Growing up in Ireland I developed a love of soccer from a young age watching Ireland qualify for a World Cup for the very first time in 1990, as well as supporting Tottenham Hotspur in England.
Playing soccer with my childhood friends and club soccer with my hometown team, Maynooth Town FC, gave me a passion and appreciation for the game’s capacity to develop communities both on and off the field.
Whilst playing for Manly Vale FC in Sydney, Australia, I started my coaching journey, leading the club’s U15’s team for a season. As my time in Australia came to an end I made a decision to move to London to continue my coaching education and develop my skills as a soccer coach. There I took on a number of coaching appointments over a 4 year period ranging from grass roots youth teams at Buckhurst Hill FC, assistant coaching roles at Queen Mary University of London and UCFB Wembley and a head coach role for a women’s recreation program at Edgware Town FC. In addition to my coaching roles in the UK, I also earned a number of coaching licenses with The Football Association and in 2020 graduated from The University of Birmingham with a Master’s degree in Sport Coaching.
In June of 2021, while researching soccer clubs in Chicago with a plan to move my family to the US I discovered Chicago City Soccer Club, led by a fellow Irishman Nick Mulvaney. After speaking to Nick and learning more about the club’s vision, mission and values I knew they aligned perfectly with my own beliefs and philosophy on coaching and youth player development.
I am now delighted to have joined the CCSC team where I hope to make a significant contribution to the club, it’s players, families and the Chicagoland soccer community.