OUR COACHING STAFF


All Celtic competitive teams are coached by USSF and NSCAA licensed coaches who often have collegiate and, in some cases, professional playing experience. As coaches, they’ve led players at all levels, and as players, they’ve been Celtic players themselves, high school varsity state champs, college scholarship earners, and professional players!

 Andy McDermott

 Executive Director

  • USSF National 'A' License
  • USSF Club Technical Leader, Level Two License
  • United Soccer Coaches Director of Coaching Certificate
  • United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper Coach Certificate
  • EXOS Sports Performance Coach Mentorship, Level One
  • NASM-CPT, Subject Matter Expert in Physical Conditioning
  • TRX Suspension Trainer Instructor Certification



PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • Chicago Pegasus
  • Chicago Sockers
  • Fremd High School
  • Northwestern University
  • Chicago Stingers
  • Sportclub Freiburg – Germany
  • Indiana Blast – USISL A-League
  • Charlotte Eagles – USISL A-League


CONTACT COACH ANDY



COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Intentional Sports (Chicago, IL) – Founder and CEO
  • COPA Soccer Training Center (Walnut Creek, CA) – Creator and Director of Culture
  • USL East Bay (Concord, CA) – Sporting Director, Academy Director of professional club in development
  • Solano United / Solano Surf Soccer Club (Fairfield, CA) – Director of Coaching
  • Los Angeles United Futbol Academy (Los Angeles, CA) – Head Coach, U17 DA Team
  • Tudela Futbol Club (Hollywood, CA) – Staff Coach
  • GYSA (Gilbert, AZ) – Staff Coach
  • Charlotte Eagles Soccer Club (Charlotte, NC) – Camps, Clinics
  • Broad Ripple High School (Indianapolis, IN) – Head Coach, Boy’s Varsity
  • Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) – Assistant Coach, Men’s Soccer
  • Chicago Sockers (Arlington Heights, IL) – Staff Coach




Gordy Poluyanskis

Technical Director/Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'B' License 


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Staff Coach FCX
  • Director of Coaching Rockford Raptors
  • Head Coach Rockford Dactyls W-League
  • Staff Coach Rockford Raptors & Dactyls




PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • Rockford East HS
  • Triton College
  • Rockford Raptors PDL



CONTACT COACH GORDY
Matt Pearson

Director of Development/Staff Coach

  • UEFA ‘A’ License
  • US Soccer Youth License
  • US Soccer Talent ID License


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Chicago Fire FC
  • Zakynthos FC
  • Ergotelis
  • Vittoriossa Stars FC
  • AC Milan




PLAYING EXPERIENCE


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CONTACT COACH MATT
Anja Stotland

Staff Coach

  • U.S. Soccer Grassroots 11v11 License
  • Professional Educator License 


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Little Strikers Head Coach 


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • St. Norbert College
  • Palatine High School
  • Palatine Celtic SC


CONTACT COACH ANJA
Ben Borst

Staff Coach

  • U.S. Soccer Grassroots (E License)


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Staff Coach Jr. Celtic


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Fremd High School
  • Former Celtic Player


CONTACT COACH BEN
Blake Taubman

Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'B' License
  • NSCAA National Diploma – 2012


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Crystal Lake Force
  • ODP Staff Coach
  • FCX
  • Warren United/FC Lake County
  • Chicago Fire Camps and Training


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Baltimore Football Club
  • McDonogh School
  • USMC (2MARDIV all division team)
  • USMC (All Marine Camp)
CONTACT COACH BLAKE
Dan Riskind

Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'B' License


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • FC 1974 Staff Coach
  • Loyal Academy Boys' Varsity Head Coach
  • Carmel Catholic HS Girls' Asst Varsity Coach
  • Carmel Catholic JV Head Coach
  • Willowbrook HS Boys' Varsity Head Coach
  • Larkin HS Girls' JV2 Head Coach
  • Palatine Celtic Recreational Coach
  • Glen Ellyn Lakers FC Staff Coach
  • Barrington Middle School, Station Campus Coach
  • Barrington Middle School, Prairie Campus Assistant Coach
  • Schwaben AC Staff Coach
  • Buffalo Grove SC Recreational Coach
  • St Viator Sophomore Head Coach
CONTACT COACH DAN
Dave Kahl

Staff Coach

  • U.S. Soccer Grassroots (E License)


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Staff Coach Palatine Celtic




PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • FC SKA - PSL Division A
  • Iowa State University
  • Prairie Ridge HS - State Champion 1999
  • Crystal Lake Chargers FC



CONTACT COACH DAVE
James Serio

Staff Coach

  • U.S. Soccer Grassroots (E License)


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Palatine Celtic Assistant Staff Coach


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Harper College
  • Palatine Celtic SC (U19 Boys State Champion team)
  • HS Varsity Starter



CONTACT COACH JAMES
John Miller

Director of Community Relations/Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'D' License
  • United Soccer Coaches National Diploma


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Palatine Celtic House Director of Coaching
  • Palatine Celtic Soccer Club Staff Coach
  • Green White Soccer Club Staff Coach
  • Grove United Soccer Club Staff Coach


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Palatine Celtic 
  • Fremd HS
  • ISU


CONTACT COACH MILLER
John Tomaino

Staff Coach

  • NSCAA Advanced National License 


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Palatine Celtic SC




PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • Ohio State University
  • US Youth National Team
  • Fremd High School
  • Chicago Sockers
  • Palatine Celtic


CONTACT COACH JOHN
Lee Merrick

Staff Coach

  • USSF C License
  • English Football Association
  • Switzerland Football Association


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • FCX Staff Coach
  • Spartans FC Staff Coach
  • Sockers FC Staff Coach
  • Ela SC Staff Coach
  • Illinois ODP Coach
  • Chicago Cobras, W-League, Head Coach
  • St Charles HS Boys Assistant Coach
  • St Charles SCDirector of Coaching
  • St Charles SC Staff Coach


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Chicago Vikings, Metro League
  • Sion, Switzerland
  • Manchester University


CONTACT COACH LEE
Matt Hamnett

Staff Coach

  • English FA License
  • USSF National Coaching License
  • USSF D License
  • PCA "Double Goal Coach" Certified


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Staff Coach FCX


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Former player, Chicago Stingers and Halifax Town AFC (English D3)
  • Former player, York City (English D2)


CONTACT COACH MATT
Nick Walan

Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'C' License
  • La Liga LV 3
  • USC Director of Coaching Diploma


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Executive Director Fox Valley Kickers SC
  • Staff Coach FV Kickers SC
  • Staff Coach Sockers FC
  • Director of Youth Development Chicago Fire Juniors
  • Staff Coach Chicago Fire Juniors


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • US Army Base Team
  • Team Chicago
  • Kickers SC


CONTACT COACH NICK
Nino Da Silva

Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'C' License
  • La Liga Methodology Certification


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Sockers FC Chicago (13 years)
  • UWS Chicago Mustangs (National Champions) – Assistant Coach
  • St. Viator Boys Varsity – Assistant Coach
  • Chicago Inferno
  • SAA United Director of Coaching



PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • Kansas City Wizards
  • New York/Jersey MetroStars
  • Atlas (Mexico)
  • Palatine Celtic SC
  • Sockers FC


CONTACT COACH NINO
Paul Daly

Staff Coach

  • English FA Prelim 
  • U.S. Soccer Grassroots (E License)


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Coached teams in England and South Africa 
  • Asst. Varsity Coach at Oak Park River Forest High School
  • Coach for Oak Park Alliance



PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • Played semi-pro in England 
  • Played for University in South Africa


CONTACT COACH PAUL
Philip Suprise

Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'D' License
  • NSCAA  Premier Diploma
  • U.S. Youth Futsal Level 4 & 3 Diplomas


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Croatian Eagles S.C. - Milwaukee, WI
  • Connecticut F.C. - Hartford, CT
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering - NCAA Div. III


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Quinnipiac University - NCAA Division I, Hamden, CT
  • MLS Supplemental Draftee - D.C. United
  • Charleston Battery - USL, Charleston, S.C.
  • Milwaukee Wave - MASL, Milwaukee, WI
  • U.S. Futsal National Team


CONTACT COACH PHILIP
Sara Soltykiewicz

Staff Coach

  • U.S. Soccer Grassroots (E License)


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Staff Coach Palatine Jr. Celtic
  • Staff Coach Palatine Celtic



PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • North Central College - Team Captian & Academic All-CCIW
  • Rolling Meadows High School
  • Palatine Celtic 


CONTACT COACH SARA
Scott Robertson

Celtic Cup Director/Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'C' License


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Jr Celtic 
  • Palatine Celtic Recreation Coach


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Scottish Regional Youth Select
  • Scottish Pro Youth 


CONTACT COACH SCOTT
Stephanie Eide

Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'C' License
  • Professional Educator License
  • MA in Teaching of Spanish with Heritage Language Concentration


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Staff Coach Palatine High School (JV1, JV2, Freshmen)
  • Staff Coach Fremd High School (JV2)
  • Assistant Coach College of Lake County Women’s Soccer


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • College of Lake County - 2011 Conference Champions & Region Runner-Ups (All-Conference First Team, Conference Player of the Year, All-Region First Team)
  • Bartlett High School
  • Campton United
  • Chicago Alliance
CONTACT COACH STEPHANIE
Steven Soltykiewicz

Goalkeeper Coach/Staff Coach

  • USSF National 'D' License
  • United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper Level I Diploma


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Assistant Palatine Celtic Goalkeeper Coach




PLAYING EXPERIENCE


  • Bradley University 
  • Fremd High School
  • Palatine Celtic 


CONTACT COACH STEVEN
Surina Potter

Competitions Manager

  • USSF National 'D' License
  • Professional Educator License


COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Chicago Rush Fox Valley
  • Chicago Rush North
  • Lil' Kickers


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

  • Trinity International University (Team Captain, NAIA Scholar-Athlete, NCCAA Scholar Athlete, CCAC All Academic Team)
  • Fremd High School
  • FCX
  • Ela Soccer Club


CONTACT COACH SURINA

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM