DSC Director of Coaching and Player Development - Dave Kovack

Coaching experience – Began coaching in 1992. Coached and trained several teams in Damascus Soccer Club.  Director of Coaching and Player Development for Damascus Soccer Club since 2005, and prior to that he was the Assistant DoC for 5 years. Currently on the coaching staff for the U9 and U10 select teams, trainer for DSC teams, and assistant coach for the Damascus HS girls. USSF C license, USSF National Youth license, KNVB Youth certificate, English FA online courses (Psychology, Player and Match Analysis, Fitness, Coaching Children), Positive Coaching Alliance-Double Goal II, Coerver Coaching Youth Certificate, several National Federation of High Schools courses.

Playing experience – started organized soccer in 1971. Played at Peary HS in Rockville, then at UNC-Wilmington. Played for several amateur teams in the DC area.

Club involvement – Became a board member for Damascus Soccer Club in 1996, then in 2000, became the Vice President. Currently serves on the club board and serves on the DSC Executive Committee and Coaches Committee.

Ken Diehl

Coach Diehl is in his sixth year serving as an Assistant Coach to both the Varsity and JV men's teams at Damascus High School.

Coach Diehl also serves as Head Coach of the Baker Middle School boy's team.

Coach Diehl has been a member and coach in the Damascus Soccer Club (DSC) for over ten years and currently serves as club President.

Coach Diehl is an Accredited Interscholastic Coach (AIC) which is awarded by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Coach Diehl holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National D License and a USSF E License.

Coach Diehl is a certified Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Double-Goal coach.

Coach Diehl is also certified in first aid and CPR/AED.

Jonathan Frias

Coaching Experience – Jonathan has been coaching for 12 years. He is the Director of the DSC Academy and has worked as a trainer in DSC programs for many years. Jonathan has been to many licensing courses and clinics. He has the USSF B License, the NSCAA Advanced National License, the NSCAA State Goalkeeper Certificate, and in the summer of 2010, he was invited to the NSCAA Premier License course.

Playing Experience – In his younger days, growing up in Florida, Jonathan was in the US Youth National Team Pool. He started playing in college at Florida International and then transferred to Radford University, where he won many honors as a player. After graduating, he played for several USL teams, and is currently associated with the Northern Virginia Royals.

Jonathan is the owner and director of the American Soccer Academy.

Willy Kabwasa

Coaching Experience – Willy has been coaching for about 20 years and is currently the coach of our U13 Flames and U11 Blaze. He will also be working in several of our Academy and team level training programs. He has the USSF D license.

Playing Experience – Willy grew up playing in France as a youth and then moved to our area and attended and played at B-CC and then Gaithersburg HS. He played at Montgomery College and then on several area amateur teams.

Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly was born in Ireland and grew up playing soccer. He played club and high school soccer in Ireland and went on to play soccer at the University of Manchester, England. He played for various men's amateur indoor/outdoor teams in Ireland, England, Canada and the US. He worked as a soccer coach for the City of Manchester where he taught soccer skills to inner city kids. More recently, Sean has worked as a coach at the Damascus Soccer Club's Academy and Club Training programs teaching skills to kids from pre-K and up. He is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and is nationally licensed by the NSCAA and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). Sean holds multiple coaching licenses including the NSCAA Premier Diploma (equivalent to USSF National 'A' License), NSCAA Regional (Level 2) Goalkeeping Diploma, USSF National 'C' License and USSF National Youth License and he continuously strives to further his coaching education. He is also a USSF-licensed referee and is certified in First Aid and CPR/AED. Coach Kelly believes in providing a safe, fun and challenging environment in which youth players are encouraged to develop their skills without fear of failure or pressure to win.

Steve Knapman

Coaching experience - Steve has been coaching in the Maryland, D.C. and Virginia area for fourteen years. He currently coaches the U12 DSC Sparks 99. Steve was previously the Head Coach for the Maryland Pride Women's Premier Team and has coached in the Super Y League. Steve holds an English FA B-License and USSF C License.

Playing experience - Steve's professional playing career began in England at 16 with Oldham Athletic where he got to play against the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. He also played at Wigan Athletic and Blackpool and then in Hong Kong where he played in their professional first division. In the United States, Steve was a member of the professional Maryland Mania team in 1999 and also played for the Richmond Kickers and Boston Bulldogs. He also had the opportunity to expand his coaching and playing knowledge under Bruce Arena ( L.A. Galaxy Coach) and Alan Kelly (Ex. D.C. United Goalkeeper Coach) thanks to a number of months with D.C. United.

Steve is also the President of the Brit-Am Soccer Academy.

Dan Kovack

Coaching experience – Works for the Damascus Academy, starting in 2005. Has trained several teams and players in Damascus Soccer Club. Also on the coaching staff for the U9 and u10 teams. USSF D license.

Playing experience – Played for the Damascus Dragons and United, Potomac Strikers, Bethesda Havoc, and several area amateur teams.

Louis Lyons

Coaching experience - Louis formerly coached the DSC Flames girls team in WAGS. He has 20 years of youth coaching experience in Massachusetts and Maryland, and previously coached locally with FC Frederick. He also works in several of the DSC training programs. He holds a USSF E license.

Playing experience - Louis played collegiately on two Division I Final Four teams at Harvard University in the late 1980s.

Christos Nicholas

Coach Nicholas is entering his 5th at Poolesville HS (PHS) as the head coach for Boys Varsity Soccer Team.  His coaching career encmpases 2007 Regional Championship and PHS’s first state appearance since 1994, 2008 quarter finalists, and 2009 Divisional championship. Coach Nicholas currently holds an NSCAA National Diploma (USSF 'C' equivalent), NSCAA Regional (Level 2) Goalkeeping, USSF National 'D' and is a former member of the US National Deaf Soccer Team in 1985, '93, '97, '01, '03, and '05.

Ivan Sampson

Ivan Sampson has more than twenty years of combined coaching and playing experience. A former James Madison University forward and originally from Trinidad and Tobago, he was for three years there a starter on the Junior National team. In the United States, Coach Ivan has played professionally for the Roanoke Riverdawgs and the Maryland Mania. As a coach, he has combined his international playing experience with his passion for the game and creates a fun-filled learning environment. This formula is finding continued success all across the Metropolitan area. Kids love him! Coach Ivan has had the opportunity to coach children of all ages. Ivan holds a training certificate from Empoli FC of Italy, where he traveled in 2007 to take a close up look at Empoli's training program.

Rene SanMartin

Coaching experience – Worked in several camps/academies, starting in 1992 for Alan Kelly. Also, worked for Darryl Gee, One Touch and still works for Brit-Am Academy. Has coached in MSI-Classic and Potomac Soccer Club, and is currently head coach for the U9 and U10 teams. USSF C license.

Playing experience – started in Wheaton Soccer Club in 1980. Played for Kensington Cobras and then Wheaton High School (1986-89). Played on several are amateur teams.

Jeremy Spoales

Coaching Experience – Jeremy is currently the coach of our U18 boys, the DSC Inferno. He is also the boys head coach at Clarksburg HS, which he led to the 2009 State Championship, and was named Coach of the Year in several publications. Prior to coaching at Clarksburg, Jeremy coached at Paint Branch HS for several years. Jeremy has the USSF C License.

Playing Experience – Jeremy grew up in Montgomery County and played in high school at Springbrook. He then played at the club level at the University of Maryland.

Jeff Withers

Coaching experience – Jeff has worked in several of the DSC training programs over the past few years and has trained several of our teams. He will be designing and running our speed/agility/core/conditioning program that will run year-round. Jeff is also the head trainer and director of conditioning for Brit-Am Soccer Academy and trains soccer clubs all around the region. He is a certified specialist and his work has enhanced programs at NIH, TNT Fitness, Sport & Health and the National Fitness Institute.

Playing experience – After playing and graduating from Frostburg University, Jeff played in Ireland for several years. He currently plays on several amateur teams in the area.