Mahwah Raiders Coaches

Director of Coaching
Boys U14, Boys U9, Girls U13

Coaching Licenses & Accreditations: US national D license, English F.A level 2 license, Director of Coaching License

Years of Coaching Experience: 13 years

Career Highlights: LANCASHIRE FA CHALLENGE TROPHY Winner Represented England College u18s Coached at Arsenal football club for two years coaching a side that played 30 games winning 27 with 3 ties going undefeated Scoring in multiple F.A cup matches with a total of 8 goals in the competition over 11 games

Playing Experience: I started off at a young age at a professional outfit called Preston north End where I was deemed too small, I then went onto play at a semi professional level playing for teams like, Chorley football club where I won the LANCASHIRE FA CHALLENGE TROPHY in my second season, I then went onto sign for Lancaster football club where I had scored 17 goals in 23 games ending the season with having an operation on a hernia I had picked up during the season, I then moved onto play for Kendal football club and during an F.A cup game I was injured and was left with an invulsion fracture to my back keeping me out for the remainder of the season. I then returned 7 months later playing for Warrington town for a few months until my former manager Lee Ashcroft signed me for Northwich Victoria it was in another F.A cup game where I had picked up yet another hernia injury requiring surgery for a second time in which then I stoped playing soccer and came to america to start teaching the game to the youth and have coached ever since. I was asked to represent England colleges u18s team in a friendly tournament in Portugal against France Spain and Portugal where I tore my hamstring in the first training session after working so hard to make the team it wasn’t meant to be. But if I could say one thing to the youth about trying to make it professional it would be look after your body, eat the right foods, learn the game away from the field study players movements and why they make certain passes! Make sure cool down after a game or session and most importantly stretch. Players most often think they are invincible but if you stretch as best as possible it will limit the amount of injuries you receive and will allow you to show your talents on a more constant basis.

Coaching Philosophy: The way I set my teams up is to play with a high intense pressure starting from the first minute not allowing teams to play how they would like, I really feel no matter the level of opponent if you pressure the opponent correctly you will make it much harder for them to execute their game plan, once we have won the ball back I like my teams to attack with speed if the other team have most of their players defending and we can’t get to goal as quick as we like, I then like my teams to slow the game down and and focus on breaking the lines of the opponents to create openings. Possessing the ball is of huge importance to my style of coaching I don’t like to take risks unless they are in the opponent’s final third for example punting the ball is a 50/50 chance of retaining possession where as I like to have the goalkeeper play out from the back to an open player which then gives us a 100% chance of retaining possession looking for the next successful pass until we get into the opponent’s final third where then I allow the players to be creative and expressive with the correct decision making on their own.

MRSC Experience: 7 Years with the Raiders

Social Media: Instagram @Kenners9

Favorite Professional Footy Team: Liverpool

Coach U9 & U10 Girls Teams

Coaching Licenses/Accreditations: UEFA & USSF Coaching Licenses

Years of Coaching Experience: 17 years

Career Highlights: Darron started off his coaching career in his home country of Wales at the age of 19 where he developed his coaching skills with many semi-pro clubs and grassroot programs on the kid’s and men’s side of the game. He was happy to see 2 of his players move onto play at a pro level and play at an international level for Wales. Darron studied with the Football Association of Wales where he gained the prestigious UEFA B License.

Playing Experience: Darron started out his soccer journey at the age of 7 where he developed his skills and understanding of the game within his local soccer clubs in his home country of Wales. As a teenager, Darron progressed through the ranks of the local men’s Semiprofessional and Professional soccer clubs Llaneli Town and Porth Twywn that both played in the Welsh football League. At this time Darron won many trophies as a young player while gaining success in the Welsh FA Cup and Welsh League Cup.

Coaching Philosophy: Educate the player with the correct technical skills. Foster the love for the game. Help improve the players confidence.

MRSC Experience: Started January 2022

Social Media: Instagram @ D.C.Soccer.NJ

Website: www.dcsoccernj.com

Favorite Professional Footy Team: Swansea City Football Club