Alex Avelar

Alex grew up playing forward during his youth soccer journey before continuing to play on the Sacramento State University club soccer team. He graduated with a degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science and Therapeutic Rehab, and now works as an Exercise Physiologist for John Muir's Cardiac Rehab Program.

Some of Alex's favorite Eclipse memories include an undefeated league season with the '05/'06 girls team, a semifinal state cup run with his '08 girls team, and beating Carondelet High School in NCS. Alex is currently the head coach of the Acalanes Varsity Girls. He holds his USSF Grassroots license and US Soccer D license. He also holds La Liga Level 2 and 3 certifications and the United Soccer Coaches 11v11 diploma. This is his eighth year with Eclipse.

Alexi Anderson

Alexi joined the coaching staff in the winter of 2023 after many years of following the club through his friends, coaches Tarek and Riad. He was a standout player at Acalanes High School, earning All-League and Team MVP honors. He continued playing during his time at UCSD through intramural leagues and adult leagues, and has also played with Bladium Rosal, spent a year in Kreisliga B with BSC Eintracht Suedring in Berlin, Germany, and played five years in the SFSFL.



His passion for soccer has crossed over into his career, having spent 12 years working in soccer data and analytics for various organizations, including MLS, Liga MX, the Bundesliga, various college programs, and the USA and Germany national teams. He holds a La Liga license. This is his third year with Eclipse.

Amir Aliakbari

Amir grew up locally and spent his high school years playing in the early years of Eclipse. He played for Coach Shane Carney for four years at Campolindo High School, winning multiple titles and earning All-League honors his junior and senior seasons. After high school, he pursued his playing career in Germany playing for FC Emmendingen.

Amir coached for Eclipse as an assistant for four seasons before returning to the staff as a head coach in 2024 after moving back into the area following completion of his degree at UCSD. He holds his USSF D license and four total USSF coaching licenses. This is his third year with Eclipse as a head coach.

Anthony Rivera

Anthony started playing soccer at the age of 5 and never stopped playing. Growing up in the East Bay, he played club soccer for both Tecos Hayward and Ballistic United. He competed at the varsity level at LPS Hayward for three seasons. An injury ended his high school playing career but started his interest and experience in coaching.

After a very successful year of assistant coaching with Eclipse, he continued his coaching journey at his former high school, becoming the coach at LPS Hayward this past fall. This will be his second year coaching with Eclipse.

Bennett Barnes

Bennett grew up in the Bay Area, playing club and school soccer in Piedmont. He continues to play recreationally through local futsal leagues and pick-up soccer games. He is a diehard fan of the sport and wants to share that passion through coaching. He is a true believer in Eclipse's culture of promoting multi-sport athletes, as he also competes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Prior to joining Eclipse, Bennett coached a variety of sports including basketball, football, and baseball and has worked as a camp counselor. He holds his USSF Grassroots license and two total USSF coaching licenses. This is his third year with Eclipse.

Brandon Thompson

Brandon grew up in Oakland, playing for Montclair Clippers, Bay Oaks Soccer Club, and Rockridge Sting (now East Bay United) as a goalkeeper, striker, and midfielder. He still plays weekly with his group of friends and has been a dedicated Manchester United fan for 25 years. Some of his best soccer memories are being with teammates at tournaments - those were some of the best times of his life.



Brandon coaches because he had coaches who made a lifelong impact on him - they pushed him to be a better person and player, and gave him confidence when he really needed it. Now he wants to do his part with the next generation of young players. He holds his USSF C license and has completed 10 total coaching licenses and certifications, including all four USSF Grassroots licenses and Ajax's education program for Youth Academies. This is his tenth year with the club.

Fernando Salazar

Fernando grew up playing soccer and futsal in his childhood in Guadalajara, Mexico. In an effort to improve his life, he moved to the United States at the age of 19 and is forever grateful for the opportunities he has found. For the past ten years, he has volunteered as a coach for many soccer clubs throughout the Berkeley, Albany, and Richmond areas.



In addition to coaching soccer, Fernando has experience and knowledge in various physical training methods, including agility, coordination, CrossFit, boot camps, yoga, stretching, and weight training. He is also very passionate about nutrition and passing that knowledge on to his players. This is his second year with Eclipse.

Fernando Sevilla

Fernando has been passionate about the game of soccer his entire life, playing constantly growing up in the Bay Area. His love for the game directed him to give back by coaching, with his first stop being at Life Academy in Oakland. He left the area to attend Lehigh University where he worked as a co-manager for the women's basketball program.

Upon returning to the Bay Area, Fernando got in touch with Eclipse to get back involved in soccer coaching. In 2025, he was a very highly-rated assistant coach for the club, helping various teams and our Future Eclipse Program. This will be his second year with Eclipse.

Jesse Jobert

Jesse began playing soccer at age 5 and spent time playing youth club soccer at Montclair Soccer Club and Bay Oaks. He also played in the Olympic Development Program, California's state team, and four years of varsity soccer. His interest in coaching began through conversations with his longtime friend, Eclipse coach Brandon Thompson.

Jesse holds his USSF C license and seven total coaching licenses, including the USSF National D license. This is his fifth year with Eclipse.

Jesus Perez

Jesus grew up in the East Bay and played soccer his entire life. He was a varsity soccer player at Mt. Diablo High School. A long recovery from an injury got him interested in coaching as a way to give back to other players pursuing their passion, as he heads back to the goal of playing professionally himself.

Jesus holds his USSF Grassroots license. This is his second year with Eclipse.

Johnny Molina

Johnny enters his 12th year with Eclipse and 36th year of coaching. Prior to Eclipse, Johnny coached at MDSA, DVSC, DFC, and Heritage Soccer Club. He also coached the varsity girls at Clayton Valley High School where he led them to a BVAL title. He played at the Private University of Nicaragua.

Johnny holds his USSF D license and several coaching diplomas from United Soccer Coaches, La Liga Level 2 and 3, and four from Fiorentina. He also spent three years as Eclipse's U11-U14 Boys Director.

Jose Diaz Mercado

Jose was a three-year varsity soccer captain for Alhambra High School, where he was named to the All-DVAL First Team in 2015-16. He also played club soccer locally for 12 years. His favorite soccer memories as a kid were the friendships that came from the game - teammates who became family, and the pure joy of competing together.



Jose spent three seasons coaching at Campolindo High School and currently serves as head JV coach and varsity assistant and program goalkeeper coach for the Acalanes Girls. He holds his USSF C license and is currently working toward his B License. He has more than 10 licenses from organizations including USSF, United Soccer Coaches, La Liga and TOVO. This is his eighth year with Eclipse.

Jose Luis Diaz

After years of coaching local teams against Eclipse, Jose joined the club in 2019. Jose has been coaching for eleven total years with experience at Deportivo Oakland, Real Oakland, and the BullDogs Brazil Soccer Club, where he served as club vice president in addition to his head coaching responsibilities. In addition to club coaching, he has worked as a teacher and academic mentor and ran the soccer program for ASCEND Sunset Warriors.



Jose holds his USSF C license and is currently working toward his B license. He also holds the United Soccer Coaches National Diploma, USSF National D license, all USSF Grassroots licenses, and several additional United Soccer Coaches diplomas. This is his eighth year with Eclipse.

Juan Perri

Juan grew up playing soccer in Venezuela before moving to Italy for soccer and academics. He moved to California to attend UC Berkeley, where he played on Cal's club soccer team for four years and helped lead them to a title at the national championships. He spent four years coaching youth soccer at a club in Berkeley before joining Eclipse in 2021.



Juan holds his USSF C license and several additional USSF coaching licenses, including the D license. This is his sixth year with Eclipse.

Juan Vargas

Juan is a soccer fanatic who enjoys the sport any chance he gets. He started playing as a child and has played his entire life - still competing in adult leagues around the Bay Area. He got into coaching with a team in Martinez, but after hearing about Eclipse from his cousin, Coach Fernando, he wanted to join the Eclipse Family. At Eclipse, he has spent time coaching boys teams at multiple age groups and Future Eclipse.

Juan holds a license from La Liga. This is his fifth year with Eclipse.

Julian Reyes

Julian has been playing and breathing soccer for as long as he can remember. His passion for playing got him into coaching at an early age as a way to grow the game and help develop young players. He has coached for five years now, primarily with players ages 6-12, with a heavy focus on technical development.

For the past two years, he has been working in the Manchester City Soccer Academy through SoFive Alameda where he has been trained by Manchester City Academy coaches to train players in the way of their club and academy system. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Kaci Trujillo

Kaci began playing soccer at the age of 4 and competed at high levels of club soccer for DFC and Mustang ECNL. While a student at Clayton Valley Charter High School, she was a varsity captain for 3 years, was named to the DVAL Second Team, DVAL First Team, and was the league's Offensive MVP. After graduating high school in 2017, she continued her playing career at Solano Community College and Diablo Valley College, including being a captain for DVC.



Kaci began her coaching career with the organization Kidz Love Soccer and graduated from Stan State with a degree in Exercise Science. In addition to coaching for Eclipse, she is also the JV Girls head coach at Campolindo and an assistant coach for the DVC Women's Soccer team. She holds her USSF D license and three total USSF licenses. This is her fourth year with Eclipse.

Kaj Simonsen

Kaj joined Eclipse's coaching staff for the 2022-23 Winter Program. He grew up in Lafayette and played club soccer for Lamorinda, Walnut Creek, and DFC. While playing varsity soccer for Acalanes, he was a key contributor to their undefeated league champion team his junior year and was named team captain and the league's Offensive MVP his senior year.

Kaj loves coaching because he gets to make a positive impact on the younger generation. He loves being around the fun and positive energy that players bring to practice and games, and he's passionate about teaching the game and passing on his knowledge to help players improve. Prior to Eclipse, he worked as an assistant coach at Lamorinda and spent several summers working camps and clinics for America Scores and Gino's Soccer Camps. He is also a certified referee and graduated with a degree in Sport Management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He holds his USSF D license and three total USSF licenses. This is his fourth year with Eclipse.

Karim Guerrouah

Karim began his playing career in Algeria, competing with Souk El Tenine Club and JS Kabylie. He later played at the collegiate level with Algiers University. Karim remains active in the game today competing with Africari Club.

Karim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sports and has earned multiple coaching licenses through the USSF up to the National C License. He began his coaching career in 2008 as a Physical Education and Sport teacher at the middle school level in Algeria. After moving to the United States, Karim served as a head coach with Super Soccer Stars, Berber Athletic Club, Albany Berkeley Soccer Club, and San Rafael FC. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Kevin McClure

Kevin is a Pennsylvania native who played soccer at the highest youth levels—an 8-year standout in the state and Region 1 ODP, an All-State and Regional All-American in high school, and a 4-year D1 player at Bucknell. His approach to coaching is deeply rooted in the team-first culture he experienced with two of Pennsylvania's most decorated club teams: the '75 Pittsburgh Hotspurs and '76 Pittsburgh Strikers—both multi-time state champions and national contenders.



At Eclipse, Kevin focuses on player development and building a lasting love for the game. He brings his experience from playing at the highest levels while maintaining the joy and team-first mentality that keeps kids engaged in the sport. He holds multiple USSF licenses and La Liga Level 3 certification. This is his sixth year with Eclipse.

Lisel Welden

Lisel joined Eclipse's coaching staff during the 2021-22 Winter Program. She played at Ransom Everglades High School in Miami where she was a 4-year varsity player, team captain, and earned All-City honors twice. She went on to play for two years at Williams College. Growing up without much opportunity for organized soccer, she often found her way to fields to play with and against local boys. Eventually she began playing on her first team with girls in middle school.

Being a soccer player was one of the most formative experiences of her life, so she wants to support young girls on their journeys. In addition to Eclipse, Lisel coaches in the Young Olympic Development Program. She holds her USSF C license and 12 total coaching licenses, including five from United Soccer Coaches. This is her fifth year coaching with Eclipse.

Luis Covarrubias

Luis brings a lifelong commitment to the game to his coaching. Raised in Manteca, he played throughout his childhood, eventually playing four years of varsity soccer at Manteca High School and two years at Modesto Junior College. Luis remains actively involved in the game playing futsal weekly.

He holds the USSF Grassroots licenses and is currently working toward his National D License.

Professionally, Luis works at Copa Soccer Training Center and has been coaching at the club level in Manteca for two years. He also serves in the United States Army Reserve, bringing discipline, leadership, and dedication to everything he does. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Luke Ahearn

Luke grew up locally and spent many years playing for Eclipse, including our inaugural year. He also played for four years at Campolindo High School and won multiple titles. After high school, he competed collegiately for four years at the University of Puget Sound. 

Luke spent a year as an assistant coach in training with the club during his playing days. He returned to the staff last season spending time learning from many of our top head coaches, as he trained to become a head coach with the club himself. This will be his third year coaching with Eclipse.

Mario Ramirez

Mario has played soccer for most of his life, including for several club teams growing up in NorCal Premier. He also played soccer in college and loves to play at Bladium. He began his coaching career as an assistant at the high school level and has also worked with kids through various camps, after school programs, and other volunteer opportunities.

This is his second year with Eclipse.

Matt Vanhouten

Matt played recreation, club, high school, and men's Over 30 soccer in Rochester, NY, from the age of 5 until he moved to Moraga 10 years ago. Matt began coaching when his kids switched to club soccer. Matt coached his three kids for the next ten years until they all retired. He loved coaching so much, he kept going anyway!



Matt's coaching philosophy is to meet the players where they are and challenge them to improve day by day. Matt is also a certified US Soccer Referee and holds numerous USSF Grassroots coaching licenses (4v4, 9v9, 11v11). This is his eighth year coaching with Eclipse.

Mounir Fellahi

Mounir developed his game in Morocco, competing at both the club and collegiate levels before continuing his playing career in the United States across multiple competitive leagues. His coaching experience spans several youth clubs, including Fremont Youth Soccer Club, Montclair Clippers, and Lamorinda Soccer Club, where he has worked with players of various ages and levels.

Mounir holds an impressive range of coaching licenses through the USSF, including B, C, and D Licenses, along with 7v7 and 11v11 coaching certifications and the Advanced National Diploma from United Soccer Coaches. He has also completed methodology courses with FC Barcelona focused on positional play and game analysis, as well as advanced coursework in game model, analysis, and futsal through United Soccer Coaches. Mounir has also participated in coaching education opportunities such as the Manchester United Way and training with Albert Puig.

Continuing his professional growth, Mounir has been selected for the 2026 Quakes Community Coaching Course (QC3), further highlighting his dedication to learning and excellence.This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Peter Yu

Peter has been around the game his entire life, and his favorite soccer memory as a kid is playing soccer with his dad once a week. He still plays today as a player/coach for an adult team at Bladium/Sofive Alameda, where he's competed since 2012. He loves coaching because he wants to share the joy of soccer — and the growth that comes with it — with the next generation of players.

In addition to Eclipse, Peter has coached with the Hayward High School girls program for four years, Futbol Base (U8-U12 Program) for three years, and at 7 Magic Flowers Bilingual Montessori Preschool since 2023. Outside of coaching, he has worked as a sports statistician in soccer, ice hockey, and volleyball for Genius Sports since 2020. He holds 24 total coaching licenses, including all USSF Grassroots licenses, La Liga Level 2 and 3, and United Soccer Coaches Pre-National. This is his tenth year with Eclipse.

Piotr Zarzycki

Piotr grew up playing soccer in Poland throughout his childhood. He was a member of the Polish National Olympic Team in Taekwondo, finishing fifth at the World Junior Taekwondo Championship in Barcelona, Spain. He also compiled two gold, two silver, and four bronze medals in Polish National Championships and Poland Cups. He began his coaching journey in Taekwondo, but his love for soccer and his soccer-playing son have brought him back to the sport.

Piotr holds his USSF B license and 15 coaching licenses, including La Liga Levels 2 and 3, USYF Futsal licenses, and a diploma from the Barça Coach Academy. He is also a certified US Soccer referee and mentor. This is his fifth year with Eclipse.

Ronit Garg

Ronit has been playing soccer for 12 years. He played for his high school and a youth academy in Mumbai, India, before playing for the club team at the University of San Francisco. He graduated from USF with a degree in psychology in May 2025.



Ronit loves coaching because he loves sharing his knowledge about the sport and watching players grow as better players and individuals. He was an assistant coach for the varsity boys team at Stuart Hall High School in SF and also coaches youth soccer and basketball at the JCCSF. He holds his USSF Grassroots license and is currently working toward his D license. He also holds the La Liga Methodology Course certification. This is his second year with Eclipse.

Steve Aitkins

Steve grew up playing soccer in elementary school, junior high, and high school, and on club teams while in college in Seattle. He has been coaching for 16 years for high school and club teams. He began his coaching career at Sacred Heart Academy in Honolulu when he was in the US Coast Guard; then he coached club teams in Hawaii, at Lick Wilmerding High School in San Francisco, and most recently at The College Preparatory High School in Oakland.

He coached U8 - U16 players at Albany-Berkeley Soccer Club for 12 seasons, at Eastshore Alliance for three seasons, and at Rayados FC in Richmond for four seasons. Steve holds his USSF C license and all four USSF Grassroots licenses. He's also earned his national referee license. This is his second year with Eclipse.

Taylor Abbott

Taylor played high school soccer under Coach Shane Carney at Campolindo from 2009-2012. He coached for Eclipse for five years (including its inaugural year) and even played a year with the U19 Eclipse Men's team. He left the club to study Architecture at the University of Southern California for 5 years and returned to the Bay Area in 2021. While in Los Angeles, Taylor stayed active playing in adult and intramural college divisions.

Taylor is currently the head varsity coach for the Miramonte Girls Soccer Program and has coached the team to a league title and an NCS title. He holds four USSF coaching licenses and a La Liga license. He is in his 11th year overall with Eclipse.

Alec Real

Alec grew up playing club soccer for Ajax East Bay and high school soccer for Freedom High School. He began his coaching career at his childhood club, Ajax East Bay, working with various teams and ages. He began working with Eclipse in 2024 and quickly showed his passion and love for the game. This is his third year with Eclipse.

Ben Kokel

staff coach

Ben Sagi

Ben grew up playing soccer and various other sports in Orinda. Playing with his younger cousins inspired him to look into coaching. Eclipse is his first coaching job and he has been enjoying working with the young players. He credits the Eclipse coaching staff with providing him an opportunity to learn and grow. He also loves watching soccer, particularly the legends Messi and Ronaldo. This is his second year with Eclipse.

Broadie Bonney

Broadie played soccer for over a decade growing up, including five years of club soccer and two years of competing at the varsity level. In his professional experience, he has worked in daycares and summer camps for kids ages 7-12. He has also worked as a swim coach for kids of similar ages.



In looking to combine his love for soccer and his professional experience of positive youth development, he wanted to make the jump into coaching soccer and saw Eclipse as the perfect fit for his coaching style and beliefs. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Charlotte Fabo

Charlotte has played soccer since she was 5 years old and started playing at Eclipse when she was 10. She played for Eclipse through high school and was the JV captain of Campolindo girls soccer, graduating in 2025. Charlotte began as a Coach in Training in 2021 and gained three years of coach experience as a result. Her strong work there resulted in her being promoted to the assistant staff in 2023. She will be in her sixth year as a staff assistant this season.

Edgar Andrade

Edgar has developed a deep understanding of the game, combining technical skill with a competitive mindset, in nearly a decade of playing. A natural leader, Edgar founded his own futsal team. He also served as a high school soccer team manager for three years. Edgar has assisted with coaching sessions, leading drills and helping players refine their skills while emphasizing discipline, effort, and continuous growth. His performance has earned him multiple futsal MVP honors as a player, as well as recognition as “Coach of the Week.”

In addition to his on-field experience, he plans to attend Saint Mary’s College of California to study Psychology, further strengthening his ability to connect with and support young athletes both mentally and emotionally. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Hannah Walden

Hannah has played soccer for over 15 years, playing her youth soccer primarily for Walnut Creek SC and Northgate High School. She has most recently played two seasons in the Women's Premier Soccer League. Prior to Eclipse, she spent the past few years coaching for Mt. Diablo Soccer Association.



Hannah has a BS in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing her master's in the same subject area. She is also a coach for the Northgate High School Girls Soccer Program. She holds her USSF Grassroots license. This is her third year coaching with Eclipse.

Jannet Osuna

Jannet grew up playing soccer competitively in Southern California before moving to the Bay Area to attend Cal for college. She currently works as a Game Manager for Cal’s Intramural Sports Department, where she oversees game operations, rules, and communications with all players and staff to ensure a positive and organized environment. 

Her love for the game and passion for giving back created an interest in getting involved in coaching. She immediately hopped in and connected with Eclipse players this spring. This is her first year coaching with Eclipse.

Jenna Lindenau

Jenna grew up in the East Bay and played soccer throughout her youth. She played club soccer for MPHFC. She also competed at the high school level for College Park High School. She began coaching for Eclipse in 2024 as an assistant coach with various teams throughout the club.

Through her commitment to development, she has grown tremendously as a coach and will serve as a head coach this season. She holds her USSF Grassroots license. This is her third year with Eclipse.

Jossy Grilli

Jossy began playing for Eclipse in the club's second year of existence, working her way up from Future Eclipse into club teams. Her interest in coaching led her into the Coaches in Training Program where she was extremely successful. She was named Coach in Training of the month multiple times for her work with Future Eclipse and was promoted to a staff position of Assistant Coach in 2021. This will be her sixth year as a club assistant.

Mohamed Selim

Mohamed is a former professional player with Zamalek SC in Egypt. Mohamed developed his understanding of the game at a high level before continuing to play recreationally to stay connected to the sport he loves. His son played professionally for Al Mokawloon Al Arab SC, the same club that developed international star Mohamed Salah, and later continued his career with ENPPI SC before transferring to Fenerbahçe S.K. in Turkey.

Driven by his passion for soccer, Mohamed began coaching in his hometown, working with both local teams and academy players at the U14 and U16 levels. His coaching philosophy focuses on sharing his love for the game while helping young athletes grow technically, tactically, and personally. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Myat Win Maung Maung

Myat grew up loving the game of soccer and playing constantly, playing all the way up to the university level in his home country of Myanmar. He began his coaching career working with young players to develop their technical skills through Challenger Sports.

He has demonstrated a strong commitment to coaching education, as he has completed the USSF Grassroots licenses and the National D license. He is planning to soon pursue the National C license. This is his first year coaching with Eclipse.

Newt Lloyd

Newt finished his playing career at Eclipse as the longest-tenured player in the club’s history - 13 years! He began his coaching career in our Coaches in Training Program for several years before being promoted to staff assistant coach. As a senior, he won the Coach CoCo Spirit Award and Scholarship. He currently attends UC Santa Cruz, but continues to coach with the club during the summer and school breaks. This is his fifth year as a coach with Eclipse. 

Victor Ruesga

Victor has been playing soccer since he was 7 years old and joined East Bay Eclipse at 14. He played four years of men's soccer at Miramonte High School and will be graduating in 2026. Victor started as a Coach in Training in 2023 and his strong work in the program led to his promotion to Assistant Coach in summer 2025. This is his fourth year with Eclipse.