Meet The Coaches

Coach Ryan played a variety of sports growing up including baseball, football, basketball and of course soccer! he started playing organized soccer as  young as 5 years old. Some of Ryans favorite activities are mountain hiking, playing basketball, and staying active in multiple soccer leagues! Ryan graduated from Point Boro in 2016 then moved to Tampa, FL to pursue his goal to get his Florida Real Estate License while also studying BA. He has a family very full of 4 brothers and a loving father, mother and step-father which he is very grateful for.

BEST ADVICE: “You are not alone! It is not peculiar or uncommon for a child to not be fully engaged or struggling. Don’t question whether or not Soccer Shots is for them, consult a coach and we will do our best to resolve any situation at home”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: ” I work with Soccer Shots because I was once that age learning as well and have progressed not only my skills but also my character and life so much over the years in this game. So to pass that along to a younger generation in hopes they take it and run with as I did is something special to me.”

Coach Tracie joined the Soccer Shots team in January 2014. Coach Tracie was raised on soccer right her in Ocean County where she played both travel and high school ball. She is married to her husband , Brian and is the mother of two sons, Nick and Tyler. She continues to play soccer on a Mom’s league, Soccer Moms for Charity, in Brick, NJ. She is thrilled to combine her love of children and soccer in her work with Soccer Shots. She is also the costumier and Drama Mama for a teen theater company in Brick. In her Spare time, Tracie loves to garden, craft, go to the theater and travel (especially to Disney).

BEST ADVICE: “No two children are ever the same even if they were born and raised in the same household by the same parents.”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “It covers my two loves: Soccer and Kids!”

Coach Mike joined the Soccer Shots team in March 2013. Mike  was born and raised in Atlantic County, NJ. Growing up he enjoyed playing soccer, baseball and wrestling. He is also FIFA certified and spent 10 years as a referee for recreation soccer. Mike graduated from Rutgers University in 2009, He also worked as a youth minister in New Brunswick. He is the proud father of his son named Kaiden. Coach Mike is as exciting and engaging as it gets at Soccer Shots. In his free time Mike loves to skateboard and surf and you can find him riding the waves and almost always having an epic day.

BEST ADVICE: “Relax. take a breath. Your child is in the midst of positive  play. With each session, your child will naturally become more comfortable in their new environment. Keep in mind that you, your child and your coach are all here primarily for your child to experience fun, fun and more fun. Everything else is sidelined.”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “I love inspiring children and helping develop character in their formative years.”

Coach Vanessa joined the Soccer Shots team in March 2017. Vanessa grew up in Brazil and came to the Ironbound section of Newark when she was 19 years old. Growing up Vanessa enjoyed all sorts of sports, and really loved dodgeball the most. Vanessa is married to Sean and they have two children , Sofia and Noah. Together as a family, they enjoy walking their dog, Abbey, spending time at the beach and eating out. Vanessa is a Girl Scout Leader and enjoys planning activities that help teach the girls about serving their community through projects that help others and give back.

BEST ADVICE: “Don’t take yourself (or your kids) too seriously when it comes to sports, they will get there at their own time.”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “I love children! Soccer Shots  is a great way for me to spend time with them and watch each child grow throughout the season.”

Coach Hope was born & raised in Barnegat, NJ and pursued a business management degree while attending Rowen University. She has played soccer most of her life growing up and now has been coaching for 4 years! Some of her favorite activities and hobbies include pottery, running track, and playing soccer.

Best Advice or encouragement for a parent of a struggling Soccer Shots player:
Every child is different and it will take time for them to learn and listen and
socialize. But don’t stress because they will get there eventually 🙂

Why do you work for Soccer Shots:
Because I love the smiles all over Soccer Island! bring them joy and they bring me
joy, its a win win for me!

Coach Amy joined the Soccer Shots team in April 2016. Amy was born in Edison, NJ and moved to Ocean County during high school. Amy attended Stockton State College and graduated with a BA in Psychology and a BA in Elementary Education. She spent a semester abroad studying in Australia. Amy is the proud mother to her beautiful son, Kaiden. Together they enjoy going to the beach, festivals of all sorts, being outdoors and spending time with family, friends and their cat, Sonic.

BEST ADVICE: “Children are constantly learning and changing, so I believe it is important to always be present even in the smallest of moments. Believe in them and encourage them always.”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “I love the people I work with and being able to impact children’s lives”

Coach Mel joined the Soccer Shots team in March 2015. She grew up in New Egypt, NJ. Melanie played soccer growing up. She also enjoys women’s softball and volleyball. She is married to Michael and they have a son named Anthony. She really enjoys watching her son play the sport they share a passion for. When Mel isn’t coaching soccer, she spends her time with her husband and son camping, gardening, going on family vacations being active and catering on the weekends. She is also a big BRCA gene advocate. Melanie is involved in her son’s school PTA and coaches him in basketball. She’s a big fan of Nascar and the 49ers. Together they all enjoy their many pets: Greyhound and Italian Greyhound dogs, a cat, an African Gray Bird, some fish and a couple of hermit crabs.

BEST ADVICE: “Be present in the moment.”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “I love being around children and being able to impact their lives in a fun way.”

Coach Chelsie graduated from Crystal River, FL but has lived all over. She grew up playing soccer for 22 years she also ran track and field and played basketball in high school. Chelsie’s favorite hobbies are exercising, spending time with family and she loves Disney. She studied Elementary Education and Criminal Justice at the University of North Florida. She is a mother to Peyton and is happily married to her husband Louis.

BEST ADVICE: “Continue to encourage them to show up each week and put forth 100% effort so they will learn to love the gam. at first they may be unsure and it’s important to support them sticking the season out, they’ll learn to love it.”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “I love soccer and I enjoy watching children and their passion within sports.”

Coach Vonnie has been born and raised in New Jersey. Vonnie has 30 years of experience as a preschool teacher, Assistant Coach and a mom most importantly. Some of her favorite activities include hanging out with her grown kids, photography, hiking, and walking the beach. She has a degree in Psychology, focused on early childhood development. Vonnie’s Husband’s name is Frank and she has 3 kids they are Matt (31), Ashlynne (24) and Sean (22).

BEST ADVICE: “Routine, Repetition and consistency is key to learning any new skill. Be patient!”

WHY DO YOU WORK FOR SOCCER SHOTS?: “I work for soccer shots to expand my teaching beyond classroom the ever important group sports.”

Coach Jodie grew up in Spotswood, NJ and graduated from Boston Architectural College in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree. While she was in high school she refereed basketball and umpired baseball and softball for her towns recreational program. When she started college she started coaching soccer for youth and loved it. She has now been coaching youth soccer for 7 years! Some of her favorite activities and hobbies include walking her dog, fishing, and playing sports.

Best Advice or encouragement for a parent of a struggling Soccer Shots player:
Don’t get discouraged if your child is struggling to participate. Sometimes it takes
a few classes or even the right coach to get your child interested.

Why do you work for Soccer Shots:
The kids are so much fun while coaching the sport I love.

Sue Fraim was born in Livingston NJ and then moved to Middletown NJ where she grew up. She moved to Barnegat with her husband and young family in 2005.

Sue enjoys spending time at the beach but also in the mountains of Gaitlinburg, Tennessee. She has a big love baseball and the New York Yankees! You can also find her cooking and crafting as well in her free time! After graduating high-school Sue attended business school for Hotel and Restaurant Management.

My advice to the parents of a struggling Soccer Shots player would be that every child is different, they each has their own unique personality. Embrace those characters and traits and always be positive and encouraging. They learn from you and want you to be proud of them no matter how they may struggle. If you have fun, they will have fun and they will remember that at the end of the day. I love being part of being able to impact a child’s life and watching child bring their own personalities into the soccer sessions. I love who I get to work with at Soccer Shots!

Coach Allie was born in Galloway but grew up in Smithville, NJ. She attended Atlantic Cape Community College where she studied culinary arts and then participated in Walt Disneys College program! She grew up playing track & field and soccer. Some of her hobbies include exploring nature, cooking, skating, the beach, paddle boarding, tending to animals, drawing, and floating in the ocean!

Best Advice or encouragement for a parent of a struggling Soccer Shots player: Soak in their environment. Even on cloudy days, rainbows show up. The kids will have fun and grow.

Why do you work for Soccer Shots: I work for Soccer Shots because it teaches kids a fun way to learn additional social skills. I love being the reason why kids can be active!

Coach Abi was born & raised here in Ocean County in New Egypt. She grew up involved in soccer, softball, and dance. Abi played soccer for 15 years from 3 years old until she graduated high school!

When Abi isn’t playing soccer, she spends a lot of time weightlifting, running, surfing/paddle boarding, and spending time with her dogs, Bruno and Zoey.
Abi graduated from New Egypt High School in 2021 and she is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in political science & criminology at the College of New Jersey!

Best Advice or encouragement for a parent of a struggling Soccer Shots player:
Every kid moves at their own speed; foster a positive environment and watch them grow at their pace.

Why do you work for Soccer Shots:
I work for Soccer Shots to share my love for the game with the next generation of athletes!