The training programs and soccer camps run by Lower Merion Soccer Club all feature a very experienced coaching staff.
Many of our coaches have coached at the high school or college level.
Most of our staff coaches played at the college level.
Almost all of our staff coaches have extensive experience coaching in the LMSC Travel Team Program.
Below are biographies of many of the coaches that run the various training programs offered by LMSC.
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GRANT MYERS |
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Grant is the LMSC Travel Team Coordinator. He is also the head coach for the U-8A boys travel team head (LMSC Ginga)
and U-10A boys travel team (LMSC Ding), as well as lead coach for the Under 8 Developmental Academy.
Grant served for many years as the head coach for Valley Forge Military College's Men's Varsity team. Before that, Grant was on the staff
of the Harriton High School boys varsity, Marple Newtown High School boys varsity and Lower Merion High School boys varsity. While at
Lower Merion in 2008, the team were Central League champions and District One champions.
Grant played for the Lock Haven University's Men's team before moving on to play semiprofessionally for many years.
His LMSC Ding team have won the EPYSA indoor state championship two years in a row, as well as winning the 2014
Outdoor State championship. In 2014, they were also champions in
the fall Atlantic Premier League (comprised of the top teams from New Jersey, Maryland and Eastern Pennsylvania).
In the fall of 2013, the
Ding went undefeated and finished with the top record in the Delco Soccer League's top division.
In 2009, Grant's LMSC Rat Pack team won the state championship. They were state finalists in 2008 and 2010. He was also asssistant coach
for the FC Delco Cannibals who were state champions in 2009 and 2010. Grant also served as a head coach for the FC Delco Academy Program.
One of his former players, Matthew Real, is now on the USA Under 16 National Team.
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RASHEED EPPS |
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Rasheed is the Director of the Girls Travel Teams for Lower Merion Soccer Club.
He is the head coach for our Under 9A and Under 13A girls travel teams. In 2012, Rasheed led the LMSC Herricanes to the EPYSA State Cup finals.
Rasheed served as assistant coach for the Rosemont College Men's Varsity team for four years. Rasheed earned All league honors in high school.
He later played for the Millersville University Men's team, Montco Azzuri Men's team (1998 regional semifinalists) and
PA Rush Over 30 Men's team (2008 regional semifinalists).
Rasheed has been coaching youth soccer for over 20 years. In 2010, Rasheed was voted LMSC Girls Travel Team Coach Of The Year.
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BIFF STURLA |
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Biff has been the President of LMSC since 1999. Before that, he was Vice President for 15 years.
Biff has coached in the club for 33 years. He also played in the club for many years as a youth.
As a coach, his teams have won 25 State Championships (12 outdoor and 13 indoor), three Region One USA Championships and one second place finish at Nationals.
His teams have also won 18 Delco League division one championships.
His current U-14 team, the LMSC Sabertooth Rats, have won the EPYSA Indoor State Cup championship six years in a row. They also won the
Delco League's top division championship all five years they participated in the league.
In 2014, his LMSC Motor Mouths team won the State Championship. The Motor Mouths
finished with the best record in Delco League divisoion one in 2012 and 2013.
In 2010, Biff's U-9 boys and his U-15 boys were both crowned state champions.
Biff is the head coach for the Harriton High School boys varsity. His high school teams have earned over 200 victories.
Biff was voted Central League Coach Of The Year in 2012 and 1997. He was voted Del-Val
League coach of the year in 2004. Harriton were District One AA Champions in 2006.
Biff was voted the 2006 EPYSA Coach Of The Year, NSCAA Regional Coach Of The Year and was a finalist for the NSCAA National Coach Of The Year.
He was also the 1999 and 2002 Main Line Life Coach Of The Year and 1999 Philadelphia Inquirer Coach Of The Year.
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PAUL STINSON |
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Paul is the head coach for our Under 14B boys travel team and Under 14B girls travel team. He also is in charge of running
our travel team goalkeeper training.
Paul is an assistant coach for the Haverford College Men's team. Before coaching at Haverford College,
Paul was an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach at Colgate University for the men's team and the women's team. Both teams
won a Patriot League regular season title while Paul was at Colgate and both made the NCAA Division I playoffs. The men's program was nationally ranked
during Paul's time at Colgate. Paul also served as the Director Of Coaching for Odyssey Sport Soccer Club in New York. Before coaching at Colgate,
Paul was the head coach for four years for the Colby-Swayer College (New Hampshire) women's team as well as the women's lacrosse team. He also coached
at Clarkson University and Iowa Central Community College. As a player, Paul earned All-New England honors in high school and played at Kenyon
College, NCAA Division III national finalists. Paul is currently working for his Master's degree in Leadership, through Duquesne University.
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MIKE FALSETTA |
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Mike is the head coach for our Under 9A and Under 15A boys travel team. He also coaches in our Under 8 Boys Developmental Program.
Mike has been on the coaching staff at William Penn Charter School for five years. He also coaches baseball there.
Before coaching at Penn Charter, Mike was the freshman coach at Roman Catholic High School for five years and the JV coach for two years.
Mike has been coaching club soccer for over 15 years. In 2014, his Under 14 boys LMSC Boca won the Indoor State Championhip. They
were also Outdoor State Cup semifinalists. In the fall of 2013, Boca
were Delco League division one champions. In spring of 2013, he led the LMSC Boca to the Under 13 state cup semifinals in the spring.
In 2010, Mike was voted LMSC Boys Travel Team Coach Of The Year.
In 2001, Mike was voted the EPYSA Intramural Coach Of The Year. He later coached in the Lighthouse club, led his team to the Leagues United state
championship and a second place finish in the EPYSA state cups.
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NICO SEVERINI |
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Nico is the head coach for our Under 18A girls travel team and our Under 10A girls travel team.
Nico is the head coach for Lower Merion High School boys varsity,
the 2010 District One Champions. In 2013, Nico led Lower Merion to a 16-0-0 record in the regular season, winning 15 of the 16 games by shutout.
Before coaching at LMHS, Nico was head coach for the
Plymouth-Whitemarsh Boys Varsity. Nico is also a head coach for the EPYSA Olympic Development Program (ODP).
In 2013, Niko led the LMSC Fenix U-9A girls team to the EPYSA State Championship. In 2012 and 2013 the Fenix finished
with the best record in the PAGS League's top division.
Nico was a four year player at the University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League champions).
As a youth, Nico was on the Region One USA team and in the National team pool. In high school, Nico
was voted the Central League Player Of The Year and was a high school regional All-American
and All-State selection. Nico trained internationally in Sevilla (Spain) and Independiente and Liniers (Argentina).
As a youth player, his club team qualified for nationals three times.
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DALE HAINES |
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Dale is the LMSC Boys Travel Team Director Of Coaching. He has has been coaching in the LMSC system for 11 years.
In 2015, Dale's U-9B boys team, the LMSC Swarm, were indoor state cup finalists,
losing in the final to the LMSC Ding. In 2014, Dale led the Swarm to the outdoor state cup semifinals, losing again to the LMSC Ding. The Swarm
were also undefeated in the fall Delco League's Under 10 top division.
In 2013, Dale led the Swarm to a 3rd place
team in DELCO League's top division, finishing behind the LMSC Ding and Pipeline from Baltimore. The
Swarm won the YMS Columbus Cup and LMSC Fall Classic.
Prior to coaching Swarm, Dale served as Assistant Coach and Manager for the Magic (U16A boys team) for seven years.
During that time, the Magic won three Delco League Division I titles, two EPYSA Outdoor State Championships and two EPYSA Indoor
State Championships. Dale is associate director of ourPee-Wees Program (four year olds).
Dale was awarded the LMSC Intramural Coach of the Year in 2012. Dale played high soccer at Downingtown and currently holds an
EPYSA State D Coaching License. For his day job, he is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Temple University School of Medicine.
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JEFF RHODES |
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Jeff is the head coach for the LMSC UnReal Madrid, our Under 9A girls travel team. In 2014, Jeff led the team to the Indoor State Cup finals.
Jeff is the head coach for Harriton High School girls varsity soccer team.
Before playing the role of coach, he played high school, club, ODP, and collegiate soccer.
Individually, Jeff earned All-Conference honors and was selected to play for his State select team. Jeff also competed on a club team that was Regional
Cup Champions and State Cup Champions. Jeff coached in Illinois and Hawaii before coming to the Philadelphia Area.
Since joining the Lower Merion community, Jeff has coached the boys JV soccer team at Harriton High School and the LMSC U-10 Boys Limitless.
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NICOLE POSILLICO EPPS |
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Nikki is the head coach for our Under 11A girls travel team and an LMSC Officer. In 2014, Nikki led her U-11 girls travel team, the LMSC Thunderbolts,
to the finals of the Indoor State Cups.
Nikki is currently a Board Member for EPYSA, our State Association. Nikki
earned all county and all state honors in high school.
Her club team, CT Omni, were national champions in 1994 and national finalists in 1995. She was a four year starter for the Villanova University Women's team.
Her 23 goals and 54 total points at Villanova both rank in the top 20 in school history. Nicole was the
head coach for the LMSC Shock travel team for six years. She is the founder and original head of the LMSC Summer Soccer Program for travel team players. Nicole
helped form the LMSC Under 8 Developmental Travel Team Academy program.
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JENNIFER GANGL |
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A long time player at LMSC, Jen was a three year standout at West Chester University where she helped lead the team to
two PSCA championships, three NCAA tournament appearances and a top 10 NCAA Division Two national ranking all three years. In
high school, Jen was a four year starter, All Main Line, All Central League, All District and All State.
Her club team were state cup finalists at U-16 and U-17. Jen has also helped coach our Pee-Wees program for several years
and is also an LMSC staff coach, helping with many of our training programs. Jen won the LMSC Coach Of The Year Award in 2013.
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MATT COX |
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Matt is the head coach for our Under 11A boys travel team.
Matt played professionally for the South Jersey Barons, Proton FC (Malaysian Premier League), Village United (Jamaica),
Quick Boys (Holland) and FC Will (Switzerland second division). Before that, Matt played at the University of Maine and at St. Joseph's University.
Matt has also coached at the high school level.
Matt has been coaching in our U-8 program and our Summer Soccer Program for six years.
In 2013, Matt led his Under 10 team, the LMSC Invincible 11, to the EPYSA State Cup semifinals and the EPYSA Indoor State Cup finals.
In 2010, his Under 9 boys team were state cup quarter-finalists. In 2010, his U-10B boys travel team were Delco League
division one finalist, losing the championship game to the LMSC U-10A team.
In 2011, his team were indoor state cup finalists, losing the state championship game to the LMSC U-10A team.
Matt was voted LMSC Travel Team Coach Of The Year in 2009.
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KARIN LEITH |
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Karin formed the Tri-County Women's League in 1995 and served as the league President from 1995 through 2006. Karin was the head coach for the
Lower Merion Stingrays 'A' level travel team for five years. Karin began coaching at LMSC in 1993. She is the head of our Pee-Wees
Division (four year olds) in the Fall Intramural Program where she is in charge of over 250 players and 30 coaches. In the Spring Intramural Program,
Karin is in charge of the Neutrons and Microns Divisions (5 and 6 year old girls), comprised of about 160 players each year.
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