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The New York City Football Club Coach Mentorship Program aims to support and increase representation for New York based soccer coaches. Launched on November 17, 2021, the program will develop coaching skills and expertise for underserved populations across the five boroughs and the Tri-State area.

In 2020, NYCFC announced a series of eleven commitments to support underserved and underrepresented communities, including a pledge to develop a mentorship program aimed to support these populations in the NYC metropolitan area. The tailored program provides successful candidates with 180 hours of mentoring and education.

The NYCFC Coach Mentorship Program focuses on coaches and educators that are from underrepresented populations. The program is designed to further develop coaching skills and expertise in coaching capacities and must show a commitment to the sport, as well as a desire to improve in their role.

The nine-month program will focus on three core areas of the football business: CITC | Youth Programs | Academy and accepted applicants will be required to meet in person and online during each phase of the program. Each area of the business will focus on the specifics of coaching as pertinent to that specific department and the tailored programming is designed to advance the coaching skills, further educate in-game and training knowledge and advance professional connections for those accepted.

  • Increase the opportunity for minority coaches to coach at a higher level
  • Establish a program that will take a pro-active role in developing/advancing the careers of minority coaches ​
  • Creation of a pipeline which leads to the improved retention of minority coaches in the youth soccer landscape
  • Provide a professional network with the NYC Youth Soccer world

Applications open in November each year with successful candidates receiving notification after the completion of final interviews in Feb.

Those interested in joining the mentorship program can apply here:

Those interested in joining the mentorship program can apply here:

  • DURATION - A total of nine months, with each ‘semester’ being three months in length.
  • PROGRAMMING - 9 months to cover 3 pillars of coaching within NYCFC
    • March – May: CITC
    • June – Aug: Youth Programs
    • Sept – Nov: Academy
  • COHORT - Accepted coaches matriculate through the program together, focusing on one area of NYCFC at a time.
  • REQUIREMENTS
    • Attend all in-person and online meetings
    • Complete the 3 pillars | 60 hours per pillar
    • Complete online Grassroots/’D’ license coaching course
    • Personal evaluation by Mentor

For more information, please contact coachmentorship@nycfc.com

2022 Inaugural Cohort

CoachMentorship_Cohort
From left to right: Momadou Sawaneh, Jillian Yanni, Oscar Escobar, Jose Candia, Edward Mendez
Edward Mendez

Edward Mendez

Hometown: Yonkers, NY

Reason for Participating: The reason I participated in the program was to gain major coaching experience within the club that could help me in my career path. The experience of joining the Coach Mentorship Program was phenomenal, we had a first look on what goes on behind the scenes of every department which takes so much time and effort in making a successful club. 

Main Takeaway: The experience of getting to know every department within the club and how important their roles are for making such a successful program. Ranging from the front desk department to the first team. Being able to participate and gain firsthand experience in the Youth Programs and the Academy teams was a highlight of the program. This opportunity was fundamental in learning different coaching styles and their methodology which is implemented in every training session which results in a positive outcome because of the players they develop within the club

Coaching Qualifications gained: 7v7, 9v9, USSF D

Oscar Mellado Escobar

Oscar Mellado Escobar

Hometown: Brewster, NY

Reason for Participating: I was looking to develop as a coach and the Mentorship Program seemed like the perfect fit for me. I thought it was a great way to step into the coaching world and put myself in a good place where I can develop. 

Main Takeaway: To help develop players through all the programs they have. CITC working with youth and giving as much access to soccer as possible to players in the city. Youth Programs working with different travel teams and summer camps providing quality coaching to many players. Lastly the academy, seeing how NYCFC develops high level players and prepare them for their future goals.

Coaching Qualifications gained: 7v7, 9v9, USSF D

Jose Candia

Jose Candia

Hometown: Harlem, NY

Reason for Participating: When I first started coaching, I realized that there was more to just teaching the player how to play the game. It was about finding your own personality and having players develop social skills that will used in our daily lives. It would also be a good way for me to grow and learn tricks and tips from experienced coaches. 

Main Takeaway: A big thing that I've learn while participating in this program was no matter how old you are, you are always learning. It was a big thing that always stood to me because there is always a point in time where we always plan and expect to that everything will go according to plan but we must know how to be flexible and adapt in a matter of seconds which is also a crucial skill to have when taking on different roles. 

Coaching Qualifications Gained: 7v7, 9v9, USSF D

Momadou Sawaneh

Momadou Sawaneh

Hometown: Jamaica, Queens

Reason for Participating: To become a better leader, grow as a coach and be a better mentor to the next generation

Main Takeaway: My biggest takeaway is being more professional. I learned a lot from all the departments and connected with people with great knowledge and experience is serving me well in my coaching career.  

Coaching Qualifications Gained: 7v7, 9v9, USSF D

Jillian Yanni

Jillian Yanni

Hometown: Broomall, PA

Reason for Participating: To gain valuable coaching experience and a better understanding of youth soccer development and program administration

Main Takeaway: I have gained more confidence on and off the pitch, learned the importance of elevating my coaching experience and the power of networking

Coaching Qualifications Gained: 7v7, 9v9, USSF D

Quotes

“As a club, we were very pleased to announce this initiative last year,” “No sport is better for uniting people than soccer. This city has a tremendous number of talented young coaches, and we’ve really appreciated welcoming them into the Club and providing education alongside their enthusiasm as we embarked on this new project. We are looking forward to building this program in subsequent years as we grow our coaching network around the NYC tri-state area.”

- Sam Pugsley, NYCFC Vice President of Sporting Operations and Strategy

“It was great to have the opportunity to work with the Coach Mentees during their time with us. Their enthusiasm and passion for the game showed in all our interactions. I know their experience in program administration and session delivery will help them tremendously in their professional journey. I’m very excited to see the program grow in the years to come and the additional opportunities we can provide to local coaches.”

- Brian Walsh – NYCFC Senior Director of Youth Soccer Development & Strategy

“It was a pleasure working with all the coaches and staff at NYCFC, The U.S. Soccer ‘D’ license truly challenges coaches who are striving for excellence in their field. US Club Soccer believes that by providing coaching education opportunities, we can positively impact the experience for an exponential number of players. The coaches in this Mentorship Program possess growth mindsets and are hardworking and humble. It’s rewarding to work with a like-minded organization, such as NYCFC.”

- Beau Morki - Coach Licensing Technical Lead, US Club Soccer