Steve Abdo
Head Coach 2005 Girls Green (Premier)
Coach Steve has over 15 years coaching experience with multiple age groups from U9 to U18. His coaching experience includes Head Coach and Assistant Coach responsibilities for boys’ and girls’ teams with AYSO, Kalamazoo Kingdom, and Portage Soccer Club. His teams have played at the Select, Elite, and Premier levels. He holds his USSF D License and in addition to coaching, Steve is also an active USSF Grade 8 Referee. For the past several years, he has been a member of the Portage Central High School Men's and Women's Soccer Boosters, executing various duties supporting the teams including announcing games. He is also currently serving on the Board of the PCHS Women's Soccer Boosters.
David Areaux
Head Coach 2009 Girls Green
Coach David currently holds a USSF D & E License. David has been with Portage Soccer Club for 11 years, working with teams from Academy to Premier I level. David also does specialized goalie training for the club. David has played soccer since he was 4-years old, where he started in goal. He played goalie for Jackson High School, where he still holds two records: lowest goals against and lowest goals against average. His senior year, he was named to the Jackson Citizen Patriot Dream Team, as well as the Capital Area All-Conference team. He has continued to play in adult and intramural leagues throughout college.
Matt Cavalli
Head Coach 2011 Boys White
Coach Matt has coached soccer for over seven years at the U5 through U12 levels in both Minnesota and Michigan, including one year with AYSO 74. He is currently the head coach of the PSC U9 White team. Matt grew up in Wyoming and played soccer through early middle school, preferring to play defender/back (before switching to the other football...). He is committed to providing an encouraging atmosphere for players to learn, grow and compete.
BABAJIDE DARANIJOH
Head Coach 2009 Boys Green (Premier)
Coach Baba has 5 years coaching experience with the Portage Soccer Club and 2 years with the American Youth Soccer Association (AYSO Region 74). He currently holds a USSF E License. He grew up playing soccer in his native country Nigeria. He is a patriotic supporter of the Nigeria national football teams and an avid fan of Chelsea FC. His love of the beautiful game keeps him busy all year round coaching, watching, or playing.
Derek Dee
Head Coach 2010 Boys White, 2013 Boys Yellow
Coach Derek holds a USSF class D license. He played collegiate soccer for four years at Kalamazoo College and has coached nine years at the high school level and youth level for the past four years. Derek says, “I have been playing soccer since I was 4, and I love to share my passion for the game.”
Bill Dietzel
Head Coach 2008 Girls White (Premier)
Coach Bill holds a USSF class E license and has coached with the Portage Soccer Club for three years. Bill says, “My philosophy on coaching is to build an environment that highlights fun, respect and continued learning as the foundation of the team. I believe that personal and team growth carry more weight than wins and losses. I enjoy coaching at the PSC because of the different levels of competition offered by the club and the emphasis of finding the right level of competition for each player.”
WAYNE HARPENAU
VP of Coaches; Head Coach 2004 Boys Green (Premier) and 2008 Girls Green (Premier), 2007 Girls White (Premier)
Coach Wayne has over eight years of experience coaching soccer. In addition to coaching with PSC, he has also coached with the American Youth Soccer Association (AYSO) and the Indiana Youth Soccer Association (IYSA). He is certified through IYSA on Youth Coaching models I & II and currently has his USSF D License. He is currently the men's JV coach as well as the assistant Varsity men's and women's coach at Hackett Catholic Prep. In addition to his coaching duties, he is an active member of the PSC board serving as Vice President of Coaching. He works very closely with Vu Le, Director of Technical Development, to assist our club's coaching staff by providing invaluable guidance and support.
Jenn Harris
Head Coach 2004 Girls Green (Premier)
Coach Jenn has played soccer since she was 3 years old. She played travel club soccer growing up and loved her experience. She was First Team All-State in high school and played on WMU's first ever Womens’ Varsity soccer team from 1996 through 1999. She received The Coach’s Award at WMU in 1996. She still plays soccer competitively at least twice a week. She has coached AYSO in the past and has been coaching with PSC for 5 years. Coach Jenn says, “I love the sport and I love kids, so coaching comes pretty easy to me. My main focus is building self-esteem in these young women and skill development. Once they have that, I watch them achieve so much in soccer and in life. It's been very fulfilling coaching. I have formed life-long relationships with players and families. I may be the loudest coach you've ever heard, I can't help it... And I coach for the Portage Soccer Club because they believe in player development while promoting a positive and fun environment. PSC wants every kid to be able to play, offering scholarships for some kids in need. PSC facilities are above and beyond anything in this area.
P.S. “They have the best coaches.””
Brandon Hilts
Head Coach 2005 Girls Green (Premier) Spring Season, 2005 Girls White
Coach Brandon holds a USSF class E license and has coached AYSO teams for three years prior to coaching with the PSC for the last seven years. He has over 30 years of playing experience with AYSO, club teams, high school, and adult recreational teams. Brandon says, “I am passionate about the game of soccer and enjoy creating an environment where players can build their own passion for the game. I believe that club soccer should be both, a very fun as well as very educational experience. I believe that the game is the best teacher and building a strong foundation of technical skills and then giving players the opportunity to put those skills to use in games and game like activities puts them in the best position to find success on the field. I expect my players to have good sportsmanship on and off the field and to be good teammates, students and citizens, and always, to be thankful for their parents/guardians for providing the opportunity for them to play the beautiful game.
Katy Hopkins
Co-Coach, PSC Academy
Coach Katy currently holds a USSF Class E License and has coached youth soccer for 7 years. Katy’s coaching and training experience is from the U5 to U10 age groups with Kingdom, PSC and AYSO Region 212. She started at AYSO for four years before coaching Kingdom U10 Girls Black team for a year. Then she managed/coached the Academy for two years. She played Rugby in College at CMU before starting to play indoor and outdoor recreational soccer. Katy has three soccer playing daughters playing at the select, Premier, and college level (Olivet College).
Katy’s philosophy is “Watching the players develop skills and confidence through positive reinforcement throughout the course of a season gives me the greatest satisfaction as a coach along with the players excitement to be playing and learning soccer every week.” Katy hopes that she and Phil will create a life-long love of the sport for the Academy players, using the Grass Roots Coaching approach, Play-Practice-Play, from US Soccer.
Lauren Irmen
Head Coach 2008 Girls Yellow
A fun fact about Coach Lauren is that David Rice (PSC president) was her first travel soccer coach. Coach Lauren played Premier 1 soccer as a defensive midfielder during high school and made it to the quarterfinals of the state cup. She was a starting outside back for the Portage Central Varsity Women’s soccer team. Lauren was an assistant coach for one year with the PSC 2008 Green girls team and is the current coach for the 2008 Black girls. Lauren says, “I coach for PSC because of the values and philosophy they teach. Work ethic, sportsmanship, and team improvement is valued more than the result at the end of the game.”
Tracy Jezewski
Head Coach 2007 Boys White, 2009 Girls White, 2006 Girls Green (Premier)
Coach Tracy currently holds certifications in all Grassroots programs 4v4 through 11v11 and is in the process of obtaining USSF Class D License in 2019. Tracy has coached age groups from Academy to U9 for five years with AYSO and PSC and has completed one year of U12 coaching with the PSC boys team. In addition, she has been an active sideline Team Manager for three years, sitting on the sideline with PSC coaches to learn from them and assist the players in any way needed. Tracy played on a local travel team for one season and on her high school team. She also played intramurals in college and continues to play when she can on an adult co-ed league at Soccer Zone. Tracy says, “What I try to bring to the team is not just soccer, but life lessons. Yes, I want to win. More importantly, I want the kids to play together as a team; working together in a positive manner; understanding that errors happen and instead of harping on them, using them to improve themselves and each other. The 2007 Boys team plays by the motto "I will be better. I will improve." I don't ask them to be perfect. I don't ask them to win. I want them to be better. I want them to find ways to improve. For some, that's in their skills. For others, that's in their sportsmanship and ability to play as a team. I want the kids to play tough soccer; give it their best; but still find the fun in and love for the game....because it's the love of the game that brought us all here.”
Jen Leone
Head Coach 2010 Girls Green (Premier), 2010 Girls White
Coach Leone has been coaching for over 15 years and holds her USSF National B License and USSF National Youth License. Her coaching experience includes Kalamazoo Christian High School's JV boys and Varsity girls in 2002-2003, Three Rivers High School's Varsity boys from 2004-2008, Otsego High School's Varsity boys from 2008-2011, Vicksburg High School's JV and Varsity girls from 2005-2008, Three Rivers High School's Varsity girls from 2008-2012, and the Olivet College Women’s Soccer Division III team from 2010-2012. As a player, Coach Jen attended Western Michigan University and was Captain of the WMU Women’s Soccer Team during the 2002-2003 season, when her team won the Mid-American Conference in 2003 and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament. As a young player, she played for Vardar and was a four-year ODP state and regional player from 1995-1999.
Paul Mullins
Head Coach 2008 Boys Green (Premier)
Coach Paul currently holds a USSF Class D license and previously coached at TKO/Crew Juniors. Paul’s playing experience started in England at age five and continued at every school level finishing at the club level for Skipton Town. Paul says, “My passion for the game has allowed me to participate as a player, coach, mentor, and avid fan in several countries and three continents. My playing beliefs were formed in the late 70's from watching my beloved Nottingham Forest and the philosophy of the late, great Brian Clough. Basic technical ability being foremost, with the ability to pass and move effectively combined with a solid team togetherness. Portage Soccer Club is, by far, the closest organization that reflects the grass roots philosophy that led to my soccer journey and the facilities we have available to us are the best I have ever experienced.”
David Rice
Head Coach 2006 Boys Green (Premier), 2007 Boys Green (Premier)
Coach Rice holds a USSF National D level license and has 30 years of coaching experience for the PSC. He began coaching for the PSC in 1990 and is the longest tenured coach in WMYSA. Over that time he has coached boys and girls teams including many players who excelled in local high school programs, all levels of college play and one player who played professionally. Over the past few years he has co-coached the 1997 Boys Green team (Premier 1 champions) and the 1989 Boys team which won multiple Elite Championships, had two State Cup quarter-final runs, as well as tournament championships across the Midwest. The 1998 Boys Green team were the Spring 2015 MSPSP Champions in Premier Classic 2. He is well respected in the soccer community for his coaching and volunteerism. He has been an integral part of the Portage Soccer Club board and is an active member holding various positions within the West Michigan Youth Soccer Association. When not coaching (his first love) Rice is serving his 2nd term as PSC President (1997-2003 and 2007 to present), Portage Soccer Classic Director (2003 to present), and was a former Chair of the United Soccer Foundation (the non-profit organization that raised the monies to build the Portage Soccer Complex and improvements to River Oaks Soccer Complex). He was inducted into the MSYSA Hall of Fame in 2018. David says, “The game is a great teacher if we coaches allow it to be. Developing players happens at training sessions; the weekend game is the recital performance.”
Steve Rypma
Head Coach 2010 Boys Green (Premier)
Coach Rypma currently holds a USSF Grassroots 9v9 License. He has coached with PSC since 2017. During his playing days he played his club soccer for Lakeshore United and high school soccer at Holland Christian. Steve says, “I appreciate PSC's focus on player development from a young age. I believe my primary job as a coach is to ensure that each player on the team is developing the foundational skills and increasing his or her understanding and enjoyment of the game. I try to find "teaching moments" in every training session and game situation to help players understand how their individual skill development will translate into success on the field.”
John Twiehaus
Head Coach 2005 Boys Green (Premier)
Coach John currently holds a USSF Class E License. He played his club and high school soccer in the metro Detroit area. John says, “I have a passion for the game because it can not only build character, but reveal it as well. Many life lessons can be learned, like working together for a common goal, and the harder you work and push yourself the better chances and opportunities you may have. My favorite soccer quote is, “Let the game be the teacher.”
Ryan Whiting
Head Coach 2011Boys Green (Elite)
Coach Ryan has a USSF Level E license and has been coaching youth soccer for the past nine years. Previously he was the assistant to the PSC White U10 Boys team and is currently the coach of the PCS U-9 Boys White Team. Ryan has played soccer for the last 40 years. He played for PSC as a child, TKO in his teens, and for Hackett Catholic Prep where he was a part pf two MHSAA state title winning teams. He also played Club soccer at Central Michigan University for two years. He was utilized primarily as a central midfielder in his playing days. Ryan’s coaching philosophy is to “focus on the total player and team development. At the younger ages, this may hinder our team in “wins.” However, over the course of time, as the children get older, that philosophy turns in to team wins. Soccer is about learning how to win and lose, be a part of a team, take direction, give direction, lead, and be led. It is more to me than simply a sport.”