Illinois Futbol Club

Background
I started playing soccer at a very early age in the recreation league where I grew up, in Mahomet, Illinois. After three successful seasons playing high school football (American football) for Mahomet, I played soccer my final, senior year of high school. I scored 43 goals that year, which still ranks in the top 50 goals in a season in IHSA history; that year I was selected as a member of the 2004 News-Gazette All-Area team. I was also a three time state qualifier in track, and have three standing track records at Mahomet. Following high school I spent my first two years of college at Parkland College, where I played for Seamus Reilly (fellow LISC coach) and Mark Sikora. While attending Parkland, I was captain my sophomore year, and won all-Region honors as well as academic all-American for two years. I currently go to school at the University of Illinois and am majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Secondary Education.

Experience
I started coaching my freshman year of college when I coached junior high track and club soccer. I have also coached the U16 boys team for MSSC in 2007 prior to coming to LISC. I have worked in numerous soccer camps and with children ranging in age from 6 to 17 years. I am currently the assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach for MSHS men's soccer, as well as a coach for two LISC teams. Grant holds the NSCAA National Youth Diploma, the NSCAA Advanced Regional Diploma, and the USSF National D License.

Philosophy
I believe that kids first and foremost should have fun and truly love the game of soccer before anything else. Once that is established, most everything else ends up falling in line. This is especially true during the developmental stages. Kids should learn the technical footwork as soon as they can kick, and should play as much as possibly all through childhood. I am an advocate for developing skills and teamwork amongst my teams that will not only make them better players, but also better teammates, and in the end a quality team.

Head Coach

Trainer