Girls Coaches

Matt was a three-year starter at York College of Pennsylvania in his playing days, where he was named an All-Conference forward. He also spent two collegiate seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), competing in the second round of back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.

After graduation, Matt spent two years coaching youth soccer in Maryland with Coerver Coaching. He worked with youth boys and girls of all ages to improve their technique and directed summer soccer camps across the DMV.

In 2019, Matt served two years as a Division 1 first assistant at Wofford College in South Carolina. In 2021, he joined the women’s soccer staff at American University, where he is entering his 4th fall season as an Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development. He currently holds his US Soccer C-License.

Matt is a former Bethesda Soccer Club youth player and grew up in Mt. Airy, Maryland.

Alex began playing soccer for local clubs such as Pachuca and Olney at a young age. In 2014 he debuted as a professional soccer player for Club Bolivar in Bolivia. He later transitioned to play for the SoCal Reds (UPSL) for a few years until ending up in Australia playing for Sydney FC in 2018.

Since then, Alex has pursued his coaching career, coaching teams at all various levels and age groups. He currently holds a USSF National ‘C’ Coaches License.

Monica Tarzy, a former Bethesda player and current MCPS teacher, has been coaching for over 12 years.

Coaching Experience:

• Coaching license: National “D” License and Juventus Italy Coaches Certification
• Years of coaching experience: (12 years)
• Juventus DCMetro (3 years)- U12s, U17s, U15s
• Churchill High School JV head coach (5 years)
• Richard Montgomery Varsity head coach (6 years)
• Pivotal Play soccer training (7 years)
• Potomac Soccer Club Head coach u10s and U11s (4 years)

Youth Playing Experience & Awards:

• Bethesda Soccer Club player (6 years)
• Potomac Soccer Club player (5 years)
• WAGS level (Washington Area Girls Soccer League)

Collegiate/Professional Playing Experience:

• Club Soccer, University of Maryland (4 years)

Licenses: USSF National “D” License, Olympic Development Diploma.

As a player, Brendan played college soccer at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was a Division III First-Team All-American and MIAC Player of the Year in 2001, All-Region selection from 2000 – 2001, and First-Team All MIAC selection from 1999 – 2001. Brendan captained Macalester his Senior year and was a starter all four years while Macalester claimed three conference championships and played in the NCAA national tournament.

Brendan played youth soccer in Virginia for the Braddock Road Youth Club and Springfield Youth Club and he was a four-time state champion. He also captained the WT Woodson Cavaliers his Senior year and earned All-Met honorable mention. Brendan has experience coaching at the youth level for the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association, Middle States Soccer Camps, and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras. He also has 16+ years of professional experience coaching and mentoring teams in a business setting and he is a strong advocate for applying lessons from team sports to personal, academic, and professional settings.

Albert Oni is a native of Silver Spring Maryland where he grew up playing soccer at the club, high school, college, and professional levels. After college, Albert joined the Washington Warthogs. Albert completed his playing career with the Baltimore Blast. Albert has coached girls on the ODP, club, WAGS, and Region 1 levels for over 12 years. He was the head coach of Mercy HS varsity girls for 8 years, where he was named Baltimore Sun’s Coach of the Year in 2009. Albert was the head coach of the ASA Chesapeake Charge Womens’ WPSL team from 2010 to 2012 earning WPSL East coach of the year in 2011. He was an asst coach for the Towson Women’s soccer team from 2010 to 2012. Albert is currently the head coach for the Severn School girls varsity soccer program in Severna Park.

Oni has been training local youth players and teams for over 20 years. He focuses on technique, a tactical understanding of the game, and team concepts in a fun and productive learning environment. It integrates teamwork with special attention to individual players.

Festus George has been coaching for over 25 years. In that time he has developed some of the top players in the DC Metro area. A former professional player has taken his immense talent and brought it to the youth game where his teams are known for their technical prowess.

Accomplishments:

• 14 men and 4 women playing professionally in the US and abroad
• More than 50 boys and girls playing on the Collegiate level within the US
• Won 4 state cups in Maryland, 1 state cup in Virginia, 2 Regionals and 1
• Nationals cup.  As a High School coach, I won 1 Regional and 1 State Final cup.
• Played professionally for nine years in various positions with 2 MVP medals in the league championship and 1 CISL League championship cup
  • 2nd Division – SV Meppen (Germany)
  • Indoor – Washington Warthogs, Harrisburg Heat
  • MLS – Miami Fusion, Columbus Crew, Raleigh Flyers

Licenses: USSF National “C” License, Olympic Development Diploma.

Rick Stainton is in his second season as an assistant coach with Georgetown women’s soccer. He was hired by Head Coach Dave Nolan in February 2020 and joined the Hilltop after a one-year head coaching stint at the College of Saint Elizabeth’s in Morristown, New Jersey. Stainton is no stranger to the BIG EAST Conference as he was the head coach of the Seton Hall women’s soccer team for five seasons prior to Saint Elizabeth’s.

During his tenure for the Seton Hall Pirates, Stainton’s squads won the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award in each of the five seasons and 110 Pirates were selected to the Big East All-Academic Team. On the pitch, SHU recorded a total of 18 shutouts and had a BIG EAST All-Freshman Team recognition.

Adding on to an already impressive resume, Stainton was a part of the New Jersey-based Sky Blue FC for four years. While with Sky Blue FC, Stainton trained some of the most prominent women’s players in the world, coaching a total of 12 players who competed in the 2011 FIFA World Cup including United States internationals Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly, and Christie Rampone.  Stainton began his tenure with the club as an assistant, a role in which he was responsible for goalkeeper development, prospect identification, implementation of off-season training programs, and camp instruction.  He also served as the head coach for a year where he guided the Sky Blue to a 7-10-7 record.

Stainton is a graduate of Green Mountain College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Leisure Resource Facilities Management.  While at Green Mountain, Stainton was named the NAIA Northeast Region MVP and First Team Mayflower All-Conference. In 2002, Stainton was inducted into the Green Mountain College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Ellis brings over 20 years of successful experience from a club, team, and player perspective. He was with Bethesda Soccer Club for 13 years now he returns for his 14th year, coaching two ECNL 1 teams and directing the College Advisory Program. Ellis has great experience coaching in the ECNL, he has successfully led several teams to Champions League playoff positions.

Coach Ellis Pierre has a long-distinguished career developing boys and girls in the National Capital area.  He served as the technical director for Maryland Rush Montgomery, boys and girls, and McLean youth soccer for younger boys. With over 25 years of experience in the game at the premier level, Ellis is known for attracting, developing, and retaining top-tier coaches and motivated players in the Washington, D.C., area. Ellis is also the associate head coach at Howard University. As a coach/trainer, he has successfully won more than a dozen state cups, multiple regional championships, and a Super Y national championship; effectively placed many players on the state, regional and national teams, and groomed numerous college-bound players who attended top academic and athletic programs.