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Don Villella, Concord, CA Soccer Coach

Don Villella

Soccer

SILVER

Challenge-is about taking it to the Next level, knowing how to push yourself. It’s about taking the vow to own your development,improve your touch,confidence,footwork! View all coaching experience

This coach is unavailable to take clients at this time.

Training Locations
  • 25 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

  • Kids, Teenagers

  • Forward, Midfield, Defense

  • Corner Kicks, Crossing, First Touch, Free Kicks, Goal Kicks, Heading, Penalty Kicks, Shooting, Dribbling, Passing, Throw-Ins, One-Touch, One-on-Ones, Agility

Credentials

  • 25 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

Services

  • Kids, Teenagers

  • Forward, Midfield, Defense

  • Corner Kicks, Crossing, First Touch, Free Kicks, Goal Kicks, Heading, Penalty Kicks, Shooting, Dribbling, Passing, Throw-Ins, One-Touch, One-on-Ones, Agility

More About Coach Don

1. I have been Coaching over 15 years with over 23,000 hrs on the field sessions with numerous clubs, teams, and with Norcal, CYSA.
2. I am originally from So-Cal. I grew up playing a lot of different sports very competitive, after watching my kids grow-up and play- I fell in love with coaching soccer.
3. I have gone all over the state to improve as a player and coach. I have learned numerous methods, from Ajax, Coerver(Dutch), Fiorentina, numerous random high level coaches, etc..
4. I have been a Coach John Swett High school as a Head coach. I have also Coached in Benicia for BYSL Arsenal as well as Diablo FC, Northbay Elite Futbol in Fairfield where I'm currently at. I have worked with players to give them what I received from my highest level to play. At their highest level some kids I have coached - have gone on to play college and professional. I ran multiple camps/clinics for boys, girls from U6-U19, I have coordinate and run tryouts for all a lot clubs as well as ODP D4 North.
5. I was a former CYSA Staff Instructor, and District 4 ODP(Olympic Development Program) coach for CYSA/ Cal North for 95, 96 Boys teams.Under my guidance, several players played at a district level went on to play for the state, and men's U20 National team, these teams saw drastic technical improvements and demonstrated the ability to apply skills learned during the game, with an emphasize in soccer intelligence understanding the game is key.
6. I am currently working as a Head Coach for NorthBay Elite Futbol Club in Fairfield Coaching several teams, where I also run Striker clinics, Academy camps, an other misc. training for individuals.
7. What I look to accomplish is to be the best I can be and transform a player into a technically sound individual with superb ball skills, speed, agility and fitness condition as well as the ability to understand the game- insight or game intelligence. A player who has been taught with my guidance, should have no problem making it to the collegiate level- some of the things would include passing, dribbling, running and finishing, excellent foot-skills. Also, depending on the player's age and ability, I can design a training program that gets the best out of them, teaching them to strive to be the best they can be. I am still educating myself I hold a NSCAA National Diploma (C License), playing soccer, and training competitively daily, so I assure you what ever I have learned, I pass it on to you in addition to my prior coaching experiences and studies, and education in the numerous areas I hold.

Pleasanton Rage FC Head Coach U11G & U19G 2018- Current
Benicia Arsenal FC Referee Assignor 2017
24-7UK Piedmont FC & FC13 Futbol Club Head Coach U9G & U17G 2016- 2017
Northbay Elite Futbol Club Head Coach U10G & U11B, U19G, U10B 2013- 2016
World Cup Soccer Camps Head Coach / Site Director 2015
Coerver Staff Coach- Northern California Bay Area
John Swett High School Girls Varsity & JV Head Coach 2012-13
Benicia Arsenal Head Coach, U15G D1 (District 4)
Diablo FC Asst. Coach, U11 Boys (District 4)
NSCAA National Diploma or “USSF C” License Equivalent
Benicia Youth Soccer League- Competitive (Select) Coordinator- DOC-Not Paid BOD
CYSA Staff Instructor District 4- Current
ODP Head Coach ’96 Boys D4 2010
D4NRP Neutral Referee- Current

Playing experience:
• 05- Adult: Play, Indoor & Outdoor
• Youth: AYSO REG9 (Competitive), age 6-17, Simi Valley CA.
• Royal High School 1986-87
• Benicia Adult Soccer
• Mare Island Indoor- Open League
• Played Football for 10 years
• Played Baseball for 15 years
I also played numerous other sports.

This is based on a 1 or 2 hour session!
First of all, when you start with me: I dedicate 10-15 minutes to juggling, ball work, and passing and receiving between I and the player, times will vary based on technical skill of player and or what the player needs to work on.
Second, I dedicate 20 minutes for Fitness and agility(Warm-up), the fitness side if done correctly will occur in the practice session. To be specific, we start by doing specialized proven and true exercises to improve stamina, leg strength, and coordination and agility, then we will do some cone work. This will help with skill, as well as developing a left or right or both, the much needed muscle memory will become stronger hence their ability to use their weaker foot will be better.
Third, I dedicate 30 minutes to footwork, real game simulation drills not limited to 1vs1, ball control, and dribbling with focus in change of direction and various finishing drills. I'm one of the only Local Coerver Staff Coach who can provide a wealth of training when it comes to ball work, technique, and skill.

Action Photos

Client Reviews

Before our first session, I had a lengthy telephone call with Coach Don talking about the structure of his sessions as well as my daughter’s background in soccer. It gave him just a little bit to work on to tailor his initial session with her and utilize this time wisely. His passion shows and I appreciated his willingness to take the time to do this for her. Any time a Coach is willing to assess the need prior to the initial session should show a parent that this is time and money well spent. When we met, unfortunately I had to leave for work but my daughter’s father stayed to observe. His feedback was nothing less than impressed with Coach Don and his exact words was “he is worth it.” Trust me when I say that speaks volumes coming from him. Coach Don is highly experienced, outlines a structure with parents, and values work ethic immensely. I look forward to continue to working with him and i know that it will be a matter of a short period of time my daughter will gain skills beyond our expectations with his oversight. Thank you Coach Don for being you! We need more coaches like you! Let’s go!! ⚽️

(no details provided)

Coach Don is awesome! My daughter has only had a few training sessions with him thus far but we definitely plan to take advantage of his coaching ongoing. He clearly has experience with young kids, has the patience and desire to help build skill development. He is very responsive and provided me with tremendous feedback regarding a training program for my daughter. I'm really glad we found him!

(no details provided)

My daughter felt like her skills were developing after one session. She feels like this could really make the difference in helping her become a more skilled soccer player. We will definitely continue the private lessons with coach Don

Coach Don is a great coach and great guy! He really pushes his players to do everything the best they possibly could. He always arrives early and sets up his drills before you arrive. I would recommend Coach Don to anyone!

Don is a great coach and teacher. My son learned a lot about soccer in a very short period of time.
I would recommend Don to anyone who wants to get to the next level.

Coach Don is awesome. A wealth of information and top notch coaching. We decided to hire him to prepare for the upcoming soccer tryout season. He is great with children, made the environment fun, and as a result, my daughter looked forward to the training sessions even more. After only a few months, I noticed a difference in her foot skills during game time. She became a powerhouse and more confident. After tryouts, she got picked up for a higher level team. We plan to continue our sessions when we can. I would definitely recommend Coach Don.

Excellent coach!! After a few sessions my daughter demonstrated improvement! Also, I really like that Coach Don encourages and educates my daughter all through the session. Every minute of the session is used wisely.

My daughter wanted to get some coaching to assist her with improvement of her technical skills. She had her first session with Coach Don and it was exactly what she wanted. Don put her through a series of skill drills and was continually motivating her to practice the drills on her own time so she can improve. It was obvious that he knows how to teach improvement in technical skills and that is exactly what my daughter wanted. She really took to the drills and can't wait for the next session.

Coach Don is an excellent coach to work with. He is very knowledgeable and is extremely effective in working with me on my personal technique and style. I highly recommend his expertise regardless of age.

Professional, Knowledgeable and guaranteed to increase ability and skill at whatever level. Prompt too.

To whom it may concern, I have known Don Villela for more than 15 years since our children were around the same ages and grew up together in Benicia. He was always involved with his children. Don also coached soccer in the Benicia Youth Soccer League (BYSL) for many years and coached different age groups. Don has a very good reputation and is very knowledgeable and compassionate as a coach. He was involved in many volunteer activities as a BYSL board member, BYSL tournament coordinator, and BYSL referee coordinator. He dedicated himself to developing the youth soccer for our community. He persoanlly looked at each player's ability and capability. He would even take his free time to help our young soccer players and support them even if the player wasn't on his team. My daughter Michelle was one of those players. Don always believed in Michelle and helped Michelle join the ECNL team during her high school senior year so that she could become an attractive candidate and recruited by college soccer teams. Besides being a wonderful soccer coach, Don is a very caring father of 2 children. Even in his busy schedule, he is currently taking care of his grandmother who has been ill the last couple of years. This is a testament of Don's character. I am sure he will be a great addition to your organization. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you. Mika Li, CCRN Day Shift Assistant Manager Intensive Care Unit Kaiser Walnut Creek
I have known Coach Villella for the past two years. During this time Coach Villella has coached my child’s U10 and U11 soccer seasons. I have witnessed my child’s level of play advanced far beyond my expectations. Coach Villella always encouraged and thrived to advance my child’s skill and level of play to meet or exceed the demands of the team. Coach Villella was very trustworthy, always reliable, and was flexible with his schedule. Coach Villella had a strong dedication to the teaching and developing my child. I was very impressed with Coach Villella’s organizational skills that kept a constant line of communication with me as well as status reports, lessons, and my child’s progress. My child far exceeded my expectations as a direct result of the involvement of Coach Villella. Coach Villella developed my child’s social skills through team communication and sportsmanship. Coach Villella always went far above and beyond my expectations, sometimes providing learning tools at his own expense. Coach Villella always had new ideas for learning development which maintained my child’s skill development and challenged her at the same time. My child was always excited and eager to go to Coach Villella’s practices as well as extra training sessions for skill development. The relationship between Coach Villella and my child has always been and remains to be a positive one. When talking with Coach Villella, he always communicated clearly and kept an open door policy. Coach Villella had a strong knowledge base of child development and soccer, which directly benefitted my child. Coach Villella’s work ethic and desire to better those entrusted to him are some of his strongest attributes. I would strongly endorse Coach Villella as my selection for the task of soccer development. Our children are our most precious possessions, so it is with careful consideration as to who I would choose to entrust them with. With my profession in law enforcement and my understanding of the importance of education and role models, I would like to close by saying that I strongly believe that Coach Villella would be successful with whatever he does, and would be an asset to your organization.
To Whom It May Concern: It is an honor to write this letter of recommendation on behalf of Coach Don Villella and the position of State ODP Assistant Head Coach. I highly recommend Don for this position because it will allow him to share his coaching experiences with coaches and players in the current program. His Coaching experiences: • 10 ODP District 4 –’96 Boys Head Coach • 09 ODP District 4 -‘95 Boys Head Coach • 09 Head Coach Class 1 Benicia Arsenal U15G D1 • 08 Head Coach Class 1 Benicia Arsenal U14G D1 • 08 Assistant Coach Class 1 Diablo FC U11B D1 • 07 Head Coach Class 1 Benicia Arsenal U13G D1 • 07 Assistant Coach Varsity, Miramontes High school( Head Coach Jaimy McLaughlin) • 03-06 Head Coach, Assistant Coach, D1 Benicia Arsenal girls & Boys, U-12D1 – U-10D1 Don is professional, articulate and genuinely interested in learning as well as educating. Even more important, to me, was/is his concern to get-the-job done right. Don was one of a few coaches on the instructional staff who, when given an assignment, would be back-in-touch immediately with either questions or comments. His follow-up was impeccable with great detail and all-bases covered. I was and continue to be impressed by his professional approach to every situation that we have worked on. So, it is with my great pleasure that I recommend Don Villella as an asset to the Olympic Development Program. He knows and understands the game and what it takes to build a winning program. Don’s experience, education, confidence serve him well and he will serve the ODP as well..! Sincerely, Koach Karl
September 27, 2012 Attn: Soccer Organizations RE: Don Villella To whom it may concern, In the time I have known Don he has exhibited a high level of coaching competence, with a personal commitment to coaching excellence. He is personally committed to the continuous development of his own coaching skills, and regularly collaborates with other coaches to reach that end. He achieves and maintains excellence on the field, emphasizing not only the development of his players’ physical skills but also their mental skills. Don is particularly focused on maintaining a healthy and safe playing environment for kids to thrive and learn the sport of soccer. His coaching focus places emphasis on intrinsic rewards, and he is not solely focused on winning at all costs. He prioritizes teaching ball mastery skills and the overall development of the player. He fosters success through positive feedback, and values teamwork and consistently provides verbal support to players. What we learn on the field is very important for what kids will carry with them in life. Don demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the well-being and development of his athletes off the field. He shows concern for each athlete as a whole person and values their emotional, physical and intellectual development. He understands and embraces his role as a mentor and a role model. He respects the rights, dignity and worth of every player and treats everyone equally regardless of background or ability. Overall Don honors and respects the game of soccer, and upholds the spirit of the game. His coaching is entirely influenced by letter of the rules of the game. He displays respect for all opponents, officials, and opposing players. He will always instill in youth and parents alike a love for the great game of soccer. It is with my great pleasure that I recommend Don Villella as an asset to a Soccer organization of any kind, whether it is at the club level, high school or collegiate level. He knows and understands the game and what it takes to build a winning program. Sincerely, Andy Hulbert Wimbledon FC - FA Premier League(8 years, including 1 year as Football Development Officer) CYSA District 4 ODP Coordinator (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) Castro Valley Director of Coaching (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) Moreau Catholic High School Girls Varsity Head Coach (2007/2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) NSCAA Master Coach Diploma, NSCAA Premier Diploma, USSF B License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, UEFA B License, English FA Coaching License(C License), NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma
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