 SFEA Director of Coaching for Boys, Leonard Griffin SAN FRANCISCO, CA. APRIL 25, 2019--The San Francisco Elite Academy announced today that Leonard Griffin, recently named Men's Head Soccer Coach at the University of San Francisco, has joined SFEA as the Director of Coaching for Boys. Griffin will lead the Academy's boys program and its coaching staff as well as contribute his significant technical and college pathway expertise to benefit all the club's players. Coach Griffin, who holds a USSF ‘A’ license, also joins a staff of 15 A and B licensed coaches, affording SFEA players and teams a level of technical coaching expertise and experience entirely unmatched in the San Francisco Bay Area.
"The addition of Leonard to our coaching staff shows our commitment to providing the very best player development environment," said Joe Dugan, President of the San Francisco Elite Academy. "Our goal has been and remains producing the best outcomes for our players, families, coaches & teams. Leonard has been successful everywhere he’s been. We’re looking forward to having lots of success with Leonard now as part of SFEA." Griffin arrives in San Francisco from the University of Portland where he served three years as an assistant coach for the men's soccer program. In his first season as the Pilots' assistant coach, Griffin helped guide the team to a 2016 West Coast Conference Championship. He coached three Far West Region Team players and MLS players: Benji Michel (Orlando City), Paul Christensen (Atlanta United), Kris Reaves (FC Dallas) and Rey Ortiz (1st Team).Prior to joining the Portland staff, he spent two years at UCLA where the Bruins advanced to the NCAA College Cup finals in 2014. Griffin coached nine all-Pac-12 players, including 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Leo Stoltz and 2015 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Jose Hernandez. Griffin spent a season as an assistant coach at California in 2013, guiding Cal to a NCAA Quarterfinals appearance. At the time, the Golden Bears received the No. 4 overall ranking in the NCAA, which was the highest ranking in school history. Prior to Cal, Griffin spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Saint Mary's. There, he led the Gaels to the NCAA Elite Eight and a WCC Championship in 2011. Griffin attended UCLA from 2000-03. The 2003 All-American honoree led the Bruins to an NCAA title in 2002. Following his college career, Griffin spent six seasons with the Chicago Fire (2004-06), the Columbus Crew (2007-08), and the Los Angeles Galaxy (2006) while also playing professionally for the Portland Timbers (2007-08). About the San Francisco Elite Academy (SFEA) The San Francisco Elite Academy (SFEA) is the top college placement youth soccer program in San Francisco, in just four years we have over 30 former players now competing in college soccer. We are developing the next generation of players to the highest standards, ensuring they receive the necessary training and support to successfully represent San Francisco at the highest level of play, our community, and our country.
 SFEA Coach Tommy Alioto SAN FRANCISCO, CA. APRIL 22, 2019—The San Francisco Elite Academy announced today that Tommy Alioto has joined the SFEA coaching staff effective immediately. A member of the Wisconsin Soccer Association Hall of Fame, Alioto played professionally for 15 years, coached teams for over 30 years and has vast experience in player development and as a youth Director of Coaching. He is also a longtime coaching instructor who has led USSF D, E, F, and grass roots coaching courses in Wisconsin and Northern California.
Coach Alioto, who holds a USSF ‘A’ license, joins a staff that already includes another 7 A licensed coaches and 8 B licensed coaches, affording SFEA players and teams a level of technical coaching expertise unmatched in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Alioto will support all of the SFEA’s players and teams as a staff coach until 2019-2020 head coaching positions are announced later this month. In addition, he will immediately serve SFEA Executive Director Joe Dugan by helping with club operations, as well as by working closely with Girls’ Director of Coaching Jim Millinder in overseeing the club’s player development initiatives and overall technical direction. “We’re tremendously excited to have Tommy joining our SFEA team,” said Joe Dugan, President of the San Francisco Elite Academy. “His experiences in working with professional players, coaching, and leading at all levels of the youth game will be an incredible asset to our program. Incredibly, our staff now includes six coaches with Director of Coaching experience This provides all of our teams, as well as our coaching staff, incredible insight and support in attending to player development.” Alioto grew up in Wisconsin playing for national powerhouse, Milwaukee Bavarians. His U19 team was the first team in Wisconsin to make it to the National Youth Championship Final 4. In 1980, he signed with the Chicago Sting of the NASL and in 1981 moved to the Oklahoma City Slickers with Jimmy Millinder in the American Soccer League where he also made the A League All-Star team. Later, he played professionally with the Kansas City Comets, Milwaukee Wave, Louisville Thunder, and Houston Dynamos. He was Assistant Coach coach with the Pro team Milwaukee Rampage which won the A League Championship. Alioto has developed many youth academies including FC Kickers, Milwaukee Rampage, then Sockers FC Milwaukee, and Clovis Crossfire of California. Jim Millinder, SFEA’s Girls Director of Coaching and former teammate of Tommy echoed the club’s excitement over Alito’s addition to the SFEA staff: “I’ve known Tommy for 35 years from when we played together. He was an outstanding player and even a better coach. His passion and love for the game has allowed him to touch many youth players lives around the country in all his former coaching endeavors. I look forward to Tommy doing the same things here at SFEA.” About the San Francisco Elite Academy (SFEA) The San Francisco Elite Academy (SFEA) is the top college placement youth soccer program in San Francisco, in just four years we have over 30 former players now competing in college soccer. We are developing the next generation of players to the highest standards, ensuring they receive the necessary training and support to successfully represent San Francisco at the highest level of play, our community, and our country.
San Francisco, CA, April 10, 2019—The San Francisco Nighthawks, a founding member of the WPSL , a second tier women's league just under the NWSL and the largest amateur women’s soccer league in the world, and the San Francisco Elite Academy (SFEA) announced today a groundbreaking partnership to create a local player pathway for female soccer talent. The two organizations will work closely together to advance their common goal of growing women’s soccer in the city of San Francisco while promoting health and wellness to a wide audience of youth through soccer, the beautiful game.
The new partnership has several important features: By collaborating on female soccer player development, the SF Nighthawks and SFEA will create a clear player pathway for girls from the youth playing level to college to the Women's Premier Soccer League. SFEA’s female players will now have the opportunity to represent themselves and their city at the top amateur level as they prepare for college soccer play and beyond. Through the two organizations cooperation, the program also gives female players needed exposure to the highest levels of play and coaching while allowing local players to benefit from guidance and mentorship from current college players and coaches. “We are beyond honored to partner with The San Francisco Elite Academy and help mentor these young talented players, giving them the opportunities to play at the highest level and grow as players” said the Nighthawks General Manager, Jill Lounsbury. "The Nighthawks fought hard for 4 years for the Beach Chalet fields for all soccer players but mainly to help our best home-grown players in San Francisco. We were pleased beyond belief when SFEA started, because we knew how important it would be for the city's youth players." Joe Dugan, SFEA President, shared in the excitement about working with the Nighthawks: "From league titles to tournament wins to seeing players move on to college programs, our SFEA girls' players and teams have enjoyed unprecedented success these past few years. Through our partnership with San Francisco Nighthawks, we are delighted to offer the girls and young women in our program a level of top, local play that inspires and drives them toward successful soccer careers." In addition, the two organizations will promote their activities, events, and initiatives through their various communications channels to their thousands of members and followers. SF Elite and SF Nighthawks will also host joint volunteer and social events during the course of the year. Members of both organizations will be able to have fun together and give back to the community. Events will be announced very shortly. About the San Francisco Nighthawks The San Francisco Nighthawks is an American women's soccer team, founded in 1995. Nighthawks are a founding member of the WPSL, a second tier league just under the NWSL and the largest amateur women’s league in the world. The team plays in the North Division of the Pacific Conference. Nighthawk's home games are played at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California. Nighthawks' Club Awards: 2018, 2017, and 2016 GGWSL Premier Champions. 2014 US Futsal National Champions. 3-peat Champions, Las Vegas Silver Mug Tournament (2009, 2010, 2011) - the first team to win the 'Silver Mug' three years in a row. About the San Francisco Elite Academy The San Francisco Elite Academy (SFEA) is the top college placement youth soccer program in San Francisco, in just four years we have over 30 former players now competing in college soccer. We are developing the next generation of players to the highest standards, ensuring they receive the necessary training and support to successfully represent San Francisco at the highest level of play, our community, and our country.  Max Edelstein plays for the SFEA 2000 & 2001 Boys NPL team and recently committed to Colgate University where he will play Division I college soccer. Everyone at the San Francisco Elite Academy is proud of his accomplishments on and off the field, and we were delighted that he took the time for our brief pathway to college interview. Please be on the lookout for additional conversations with the many players at SFEA who are moving on to college-level play next year. When did you first begin playing soccer and when did you know it was something you would want to do in college?
I have played soccer for as long as I can remember and have always been interested in continuing to play at the highest level possible. I really became serious about putting my efforts into pursuing college soccer around my sophomore year, but have always had it in the back of my mind as a goal I wanted to achieve. How has the San Francisco Elite Academy shaped you into the player and student athlete you are today? I have played for San Francisco Elite Academy since the summer of my sophomore year, and, in part, I made the switch to the club because it allowed me to reduce my commute times to and from practice so that I could devote more time to my academic studies. I think the atmosphere surrounding San Francisco Elite Academy has always included other players who were as motivated as myself. This allows us to push each other to excel. In addition, I was able to find synergy between SFEA with my high school team at University High School, which allowed me to compete in both club and high school play and eventually find success in both arenas. Choosing a college is daunting and finding one to also play soccer can make it even more so. Please share a few thoughts on your college-selection/recruiting process and how you came to the conclusion your school was right for you? One key piece of advice I held onto was that whatever school I was going to attend I would still want to be there even if I was not playing soccer. Personally, I was looking for a school that combined rigorous academics with a successful soccer program, and in the end I found that Colgate was a place that fit all of these categories. After visiting, I was really able to picture myself as part of the community there. When did you begin working on your college recruiting and what did you do first? I began working on my college recruiting process in my sophomore year by having discussions with my high school and SFEA coach. With their help, I made a preliminary list of institutions that I was interested in. I also began attending some of the different ID camps around the Bay Area as a way of exposing myself to the process in preparation for other ID camps around the country that I would attend in the summer. In addition, I compiled a highlight video to send college coaches before different showcases to attract attention to my games. I also emailed different coaches and invited them to my games, and I was able to start building connections with different schools. What key words of advice would you give fellow SFEA players who are just beginning the college recruiting (or finding a college soccer play opportunity) process? I think the key to the college recruitment process is that it is a player-driven endeavor. By putting together your own highlight video, reaching out to coaches, and having discussions with people who have knowledge of the process, you can gain a lot of useful information on the best way to pursue the process. If you are active in building connections with different coaches and schools, and all the while continue to improve as a player, college soccer is an achievable goal. Please share what you are most excited about when it comes to attending your college--from student life to academics/areas of study as well as college play? I am extremely excited to engage with a whole new community across the country and dive far deeper into my areas of academic interest. I am also perhaps most excited to compete at the collegiate level because it gives me a chance to continue to push myself as a player and play at an even higher level than before. Is there anyone you would like to specifically thank for helping you on your journey from youth player to elite prospect to college-level soccer? I would like to thank all the wonderful coaches that have helped me become a collegiate-level player, and especially those who I worked with more recently over the past three years--Mauricio de Leon, Po Bronson, Deejae Johnson, and Chris Flanagan. In addition, I want to thank all my teammates who have pushed me to become the player I am today. Special shoutout to Luke Bronson and Henry Gorelik who I have played with almost everyday for three straight years. And of course, my family who have always been the most supportive of all my soccer endeavors and have spent countless hours driving, standing through the hot, cold, and rain, and always willing to remind me to have fun.  Hannah McCord plays for the SFEA 2000 & 2001 Girls NPL team and recently committed to the University of Portland where she will play Division I college soccer. Everyone at the San Francisco Elite Academy is proud of her accomplishments on and off the field, and we were delighted that she took the time for our brief pathway to college interview. Please be on the lookout for additional conversations with the many players at SFEA who are moving on to college-level play next year. When did you first begin playing soccer and when did you know it was something you would want to do in college?
I started playing soccer when I was about three-years-old. I have older siblings who play, so soccer has been a part of my life for pretty much my entire life. How has the San Francisco Elite Academy shaped you into the player and student athlete you are today? I’ve been a part of the club for a little over a year now. In that time my SFEA coaches have trained me to increase my soccer IQ, develop skills, and become mentally strong as a player. Choosing a college is daunting and finding one to also play soccer can make it even more so. Please share a few thoughts on your college-selection/recruiting process and how you came to the conclusion your school was right for you? When I was in eighth grade, I created a list of my top ten colleges. Over the past three years that list has changed as I lost schools’ interest and gained others. The school I decided on was on my original list and stayed on it until the end of my recruiting process. I knew the University of Portland was the right school for me because of its strong soccer culture, great coaching staff, and academic opportunities. When did you begin working on your college recruiting and what did you do first? I started the recruiting process in eighth grade. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to play D1. So I did research, created a top ten list, started training on my own, and began going to ID camps. What key words of advice would you give fellow SFEA players who are just beginning the college recruiting (or finding a college soccer play opportunity) process? I would advise players to try to find your top schools and then work hard to establish relationships with those coaches early on. Bug them with emails and calls until they know who you are. Calling a coach can be scary, especially if they have no clue who you are, but it is a great way to get their attention. Don’t get discouraged if a coach doesn’t come see you play. I emailed the University of Portland for a year before they came out to see me play. Please share what you are most excited about when it comes to attending your college--from student life to academics/areas of study as well as college play? I’m excited about the strong soccer culture the University of Portland has. They have an amazing soccer stadium that's known nationwide and one of the biggest fan bases. Almost the entire coaching staff played for University of Portland and they are very experienced, great people. I don’t know what I want to study in college yet but I’m looking forward to exploring Portland's wide variety of majors. Is there anyone you would like to specifically thank for helping you on your journey from youth player to elite prospect to college-level soccer? I’d like to thank my previous club (San Francisco United) who helped me develop through my youth years. I’d especially like to thank Jeff Wilson, who brought me into the club and was my first SFEA coach. Lastly, a big thanks to Pinder Nijjar who has coached me for the past three seasons and guided me through the recruitment process. I'm grateful for the support of my family, teammates, and coaches through this process. |
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