. (You might find yourself in multiple dance parties during your child’s soccer session.) As such, they are also one of our coach trainers, supporting our newer instructors to be the best they can be. Their favorite part about working with kids is that they bring them back to the truth of their own child self; children remind them of how safe it is to trust life and be your fully-expressed self.

Coach Michel got their soccer start on the elementary school playground as a Kindergartener in Converse kicks. They continue to play recreationally, driven to developing their skill, staying active, and having fun. They love Austin for its unassuming and laidback energy, and that it has nearly everything in life to enjoy.

Fun Fact: Coach Michel loves watching cartoons, with Arthur as their go-to favorite.

Originally from just outside of DFW, Coach Modi is making herself right at home here in Austin and loves visiting all the food trucks! With over 20 years of soccer playing experience, she was a part of school and club teams, indoor and outdoor leagues. Not only that she has even spent some time as a soccer referee too! Nowadays, you can find her playing with her classmates through Austin Sports and Social Club, as well as taking dancing lessons and challenging friends to a game of table tennis.

Coach Modi has served as a social worker for the past six years, working with children and families. Her favorite part about working with children is helping them learn new things and seeing their progress along the way. As a Soccer Shots coach, she hopes to inspire a love of the game and make a difference through her favorite sport. Needless to say, she knows her way around a soccer field and how to build up the next generation of soccer players!

Fun Facts: Coach Modi plays the trumpet and has climbed part of The Great Wall of China!

Originally from College Station, Coach Mycah has been playing for the better part of 14 years, on club, school, and college teams. Her favorite position is striker and racking up those goals!

In addition to her extensive time on the field, she also brings 5 years of coaching experience and 3 years as a nanny. While injuries eventually took her off the field, she never lost the love of the game and now shares that love of soccer with her students. Coach Mycah has been enjoying her time in Austin with its excellent balance of city life and nature and the never-ending list of things to do. As a Soccer Shots coach, she loves the challenge of figuring out how to make a child smile and looks forward to helping children grow in their athletic abilities and confidence and to spread her love for the game to the next generation.

Fun Facts: Coach Mycah is working towards a Master’s Degree in counseling and is ambidextrous!

Originally from La Porte, TX, Coach Peyton joins our squad full of soccer and coaching experience! Beginning at the age of 3, she played for 10 years with the Challenge Soccer Club as a goalkeeper and continued on her varsity team all 4 years. She’s served as a volunteer for the past 5 years as a coaching youth instructor for soccer camps in her hometown and earned a coaching minor from Texas State where she’s also currently studying for her nursing degree. Coach Peyton loves to watch children grow and progress in a skill and to see how willing they are to learn. When she’s not playing soccer, she loves exploring Austin and checking out the scenery and hiking trails.

Fun Fact: Coach Peyton has 4 pet glowfish!

Coach Rigo is a proud El Salvador native and got his soccer start there in his hometown. He played for over 14 years both through club and his high school team. He later moved to Austin while in school and continued his soccer journey on the varsity team. Nowadays, you can catch him staying active at the boxing gym or on the rugby field! He speaks fluent Spanish, is currently learning Mandarin, and loves Austin’s diversity and the energy of the people in our town.

Coach Rigo has previously volunteered at orphanages and children’s hospitals and loves interacting with kids. He constantly strives to make a positive impact on children’s lives and says that there’s nothing better than serving as a positive influence. He hopes to continue this impact as a Soccer Shots coach and provide an uplifting and safe environment for them to enjoy and make new friends in.

Fun Facts: Coach Rigo is an adventure seeker: he has climbed one of Colorado’s 14ers, El Salvador’s largest volcano, the largest volcano in Central America, and loves cruising on his motorcycle.

Coach Rowan is an Austin native. He played soccer with North Austin Soccer Alliance for 9 years as a defender, midfield, and goalie. Now he spends his free time wrestling and weight lifting competitively. He enjoys having fun while teaching children new soccer skills. He appreciates the uniqueness of Austin and loves to try new things. As a Soccer Shots coach, Coach Rowan is looking to enhance his coaching skills while keeping the children and families engaged and delighted.

Fun facts: Coach Rowan loves to find the fun in any adventure. His go-to snack is goldfish or chocolate!

Coach Ryan hails from Houston, Texas, bringing with him over 4 years of soccer experience! He played as a center back in high school, and now he stays busy with IMs at UT as well as golfing, fishing, and trying new food and restaurants. Coach Ryan has 6 years of experience working with children between the ages of 3-12 through babysitting and coaching at a golf clinic. His favorite part of working with kids is seeing them grown and get better at what they enjoy. Coach Ryan hopes to gain responsibility in his role at Soccer Shots, and he wants to be the reason kids learn to love soccer!

Fun Facts: Coach Ryan started playing golf when he was just  2 years old, and he can label nearly every country on the world map!

Coach Satya is from Austin and has Soccer Shots in her blood! She started playing soccer at just two years old in a Soccer Shots class, and played until she was 13 years old. She took a break to try out other sports, but began playing soccer again in high school where she is still a member of the team. Coach Satya has been a coach at Soccer Shots before, and is looking forward to getting more comfortable with leading sessions and making new connections.

Fun Facts: Satya means “truth” in Sanskrit, and she makes a mean grilled cheese!

Coach V is an avid soccer, Austin, and LEGO fan! She was born and raised here in the city and started her soccer journey at just a wee three years old. Her family was actively involved in her youth development as she progressed through rec and club leagues and later onto her high school team as a midfielder and defender. In addition to soccer, you can find her playing both sand and indoor volleyball.

Coach V has been around children her whole life and involved in coaching youth sports for over 8 years. She also babysits and was part of the PALS program while at school. As a Soccer Shots coach, she hopes to build upon important life skills like patience, responsibility, and having a strong work ethic, and to add to her experience in coaching and impacting young athletes.

Fun Facts: Coach V loves to bake, cook, and build LEGO sets!

Coach Tez is someone you’d want on your soccer team, with his skillful moves and quick feet. He was born and raised here in Austin and and loves all that the city has to offer, from its food, music, and of course, soccer fandom. He played as the attacking midfield on his high school team and later played semi-professionally, too. He currently still gets on the field and has more than 15 years of experience. Coach Tez is excited to pass on his knowledge and expertise to our young athletes!

Coach Tez used to help tutor children and he is having a great time growing in experience and learning new things.

Fun Facts: Coach Tez is fluent in Spanish and Yoruba and his favorite snack is Pop-Tarts!

Coach Zach’s passion for soccer started at the young age of four years old up in his hometown just outside of Washington, D.C. He later progressed to the club level, continuing through high school, and later found himself on the Indiana University Men’s club team. He was partial to orchestrating the plays as a center mid or back wing. Currently, Coach Zach continues to stay active in a variety of sports from soccer, skiing, and snowboarding, to running and kickball as well. There probably isn’t a sport Coach Zach hasn’t already tried!

He has previous experience as a summer camp counselor where his mom worked as a montessori teacher and camp director. It was at these camps that he discovered his love for working with kids, and what eventually led him to Soccer Shots. His favorite part about working with youth is building relationships and helping them learn the foundations of emotional intelligence, all while working on it himself in the process. He hopes to bring the same impact as a coach as his own coaches had on him.

Fun Facts: Coach Zach used to have a hamster named Paco, who he thought was male, but one day Paco had 8 baby hamsters! Unfortunately, he wasn’t allowed to raise the babies but was proud to be a hamster grandparent.