Hispanic Heritage Month
A Note from the Latino Coaches Community on Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for celebration, reflection, and recognition of the contributions of our people to the American soccer community and this wonderful country off the field. We want...
2022 Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Cynthia Cervantes
Cynthia Cervantes Head Coach Western Texas College, Women's Soccer Director of Coaching El Paso Juventus F.C. ODP Coach New Mexico Youth Soccer “Heritage ties to many things for me. It’s about who...
2022 Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Messias dos Santos
Messias dos Santos Coach and DirectorCollege Placement Adviser “It’s up to each person to adjust his cultural background to the days that we are leaving on. The growth and betterment are up to each...
2022 Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Mario Zuniga-Gil
Mario Zúñiga Gil Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at Grand Valley State University “United Soccer Coaches has provided a platform for me to develop as a coach, improve my coaching tree and my...
2022 Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Jessica Montiel
Jessica Montiel Head Coach Oceanside Breakers G14Head Coach Oceanside Breakers G15 “I am a Latina college coach, and if you would have told me that at age 15, I wouldn’t have believed you....
2022 Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Pedro Oliveira
Pedro Oliveira Head Coach Bunnell High School Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Inter Connecticut FC “Heritage encompasses many things. It’s about ethnic roots, of course, but it also includes...
Some United Soccer Coaches Pages Have Been Translated in Spanish!
In collaboration with Hispanic Heritage Month and the United Soccer Coaches Latino Coaches Community, we’ve translated some of our website’s most popular pages into Spanish.
The Latino Coaches Community created a trio of webinars for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, touching on the topics of today’s Latino Coach. Watch the recordings of these webinars below!
- The Importance of Education in the Journey of the Latino Coach – St. Louis City FC Academy Coach Luis Swisher and El Paso, Juventus Director of Coaching Cynthia Cervantes sit down with Lower Merion Soccer Club Development Academy Director Art Hernandez and Former Massachusetts Youth Soccer Assistant Technical Director Loy Urbina to talk about the importance of coaching education in their coaching journey.
- The Education Pathway to Grow as a Latino Coach – Merion Soccer Club Development Academy Director Art Hernandez and Former Massachusetts Youth Soccer Assistant Technical Director Loy Urbina talk with New Jersey Youth Soccer Director of Coaching Rick Meana and New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Technical Director Rick Flores about the pathway of coaching education to grow as a Latino coach.
- An Interview with the New Latino Coaches Community Chair: Mauricio Lozada – United Soccer Coaches is pleased to announce the new Chair for the Latino Coaches Community. Mauricio Lozada was a member of the last 30 under 30 class, serves on the association’s Board of Directors Diversity Committee and has served on the leadership team for the Coaches Community. Please enjoy this interview with Mauricio, led by Art Hernandez, as he talks about the benefits of membership, reasons to get involved, and how Latino and Latina coaches can take advantage of their membership.
In the 2021 Sept/Oct Soccer Journal, we featured Victor Lonchuk in our “Voces latinoamericanas en nuestro fútbol: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month” spread. We’ve made this feature available to all who want to read at the link below!
In 2020, The United Soccer Coaches Podcast ran a five-part series highlighting Latino Coaches Community members during Hispanic Heritage Month. Listen to the episodes below:
For Hispanic Heritage Month in 2021, the Latino Coaches Community created the web series “Tu Juego, Tu Voz – Your Game, Your Voice,” featuring relevant topics and knowledgeable guests.
| Subject & Guests |
| Helping Latinx Students Through the College Recruitment Process Moderated by: Jake Morrison, Director of Soccer, JASA RWC Guests: Javier Ayala-Hil, Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach, University of San Francisco Jaime Ramirez, Head Men’s Soccer Coach, Fresno Pacific University Webinar Recording |
| The Coaching Education Process and Benefits for the Latinx Community Moderated by: Mario Fernandez, U.S. Soccer Grassroots Instructor Guests: Loy Urbina, Assistant Techincal Director, Massachusetts Youth Soccer Eloisa Borreguero, Head Coach, Albion SC Rick Flores, Technical Director, New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Neil Ellis, Head Coach, South Region Boys ODP Webinar Recording |
| Engaging the Latinx Community to Support a TOPSoccer Program Moderated by: Arturo Hernandez, Techincal Director, Lionville SC Guests: Alejandra Jurado, Soccer for Success Director, Illinois Youth Soccer Shawn Danhouser, Chairperson, US Youth Soccer Region II TOPSoccer Rick Flores, Technical Director, New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Webinar Recording |
| Getting and Keeping Latina Players in the Game Moderated by: Eloisa Borreguero, Head Coach, Albion SC Guests: Natalia Astrain, Head Coach, FC Bay Area Diego Cevallos, Head Women’s Soccer Coach, Judson University Cynthia Cervantes, Director of Soccer Coaching, El Paso Juventus FC Sandra Palma, Assistant Coach, Youth R.I.S.E Webinar Recording |
John Orozco
Toledo Christian Boys Soccer Head Coach
The first Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight belongs to John Orozco. John is one of the founding members of the Latin American Soccer Coaches Association (LASCA) and the Head Coach for Toledo Christian Boys Soccer in Toledo, OH. John was also recognized for his service to the game, the convention, and the association with a Certificate of Appreciation at the 2019 United Soccer Coaches Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Norma Sanchez
Girls Leading Girls Technical Trainer
Get to know Girls Leading Girls Technical Trainer Norma Sanchez. Norma is the former Varsity and Junior Varsity Head Coach at San Leandro High School and was the first in her family to attend and graduate from both high school and college. You can read more about Norma’s coaching journey here.
Amanda Casares
DC Stoddart Age Group Director & Head Coach
Introducing our next Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Amanda Casares! Amanda is the Age Group Director and Head Soccer Coach at DC Stoddart. She was also a member of the United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Class of 2017-2018. In her playing career at Binghamton University, Amanda was a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region Player!
Pedro Oliveira
Bunnell High School Head Varsity Girls Coach
Meet Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Pedro Oliveira! Pedro is the Head Varsity Girls Soccer Coach at Bunnell High School and the United Soccer Coaches Latino Coaches Advocacy Group Chair Enhancement Team Leader. Working with the Chair and Members, Pedro leads the creation, build, and cataloging of content that is moved through various outlets. Read more about Pedro here.
Rick Flores
New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Technical Director
Get to know Rick Flores in this Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight! Rick Flores is the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Technical Director and began his coaching journey as an Active Duty Marine. Learn more about Rick and his coaching journey here.
Jimena Torres
2009 Downtown LA Girls Soccer Club Head Coach
Introducing our next Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Jimena Torres! Jimena is the Head Coach of the 2009 Downtown L.A. Girls Soccer Club. As a Latinx woman, Jimena wants to “continue to close racial, social-economic, and gender barriers.” Read more about her story here.
Messias Dos Santos
Atletico Santa Rosa Director of Coaching and Player Development
Get to know Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Messias Dos Santos! Messias is the Director of Coaching and Player Development at Atletico Santa Rosa who began his coaching journey in Brazil playing for Sete de Setembro FC. Read more about Messias, his journey, and the history of Atletico Santa Rosa here.
Isela Ferreyra
CT Cimarrones category 2014/2017 Head Coach
Take some time today to get to know our Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Isela Ferreyra! Isela is the Head Coach of CT Cimarrones category 2014/2017 and started coaching through the help of her own coach Eusebio “Chebo” Martinez. Read more about Isela here.
Mauricio Lozada
Colorado Rapids North Staff Coach
Introducing our final Hispanic Heritage Month Coach Spotlight: Mauricio Lozada! Mauricio is a Staff Coach at Colorado Rapids North and a member of the 2020-2021 Class of the 30 Under 30 Program! Learn more about Mauricio here.
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