Introduction

I'm a professional soccer coach working with all ages of kids from my son's U4 team, U11 and U12 girls to U16 boys. I work with every type of player and have excelled at developing not only the technical skills of my players but develop the love of the game and life through my personal vision of player and person development through soccer.

I offer private coaching and small group training for all types and levels of players. I take a lot of pride in helping players improve and advance. Below I've included several comments and acheivements from players and parents in case you want to know the full impact of my coaching.

Enjoy your visit to my blog, there's a vitae below along with many coaching reflections and sessions as well as a dedicated blog that includes actual coaching sessions in .pdf format for coaches. I try to take the time to analyze not only my coaching but youth soccer, parenting and other issues that arise within the sport itself.

On the left side of this blog are resources for players: Learning Pack, which is a player focused packet designed to teach the tactical lessons of 8v8. The ball skills homework and how to get 100 touches are footwork drills that can help any player succeed. Then one of my long time players took the time to perform many of the lessons within a private session of ours in the "Dana's footskills" link.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy!
Christian

Coaching Vitae

Christian M. Isquierdo, M.A.
5521 Park Ave S | Minneapolis, MN 55417 | 612.743.2816 | Christian@Triord.com

Coaching Philosophy

I foster a positive learning environment where players can develop their talents in an age appropriate coaching session that involves dynamic variations of the game rather than drilling static technique. I use my love of the game to teach the game; encouraging players to master 1v1 moves, use skill, solve problems, and create opportunities for teammates while balancing small group tactics with a strong emphasis on individual technical skills. Modeling a passion for excellence, discipline and continuous personal improvement in life and sport is what players and parents admire in my coaching style and personality.

Coaching Courses

USSF National "B" 2008

USSF National “C” 2007
USSF National “Y” 2005
USSF National “D” 2005
NSCAA National Diploma 2004



Additional Qualifications

Master of Arts, Naropa University
Bachelor of Arts, New Mexico State University

Team Coaching Experience

2008-2009 Minnesota Thunder Academy: 98G East Blue (U11-U12)

U11:

President's Day Tournament, Finalist 2009
All American Cup Champions 2009
Woodbury Classic Champions 2009
MYSA East District League Champions 2009

USA CUP Gold Flight Champions 2009

MYSA East Regional Champions 2009

MYSA Summer State tournament participant 2009

-------------

U12:

NSC Fall Cup Champions 2009

MYSA East District League Champions 2009

MYSA Fall State tournament Champions 2009

2005-2008 Benilde-St. Margaret’s; Boys Varsity
Asst. Coach; Section Finalist 2005,
Class A State Champions 2006,
Head Coach Senior All Star game 2006

Class A State Tournament 2007,
Section 6A Assistant Coach of the Year 2007

2007-2008 Bangu Tsunami Football Club, U12G C1 Academy
Head Coach; D-League U13 Champions 2008,

NSC Cup Finalist 2008,

USA CUP Finalist 2008,

South District Tournament Champions 2008,

State Tournament participant 2008,

2008 MYSA O.A.T.H.S. Sportsmanship Award winner

2007-2008 Minneapolis United, Girls U16C2-U17C2
Head Coach; West District Tournament runner up 2007;
U17 Hudson Border Battle runner up 2007
U18 Blaine Break-out runner up 2008

2005-2007 Plymouth Soccer Association; U12-U13 Girls C2
Head Coach: Schwan’s USA Cup Runner-Up 2006,
Harvest Fest Champions 2005,
Eagan Future Stars U12 Runner-Up 2004

Promoted 7/14 girls to the top C1 team

2000-2002 Boulder Youth Soccer Association, U12-U14 Boys Bronze
Head Coach; Promoted seven players to Gold over two years

1999-2003 Naropa University Football Club, Division III Club Soccer
Co-founder, Head Coach; guided new program to three division titles

1997-1999 Capital High School, Boys & Girls Varsity
Asst. Coach; trained under USSF “A” license coach in both upstart programs

1992-1994 University of Michigan, Division I Club Soccer
Trainer- Injured as player, stayed on as student manager/athletic trainer, learned "how" to coach

Professional Skills Trainer Experience

2007-present: Academy Coach, Minnesota Thunder Academy-Nike Elite Camps
2003-2008: Coerver Coaching, Skills Trainer

2007-2008: Master Coach, Tonka United Soccer Association
2003-2007: Plymouth Soccer Association, Skills Trainer, U6-U16,
2004-2007: Edina Soccer Club, Skills Trainer, U6-U15, Rec & Travel
2005-2007: MYSA Olympic Development Program: Evaluator-Skills Trainer

Director of Coaching Experience

2006 Director for Coaching and Player Development-Rec, Plymouth Soccer Association
Manage and develop age-appropriate training curriculum for coaches in house league

2006 Director & Founder, LeftFoot Coaching, U12-U17 Boys and Girls
High School Camps, Private Group Training, Private Team Training

Year Round Training options

Year Round TRAINING: My private session fees are $65 per hour and most camps are $90-$135 for 6-8 weeks once a week. With Coerver, Thunder Camps or Club training you don't know who you're signing up with, or what the group will be like or the level or commitment of the coach leading the kids' group.

My aim is to keep things small, personal and charged with energy, but I'm aiming for a bigger impact with the players since we're working for a longer time period. For me it's all about the impact with my players and I want to keep working with them and you!

The benefit of the small group atmosphere as a coach is that I can work with several players striking the ball to one another without having to be the "partner" or "opponent." I can also have them play 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3 and help them integrate the skills faster then if it was just me playing them 1 to 1 and having them wait for me to catch my breath!!!

Mondays: 1st session: u11 boys and U12 girls (3 of 6 spots open)

Mondays: 2nd session U15C1 girls-U16 Premier girls (3 of 6 spots)

Thursday: Bloomington U12girls-U14 girls (3 of 8 spots open)

Thursday: Bloomingtion U14 premier-u17C1 girls (5 of 8 spots open)

Register Here For Private Training :-)

I'm asking families to first sign up for the entire winter or 6 months (Nov-April).

I have three options to sign up, preference will go to the 6 month options.

6 mos: $65/month: $390 total for 23 sessions ($17/session)

3 mos Nov-Jan $75/month : $225 for 10 sessions

1 month: $80/month per month basis 3-4 sessions a month

Spots are filling fast which is awesome. The sessions are organizing themselves into several groupings so please be aware that once I reach 6 or 8 players I do close that group. I'd rather you register and then "Drop" if you have a team training conflict. Since you don't have to pay until you show up be sure to RESERVE your spot.

Here are the time slots and locations of each group. :::::

West Group: Minnetonka : 24 sessions Monday evenings

The Mills Church gym on Monday evenings from 6:30-9:00 PM for the following Mondays:

11/2/09-12/21/09 and 1/4/10-4/26/10.

The address is: 13215 Minnetonka Drive, Minnetonka, MN. 55305.

This is at the intersection of Minnetonka Blvd and Baker Road.

Two time slots: younger U11-U14 at 6:30-7:40 and older U15-U17 7:45-9pm

South Group: Bloomington :23 sessions Thursday evenings

Thursday evenings from 6:30-9:00 pm for the Thursdays: 11/5- 12/17 and 1/7-4/30

Valley View Middle School 8900 Portland Ave S

Bloomington, MN 55420-2919

Two time slots: younger U12-U14 at 6:30-7:40 and older U14-U17 7:45-9pm

Groups may be split based on ability so it's more oriented to soccer age than biological age. ;-)

Register Here For Private Training

Fun too!

Christian has been a coach for our daughter and it was a great experience for her. He is one of the most organized and dedicated coaches that we have ever had. He also is very easy to communicate with from a parent standpoint.

He will listen to reasonable concerns and keep you abreast of any changes or decisions that involve your daughter. We felt very comfortable handing over the responsibility of our daughter’s development because we knew that he had the technical background and coaching experience that could support her in the best way.

He really cares for the girls and gives the team his total focus and energy. We would certainly recommend him as a high-level and conscientious coach. In addition, he allows the girls to have fun!

Commitment is a two way street.

I wanted to take a moment to thank you and make some comments/observations. When Maia was added to your Bangu 96 White team the 07/08 season I made the comment to you that I believed that you would become one of the great teachers/mentors of her life.

That season and our continued involvement with you beyond that team with private coaching has proven my statement correct. Maia has said numerous times and it is also my strong committment that as long as she plays soccer, she will remain under your instruction and guidance. I do not believe there is anyone more committed to his kids or better qualified to develop outstanding players and character than you. My initial opinion has only been confirmed and reinforced.

I am extremely proud of Maia as I watch her grow in so many areas under your tutilage. I would encourage any parent to get their child involved with your coaching at any level they can and as soon as possible, from team play to private coaching.

I have personally used coaching/mentoring in my own businesses for over 20 years and can speak from experience that the better the coaching, the better the results, and you are the best. Any parent that would like to talk to me about our experience with you can certainly call or email me at any time for a reference. Please feel free to forward my contact info to anyone.

Dr. John Lundstrom
651-235-1403
teamchiromn@aol.com

Decisions, Decisions

As in many decisions we make as parents, we value references from people we respect. In some instances our daughters will take the lead and find opportunities we hadn’t considered. Such is the case of my daughter, Lily, who met a girl at the Footholde clinics last winter. At first my daughter was a little intimidated by the physical play of this girl and her foot skills, but soon they became friends and Lily was invited to play a few games in her indoor league. Then Lily’s new friend’s Dad let me know about an opportunity to form a small, private group for intense skills, tactical and psychological training led by a young man who had worked with his daughter. That young man is Christian Isquierdo.

My daughter has been training with Christian’s private group for two months although she was on a service trip for part of the time. In this short time, her foot skills have improved tremendously. Where she formerly would never even have tried a new move in scrimmages and games, she now has the confidence to use them to her advantage. She is excited as I am about what she will learn from Christian in the off season and how it will help her attain the next level. My wife, Cherry, was watching Lily on Tuesday in a small sided game at the tryout clinic and Cherry said Lily made a couple of “Christian” moves around two other girls and easily scored on them. I can’t imagine her soccer growth with a year under her belt with him.

Christian not only teaches soccer skills and tactics, but seems to find the right buttons to press to get the best out of the girls. Our group of eight goes from U13 –U16 (2010 ages), C2 to Premier and is highly motivated and competitive, but Christian has made the intense workouts fun and the girls are very at ease with each other. Lily tells me he is the best soccer coach/teacher she has had and that includes her former coaches, Coerver, Thunder and Footholde trainers (although she is in love with Jonathan S.). [editors note: aren't we all?]

Christian is highly trained and motivated himself. While the girls have fun at his training sessions, he expects them to listen, respond and work hard (boy does he work hard!). He takes the time to give each player individual attention so each can take something valuable away from every practice. As Lily knows too, he will not mince words if she needs a boot to get her going in the right direction.

I highly recommend Christian Isquierdo as your coach. Unfortunately, Lily is now U15 so he can’t coach her team, but she has him for a trainer which keeps her motivated for the next training session.

Thanks,

Dana Marcelius

American Agency, Inc.

Thanks for the insight!

Christian was our U12 team coach for the 2007/2008 season. It was our daughters first experience on a Bangu team. He put a lot of effort into the planning of each practice. Our daughter developed as a soccer player and enjoyed learning the technical aspects of the game. Christian was dedicated to the team, is a very observant coach and really gets to know the girls strengths and weaknesses. Your daughter will grow and develop as a player with Christian as her coach. If we could we would want Christian to coach our daughters team again. And about our year in 07/08, our team developed as a whole and surprised many by making it state at the U12 C1 level.

As a parent with very little soccer background, I enjoyed the insight Christian provided in post game summaries. Emailed synopsis analyzing the strategy of our opponent and how we defeated them. He also encouraged our daughter to watch as many professional soccer games as possible, to better understand how the game is played. Now as a family we watch soccer on ESPN whenever we get a chance.

James and Kristin Schoffman

Among the best!

Being the Vice President of the Minnesota Thunder Academy, and playing soccer through the collegiate level in Minnesota, I know many of the best coaches and trainers in Minnesota, and when I had to choose a trainer for my daughter, I chose Christian. While Christian is one of the best in Minnesota at developing technical skills, it is really his understanding of the psychological component of the game that sets him apart. My daughter understands the game differently and plays with more confidence after training with Christian. He has and continues to help with her development as a soccer player and as a person.

John M. Jerabek
Vice President
Minnesota Thunder Academy

Thanks for a great season!

Hi Christian,

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say "Thank You!" again for a really fun and exciting season. We never imagined going in that we could have this successful of an outcome. Walmart Cup, Woodbury, and USA Cup Champions! Who would have thought!

Hayden has loved having you as a coach and I can tell you from our perspective as parents that we have seen great improvements in her level of play since you've taken over the team. Not only have her tactical skills improved, but her entire sense of the game has improved by leaps and bounds. We know that this is because of the training you've provided this team. She has gained skill, confidence and an overall love of the game this past season and we really look forward to what the next year will bring.

Thank you for always keeping the parents involved in your development plan. This is been so helpful in understanding what the expectation should be for a player in this age group. The evaluation you provided early in the season and then again at the end was such a great way of getting the players involved in their personal goals and a great tool for them to measure their progress on and individual level. Hayden read her evaluation over a dozen times and continues to talk about how she wants to master new skills going into this next year.

It is a rare gift that a coach can capture this kind of enthusiasm, respect and admiration from a group of pre-teen girls and you have done that with great success!

Thanks again for all you've done for this team and for Hayden!

Sincerely,

Carolyn & Mike Johnson

Given the responsibility and opportunity

My daughter has played with Minnesota Thunder Academy (MTA) and Bangu-Tsunami for the past two-plus seasons; she was initially identified as a player who could benefit from the academy-style training (offer by Bangu/MTA), and would be a strong player with Bangu. We hesitantly yet adventurously gave it a try. There was never any pressure to join or make a commitment, but were positively encouraged to go through the tryout process. We went through this, my daughter made the team, and has been there since.

What has made the transition and development possible is the desire and commitment of the program and coaches to develop their soccer players -- as soccer players and growing kids/young adults. Skills are continuously taught, shared, and developed in safe, positive settings. Team concepts are incorporated to further develop soccer strategies, and the success has been very high both at practice and in games.

The players on my daughter's team have had high levels of success on the field; their records speak highly of their development -- at their age level and above. For my daughter, it is important and meaningful (to her) that she be challenged at high levels; MTA provides strong avenues for this -- be it in league, tournaments, international play, and of course training. Additionally, my daughter has made many new friends, and has developed some wonderful friendships. As I write this, she had a team party last night, and some of the girls decided to have a sleepover; they really enjoy being with each other, and MTA has been a great avenue for this. To put this in further perspective, we do not live in the same community as the majority of the team, so it would appear that we are the "outsiders". We are nothing close to that with this team and program. New friends and friendships can only enhance one's life, and it has been a blessing to meet, know, and be with people from MTA.

As for the coaching, we have been blessed with strong values and commitment. Christian Isquiardo has been my daughter's coach this past season. While it was a change in coaches, and there was a level of unsuredness, Christian set forth with his plan for the girls. He has taken the time to get to know them individually and as a team -- on personal and professional levels. As the girls patiently worked with Christian, they soon realized that he was there to best develop their soccer skills and become even better young adults. The season has been extrememly successful record-wise, developmentally, and positively. Even though a goal is to win, it is the training and development that continues to shine as outcomes. There have been many situations that a certain "stronger" lineup would be conventional wisdom, but Christian comfortably and confidently used different girls in vaious positions in game situations. As a coach and parent, I have witnessed the comfort and confidence grow in the girls who have been "given the responsibility and opportunity" to lead their team. This is further proof of the team development, along with the development of each girl's character.

Yet, at the same time, when there were tight situations in games, the team wanted to win, and Christian gave them the best opportunities for this via strategy, skills, confidence, and positive encouragement.

My daughter plays a very high level of soccer, and has had numerous opportunities to play elsewhere in the past and for next season. She and I have both agreed that she would sooner play for Christian and MTA. She appreciates Christian's desire and attitude to this level of play, along with his continued dedication to making her (and the team's) soccer experiences the best possible. Christian works very hard to have the best players/people for the best results -- on and off the playing field.

If you have any questions that I may be able to answer on any of the above, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

Rick DuBois

Hudson, WI