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DIRECTOR & STAFF



Omaha Soccer Academy Staff

 

John Keating
ACADEMY DIRECTOR
United States Soccer Federation A-License

  • Director of Coaching, WOSC and Gladiator Soccer Club
  • Former Director of Coaching, Cedar River Soccer Association
  • Head Soccer Coach, Warren Wilson College (North Carolina)
  • Assistant Athletic Director, Warren Wilson College
  • Assistant Coach, State University of New York
  • Assistant Coach, West Virginia University
  • Director, Tournament of Friends
  • Director, Game-Winner Striker's Camps
  • Director, Fast Footwork Inc.
  • Player for West Virginia University (NCAA Division I, Big East Conference):
    • Team Captain (1990/91)
    • Team Leading Scorer (1988/89/90/91)
    • Atlantic 10/South Atlantic All_Conference
    • WVU All-Time Scoring (5th)
  • Professional Soccer Career (1986-1988)
  • Wits Utd., Johannesburg, South Africa
  • 7 International Appearances, South Africa
  • USSF "A" License

 

meet the matrix

LETTER FROM JOHN

I’d like to introduce you to the members of the Matrix. Please see their bio’s below. The Matrix has been initiated with the express purpose of becoming the most well staffed soccer program around. Clubs and academies are only as strong as their coaching core, and so the credentials of the Matrix members signal to the community our intent to be the pre-eminent soccer development outlet for youth in Omaha.

John Keating

The Matrix

Definition: “a surrounding substance within which development occurs”

 

RYAN KRUSE

PLAYING BIO

Omaha Westside

  • 4-year Varsity letter winner (1988-91), 3-year starter
  • 1st team Class A, All-State (1991)

    Beneditine College, Atchison, Ks.
  • 4-year Varsity letter winner (1991,1993-95), 4-year starter
  • 1st-Team All-District/Conference (1993, 1994)
  • 1st-Team All-Region (1993, 1994)
  • Ranked 12th Nationally, goals scored (1993)
  • 2nd All-Time Leading Scorer

COACHING BIO
USSF "A" License (2000)
Nat'l Youth Diploma (2001)
Nebraska State Soccer Assn. CEP Staff Member, 2001-Present
West Omaha Soccer Club, Director/Boys' Director of Coaching (2001-2004)
Current U11 & U15's Gladiator Boys
Asst. Westside High School Boys/Girls, 5 years
Head Coach, Brownell Talbot, 2 years
ODP State Coach, 1999-2001
Coached with West O/Gladiator, 1996-Present

AARON CHAMPENOY,
HEAD MEN'S SOCCER COACH, BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY

Aaron Champenoy is entering his first year as the Bruins New Head Coach after serving two years previous as the Assistant. Champenoy served double-duty senior season, serving as a student assistant and Co-captain on the 2001 squad which finished the season ranked 21st in the country. Champenoy joined the Bruin coaching staff in December of 2000, aiding in recruiting players, budget evaluation, and general office duties as well as player development in the spring season. In the 2001 and 2002 seasons Champenoy also contributed with preseason training, game analysis and game preparation.

While at Bellevue University as a player and coach Aaron Champenoy helped lead the bruins to 4 MCAC conference tournaments including one MCAC title and two MCAC runner ups. He also helped the Bruins to three consecutive Region IV appearances. Champenoy, an Omaha Central High School graduate, finished his playing career as a 2 time MCAC First Team player. In 2001, his final season as a player, Champenoy added an All-Region IV First Team award and received All-American Honors to round out his resume. Champenoy was also the first Men's Soccer Player to be named the Bellevue University Athlete of the year for 2001-2002.

Coach Champenoy is also serving his 4th year as a coach with Burke High School's Boys Soccer Team that has qualified for the Nebraska State Tournament twice in those 4 years and once to the Nebraska State Championship in 2002. Coach Champenoy is also active with the Nebraska Olympic Development Program where is a 2nd year Head Coach. He is the holder of a NSCAA National License.

ANDREW NICOLARSEN,
WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH, BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY

Andrew Nicolarsen is entering his first year as the head coach of the Bruins’ women’s soccer team. Nicolarsen, a candidate for his masters degree in exercise science at the University of Nebraska Omaha, will emphasize conditioning and team building as he heads into the Bruins’ 2004 Spring Season.

Nicolarsen spent the last three years as an assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he assisted with practices, player selection and development, defense and goalkeeper training. A successful NCAA Division II program, UN-O made back to back Final Four appearances in 2002 and 2003. Nicolarsen also assisted with the Marian High School soccer program in 2002 and headed the Valley High School girls’ varsity soccer team in 2003.

A four-year varsity letterman at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, Nicolarsen graduated in 1999. Hartwick made an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Division I tournament during Nicolarsen’s freshman year in 1995 and top twenty national rankings his senior year. Nicolarsen earned a degree in anthropology at Hartwick, receiving honors in Lambda Alpha, the National Anthropology Society. He received a grant to participate in a five-year study on sport, racism and nation-building in post-apartheid South Africa, traveling to Cape Town and Johannesburg during his junior year at Hartwick to work on the study.
After graduating from Hartwick, Nicolarsen played professional soccer with the Hershey Wildcats in Hershey, Pennsylvania, from 1999 to 2000. While playing for Hershey the team finished the 1999 season as Atlantic coastal champions and made the quarterfinals in the playoffs.

Nicolarsen is also a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School’s Program in Australia and completed a program in Spanish language study at the Instituto Internacional Alhambra, Seville, Spain, in 2001.

Nicolarsen was born in Omaha but grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas, where he graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School. Nicolarsen is engaged to Katherine Burkhead of Omaha. Ms. Burkhead has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Kansas. Andrew will attend the NSCAA National License this June.

ERIKA FLANDERS,
ASSISTANT WOMEN’S COACH, CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Erika Flanders joins the Creighton coaching staff after completing a record-setting career as a goalkeeper at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Flanders will not only be assisting with Bluejay goalkeepers, she will also be pursuing her master’s degree in liberal studies at Creighton.

The 2002 team captain at Bowling Green, Flanders finished her career holding every goalkeeping record – single-match, season and career – in school history. She was just the second player in school history to earn first-team all-Mid-American Conference honors and she set conference career records for minutes played and saves.

In her final campaign with the Falcons, she was named first-team all-MAC, third-team all-region and tabbed to the MAC All-Tournament Team. Her teammates also honored her as the team defensive MVP after her senior season.

The Mason, Ohio native was also part of the nationally-ranked basketball program at Mason High School where she starred in soccer. At BGSU she was named academic all-MAC as a junior and was named to the MAC Honor Roll three seasons. She earned her art education degree from Bowling Green in 2003.

TED ANDERSON,
ASSISTANT COACH, UNO
Ted is in his third year as a full-time assistant coach after joining the Maverick coaching staff as a volunteer assistant in July, 1999. Along with everyday coaching operations, Anderson’s main responsibilities include practice planning and coordinating recruiting. He is currently working on his master's degree in physical education with an emphasis on coaching.

A 26-year-old Omaha native, Anderson earned his degree in secondary education with
a social studies emphasis from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Anderson was a two-time all-state soccer player while attending Burke High School,
where he graduated in 1995. He was selected to compete in the 1995 Shrine Senior Bowl, where he was selected team captain. In his career, he lettered all four years and led his team to one state championship, two second-place finishes.

He has worked for Don Klosterman for the past eight years, helping with Klosterman Soccer Camps, Inc. He has also assisted at clinics headed by John Walker, Nebraska-Lincoln’s head women’s coach. Anderson finished his second season of coaching the Nebraska Olympic Development Program. He has also coached at the high school level as an assistant for Burke High School’s girls’ team for three years and the boys’ team for two seasons. In 1999, he assisted Ed Dudley’s under-19 women’s team that finished third at regionals. Anderson currently holds an NSCAA Advanced National License. Anderson’s sister, Meghan, was a two-time All-American midfielder for the Nebraska Cornhuskers soccer team


KARL OSTRAND

Karl began his career in soccer in his hometown of Virginia Beach, VA. He played club soccer for Beach FC, while also gaining valuable ODP experience in the state program. He was a four-year starter and captain of his high school team that reached the state quarterfinals in only its third year of existence.

With college experience at a small school in Missouri, Karl realized his passion was to coach. Karl has his NSCAA National License as well as his USSF National “D” License. This is his second year with West Omaha Gladiator. He is also on the Staff of the Game-Winner Striker’s Camp. Along with John Keating and Andy Staberg, Karl traveled to London and Amsterdam in the summer of 2004, where he coached at the World Youth Friendship Games and took his U14 girls team to a third place finish.

He is currently the league administrator for Omaha Futsal League. For more information on the league please visit www.omahafutsal.com

 

KRISTIE KORTH - BREZENSKI

Education: College of Saint Mary, B.S. in Education with an Endorsement in Middle School Education (Supporting fields in Social Sciences, Language Arts, and Humanities)

Teaching Experience: Hillside Elementary School, Westside Middle School

Coaching Experience: Omaha Mercy High School, Junior Varsity Girls Soccer Coach, Omaha Skutt High School, Assistant Varsity Girls Soccer Coach Omaha Westside High School, Assistant Varsity Girls Soccer Coach
Toro Fusion U18 Girls Soccer Coach Won the Nebraska State Cup and went to regionals in Rockbrook, Illinois in ’03/’04 season.
Playing Experience: Scotus Central Catholic
• Junior – 1st team All Nebraska, Captain of 1st team Class B
• Senior – 1st team All Nebraska, Captain of 1st team Class B, Class B State Champions
• 1998 World Herald Women’s Athlete of the Year
• 7 State Championships (3 basketball, 3 volleyball, 1 soccer), 1 Runner-Up (basketball)
• MVP 1998 Nebraska Shrine Bowl
• Played in 1998 Nebraska Women’s Basketball All Star Game
College Of Saint Mary
• Junior – Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All Conference, All Region, MVP all region, First team All Tourney at the National Tournament, First team All American
• Senior – Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All Conference, All Region, Second TeamAll American

Special Accolades:
* CSM all time leading scorer
* Second National all time leading goal scorer with 124 goals
* National All time total leading point scorer with 307 points.
* Undefeated in Conference play
* Conference Champs '98, '99, '00, '01
* Regional Champs '99, '00, '01
• National Qualifiers '00 and '01


KATIE LANG,
WOMEN’S ASSISTANT COACH, HASTINGS COLLEGE

• High School Soccer- Millard North High School
• College Soccer- Park University, Kansas City, MO
• Coaching- 2nd yearAssistant at Hastings College
• Education- B.A. Education and currently pursuing a Masters in Teaching (P.E.)
• Licensing: D License, NSCAA National License

TARRA CARROLL,
CAPTAIN HASTINGS COLLEGE SOCCER TEAM

The newest of our members, Tarra was tapped for the matrix due to her notable playing experience as four-year starter and captain of the Hasting’s women’s program. She graduated this summer with a double major BA in Education (elementary and special ed) While at Hastings she led the team to a regional runner-up spot.

She has coordinated the Hasting’s Bronco summer soccer camps for 2 years. Before obtaining going to Hastings, she played local soccer for Arsenal Soccer Club and Gross High School. She attended the Ara Fura Games in Australia as a freshman. High praise from her coaches at Hasting, along with the respect she garners from peers, endeared her to The Matrix. She plans to pursue licensing starting with the E License this summer and will be working with the Director of Coaching at the Game Winner Strikers Camps this summer.

JON BREZENSKI,
HEAD COACH KATANA

Playing Experience - 17 years as a player, starting at the age of 7.
* Club - Columbus Wings; Sweeper Back, Team Captain
* High School - Columbus Scotus High School; 4 year starter; Team Captain 1998; 1997 Class B State Champions; 1997 First team All-State at Sweeper; 1998 Class B Runner-Up, 2nd team All-State
* College - Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa; 2 year starter at midfield and defender; Team Captain 2001, NAIA Academic All-American 2000, 2001; 2nd Team Independent All-Region

Coaching
* Club - Columbus Renegades (U12 through U15)
* Club - Toro Rusion U18G (2003) - Nebraska State Cup Champions
* High School - Assistant Varsity, South Sioux City High School - 2002
* High School - Assistant Varsity, Omaha Westside High School - 2003-2004; 2003 State Qualifier, 2004 State Champions

PATRICE MCCONNELL,
HEAD COACH 91/92 GIRLS
Played for the Cleveland Cobras Soccer Club for 8 years (Cleveland, Ohio)

College:
Played for the University of Evansville (Division I) for 4 years – graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology

Coaching:
McDonald’s United Soccer Club for 3 years (Evansville, Indiana)
Cleveland Cobras Soccer Club for 6 years (Cleveland, Ohio)

Licensing:
USSF National “D” License

DANIELLE ABRAHAMSON

Danielle is a local coach who attended Westside High School and actually played for West Omaha Soccer Club as a youth player. She went on to play college ball for Dana College before transferring to the College of St. Mary’s where she was given Conference Honorable Mention in 2001. She played with fellow Matrix member Kristie Brezenski on the successful 2001 squad that got to the 2nd round of the playoffs. Danielle has conducted development sessions for West Omaha Soccer Club and was first scouted for the Matrix Program by Al Arnold who observed her while she was refereeing indoor games. She is four classes away from a B.S. in Biology having already obtained a BA in Psychology.

She has already attended many in-house coaching opportunities and has worked with the Director of Coaching on some sessions. She is signed up for the E License and will be on the Game Winner Strikers’ Camp staff for all three sessions this summer. She is also newly named assistant to Al Arnold and the u12 Crush team which he takes over from Mike Brown this Fall.

MIKE DEAN,
HEAD COACH RED STAR

Mike started and finished his club playing years with Gladiator and now returns as a coach in a wonderful 360 degree cycle. While at Gladiator, under John Roode and then Doug Trenerry Mike was part of 6 state championship teams, getting to the regional semi finals at u14.

He played high school ball at Burke (won a class A championship and 3 time runner up). He represented the state ODP team for three years during this same period. He went on to college at Bellevue where he was a 2 year starter and has a degree pending in history. He was team captain at Bellevue during his collegiate career at a time when Bellevue enjoyed conference championships (2003). Mike was named to the all-conference team.

He was the youngest ever Gladiator coach at age 20 and took the Milan team for four years. During this period he obtained his USSF D License and NSCAA National License at Penn State. being the youngest person from Nebraska to obtain such license. In 2005 Mike obtained his NSCAA Advanced National License.

He has been on the state ODP staff; has been a high school- head JV coach and asst. varsity coach and was recently appointed head coach of the Gladiator Zamalek team.

CHAD WISSLER

Chad cut his teeth on youth soccer in the soccer rich state of Ohio where he played 10 plus years for the Pacesetter Soccer Club in Toledo, winning a state championship along the way.

He played high school ball at St. Francis de Sales before heading to the University of Toledo (NCAA D-I) where he gained two years worth of playing experience. He started coaching at about this time, coaching at his club alma mater and leading his young club team to 2 state championships in addition to part timing with his old school.

He made a career change and moved to Boston after obtaining his B.Sc. in Biology, and coached in this fair city at Inter Soccer Club. He came to Omaha to pursue his degree in Physical Therapy. He is only a half- year away from qualification at Creighton.

He has been integral to our development session staff and has coached a WOSC team over the past year. He stays with WOSC this Fall to coach its u11 boy’s competitive team and is a great addition to the Matrix. In addition to the in-house coaching education he is pursuing, he is planning on taking a state license this year and a national license next year after graduating from P.T. school.

ANDY STABERG

Andy has gone through national licensing (NSCAA National and Advanced National.) These are 7-9 day course intensives that give attending coaches in residence comprehensive coaching tools to take back to their soccer environments. Each 12- hour day is packed with coaching instruction on all facets of the game, as well as organizational issues. Andy has put his licensing to use as a 5th season Gladiator coach, which included stints with Katana and Spirit. He is the newly appointed Gladiator u11 boy’s coach (an age group with huge potential) and also serves as the Vice-President of the West Omaha Soccer Club. He is the co-founder of the Olympico Academy.

He has 6 years of high school coaching experience (Lincoln High and Millard South). Before going off the college to earn his B.Sc. Education Andy played club ball under Don Klosterman and Mike Moran and was also a member of the ODP Program. He recently returned from London and Amsterdam and the World Friendship Games. Andy took an u-14 soccer delegation to this international tournament.

JAMES DEAN,
HEAD COACH ROMA


James is the holder of a NSCAA National License as well as his USSF D License. This Fall ’04 marks the beginning of his second year as a Gladiator coach. He spent his club playing days at Gladiator Soccer Club and over the course of 9 seasons notched up 3 state championships under coach Moran and Perone.

He represented Nebraska multiple times as an Olympic Development Player (ODP). During these same years he notched up a high school state championship, before embarking on a scholarship ride to Benedictine College where he played college ball. He is on the Staff of the Game-Winner Striker’s Camp.

TOBY WELLS

Toby attended Saint Albert High School in Council Bluffs, and graduated in 1997. He played college ball at Westmar and played soccer and ran track before attending UNO and majoring in Business Administration. He is a personal banker for First National Bank of Omaha.

He started playing soccer with the local YMCA at age 5. I played for club teams in Council Bluffs, and the Gladiators during high school. His team in Council Bluffs, the CB Storm, won the Iowa Cup, and won the CB invitational a few years in a row. He is a die hard Manchester United fan but was admitted into the Matrix nonetheless.

He is on schedule to attend E licensing this summer and is considering a national youth license within the year. He has attended 9 hours of in-house coaching education to-date, the highest attendance percentage of any Matrix coach. He currently coaches a WOSC u11 girls team.


 

 

 

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