Mike Zaher is a staff coach with the SF Elite Academy and former MLS player and Division 1 College standout. In 2008, Zaher was drafted by Major League Soccer side Toronto FC. However, his rights were traded to D.C. United for an undisclosed pick, and he was officially signed to United's development roster on April 17th, 2008. He made his professional debut for DC United on July 19th, 2008, coming on as a second half substitute for Bryan Namoff in a SuperLiga game against Houston Dynamo. In 2009, he signed with the San Jose Earthquakes, and played 10 matches before being released at the end of that season, afterwhich he continued his professional career in the USL.
During his college years, Zaher played at UCLA, appearing in 70 games over four seasons and scoring twice in the run-up to the 2006 NCAA soccer championship game in St. Louis, which UCLA lost 2–1 to UC Santa Barbara. Zaher is a former member of the U.S. U-18 National Team, was listed at #21 in Soccer America's Top 25 recruits list, is a two-time Parade All-American, was a member of the 2004 McDonald’s All-American team and the 2003 NSCAA/adidas All-American team, was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2004, and was selected to the ESP All-Star Team in 2002 and 2003. His high school career included leading Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada to the Nevada high school state championship in 2002; he scored 34 goals as a senior, 25 as a junior, 13 as a sophomore and six as a freshman for a total of 78 career goals. During the same time he also led his club soccer team, Las Vegas Premier, to seven Nevada state championships.
