Citadel FC Academy Staff

 Bios and pictures of the Academy staff members.

 

 Academy Director - Citadel FC Director of Coaching and Player Development - Hani Rabi 

Citadel's Director of Coaching and Player Development. Coach Rabi holds an NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma and the National USSF Coaching License. Prior to moving to Fort Wayne, Coach Rabi served as Director of Training for Bota Fogo Futbol Club (BFC) in Kansas. Coach Rabi has coached teams to multiple state and regional championships over his 20+ year coaching career. As head coach for the BFC U17 & 18 Girls, his teams competed in and won over 20 tournaments from 2001 – 2004. As head coach he led the Kansas Select semi-professional soccer team to consecutive league championships from 2000 – 2002. At Newman University he held the position of women & men’s assistant soccer coach from 1998-2001. Coach Rabi is well known for preparing players for Division I, II & III college soccer opportunities. His methods of training follow the Brazilian style of play which was utilized during his playing/coaching career.

 

Academy Trainer - Citadel FC '94 Boys White and Blue - Paco Castillo

Coach Castillo holds the National USSF ”D” License, NSCAA State Diploma, and Goalkeeping Diploma. He is the head coach for the Homestead varsity boys’ soccer team where he is responsible for the overall development of the student athletes. He also serves as head coach for the Summit Middle School Boys’ soccer team. Prior to joining Citadel FC, Coach Castillo spent four years as a head coach with the Fort Wayne Fever Soccer Academy, coaching three teams. While at Fever Academy he started the Elite Juniors developmental program. Coach Castillo was a head coach at Citadel FC from 1994-2003, where he was responsible for the 1984 age group which was made up of three teams. He was in charge of the overall development of the players beginning at age 10 through 19. His team was honored as Indiana State Finalists in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. He helped the team to become Indiana State Champions as well as Midwest Regional Semi-finalists in 2001. The team was ranked #8 in the USA during the year 2001. Coach Castillo’s career achievements include:


2006 - NHC Coach of the Year Award Homestead High School
1995 - Indiana Coach of the Year Award Bishop Luers High School
1995 - Nominated for National High School Coach of the Year Award by peers
1992 - Summit City High School Coach of the Year Award
1987 - Summit City High School Coach of the Year Award

 

Academy Trainer - Citadel FC '96 Boys White, '97 Girls White - Carlos Cruz

Coach Cruz holds the National USSF "D" License and is approaching his 12th year of coaching at the youth select, travel and high school levels. Coach Cruz serves as the assistant head coach for the Bishop Dwenger boy’s soccer team, which during his tenure obtained five SAC titles and a semi-state qualifier. He is a member of the Indiana High School Soccer Coaches Association and is the Director for Cruzbol International, LLC premier soccer development school, which was founded in 2005. Before joining the Citadel team, Coach Cruz was a member of the USF soccer team where he led his team in goals 1992 through 1995 and assists in 1993. He holds the record today for the most assists in a season (since 1993). In 1990 and 1991, he had the privilege to train with two first division professional teams in Mexico, which helped define his passionate coaching style today. A native of NWI/Chicago land area, Coach Cruz was selected First Team All-Conference as a high school player (1989-1992), and as captain, his Senior year led his team to the State Cup receiving First Team All-State honors. Coach Cruz is married with four children, two of whom currently play for the Citadel Futbol Club.

 

Academy Trainer - Citdadel FC '98 Boys White, '98 Girls White and Blue - Matt Hein

Coach Hein holds the National USSF “D” license. Coach Hein serves Citadel FC as the head coach for both the ’97 boys’ and girls’ teams. A former Fort Wayne Fever Academy coach, Coach Hein’s focus at Citadel FC is on developing the technical skills of our youngest players. In addition, as part of the Indiana Olympic Development Program (ODP), Coach Hein is the assistant head coach for the U15 boys’ team. A graduate of IPFW, Coach Hein was a member of the men’s soccer team where he was named first team All-American his senior year and was drafted to the WISL’s Utah Freeze in 1999.

 

Academy Trainer - Citadel FC '97 Boys Blue - Miguel "Eddie" Navarro

Miguel holds a USSF National “D” Coaches License. He was born in Michoacán , Mexico , where his playing experience includes his High School team who were the State Champions in 1984.  He played club ball with his hometown team and won the state championship with them in 1986. Miguel played one season for second division Mexican league, team Zamora . He is the founder of the first Hispanic school of soccer in Fort Wayne , Club Chivitas. He is still actively playing as an amateur.

 

 

Academy Trainer - Citadel '95 Girls White - Sal Gomez

Coach Gomez holds the National USSF "D" License. In addition, Coach Gomez holds a Level 7 Referee License, officiating at area high school and middle school matches. He serves as boys’ head coach at Garrett High School and has coached at Eastside and DeKalb High Schools. He is the Director of the Chivas Summer Soccer Camp program, a program that has trained hundreds of Auburn area youth. Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, Coach Gomez was a reserve player for the Chivas semi-professional team.

Academy Trainer - Citadel FC '97 Boys White - Jozef Feher

Coach Feher holds the National USSF "B" License. He is in his 13th year of coaching, and has served as the head coach at Leo and South Side High Schools , where in 2004 the South Side girls experienced their first-ever sectional championship. Coach Feher also served as an assistant at the University of St. Francis and is a member of the NSCAA, the USSF Soccer Coaches Organization, and Indiana High School Coaches Organization. In 2006 Coach Feher coached the Citadel ’94 Boys team to the State Challenge Cup finals where the team finished as state runner up. Coach Feher’s playing career was in Romania , his native home.

 

 

Academy Trainer - Citadel FC '97 Boys Blue - Victor Ramirez

Victor holds the National USSF "D" license. He was born in Michoacán, Mexico. He played from 1993-94 for La Piedad-2nd division Mexican Professional League, 1992-93 Victor played for La Piedad-3rd division Mexican Professional League (Promoted to 2nd division), in 1988-1991, Victor played for the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara-2nd Division Mexican Professional League, and in 1982, he played for UNAM Universidad Nacional de Mexico-2nd division Mexican Professional League.

Victor was the Manager of the 2000-02 Club Arandas, 3rd division Mexican Professional League. In 1995-96 was the assistant Coach for Colegio Vasco de Quiroga School team that advanced to the Nacional’s School Tournament in Mexico.

 

Academy Trainer - Citadel FC '95 Boys White - Cory Rodgers

Coach Rodgers is in his 18th year of coaching, having started at age 16 with a U8 girls team. Cory was involved with the early FUNdamentals curriculum, which focused on the same type of skills based training as the new Citadel FC United Academy does. A pioneer program, the FUNdamentals training, and it's eventual successor the Future Stars, featured an emphasis on learning and loving the game. Coach Rodgers has been heavily involved in this aspect of the local community through both programs, and now prepares to culminate that in the new Citadel FC Academy.

Coach Rodgers played two years of college soccer at IPFW, and six years of semi-pro soccer for the Dayton Thunderbirds and Milwaukee Siams. He has coached at the Rec, Select, Travel Club, Middle School and High School level and currently holds the National USSF "D" license and the highly acclaimed USSF National Youth coaching license. 

For the last 9 years he has conducted private training sessions, small group clinics, team camps, and club and school training events all over the northeast Indiana area, and was named in 2005 as a Coerver Coaching licensee for the state of Indiana. Cory also directs a local U23 Mens soccer program, and was hired to coach for the Indiana Olympic Development Program in 2006.  He was awarded as Indiana Youth Soccer's Coach of the Month in August 2007. 

What if I have more questions to ask?

You can contact Cory Rodgers by email at:

academy@fwunitedsoccer.com to make any additional inquiries.

 

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