Spartan FC

Director of Coaching

Personal:  Paul grew up in Barrington where he found his love for soccer. After studying business law at Triton College, he chose to follow his love for coaching. He currently runs Sport Camps of America a coaching company that works with children 3-8 year old. Paul and his daughters live in Crystal Lake.

Playing Experience:  Paul was a four year Varsity starter at Barrington HS where he was named 2 years to the All State team. After his sophomore season, he was recruited by Santos of Brazil where he lived and played for the next year. Home sick after a year, he returned to finish up his HS career. He was drafted out of High School by the Chicago Sting in 1987 where played until the professional league folded in 1988.

Coaching Staff

Personal: Coach Kurz has been a sports nut all his life, with a father who was Sports Information Director at Miami University of Ohio (and coined the phrase "the Cradle of Coaches") and then Assistant Athletic Director at Northwestern University. While Kyle grew up playing futbol, he still throws a mean tailgate party for all the Wildcat American football games.

Playing Experience: Growing up in Texas made playing soccer a bit of a challenge, so Coach Kurz was relieved to move to the Midwest by high school where he played for Evanston. He still remembers how good GBN was when he was playing, but also recalls how cold it always was playing youth soccer! After a 25-yr hiatus, Coach Kurz is back playing soccer again and has a renewed appreciation for all his travel players!

Coaching Experience: Coach Kurz started coaching again about five years ago and currently coaches the U11 Select Girls and U19 Girls Glenbrook United teams.

Licenses Held: USSF "D" License

Coaching Staff

Personal: Coach Legzdins graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Finance.  He worked eight years in the Investments field and then picked up the guitar and followed his passion teaching children in the Chicago Public School System and then coaching soccer. 

Playing Experience: Coach Legzdins started playing for his father's Lombard traveling soccer team.  His father learned soccer playing in European Youth Soccer Clubs, the 7th Army and then at the University of Illinois.  That mentoring led Coach Legzdins to a 4 year varsity stint at Glenbard East High School where he captained the team and earned MVP honors.  He continued his playing career with Club Sparta in Wheaton captaining his team and training under Willie Fajkus.  His opportunity to play at the college level ended when Legzdins had both knees reconstructed.

Coaching Experience: Legzdins started coaching when a friend asked him to coach the High School team where she worked at.  He took on the task and managed Noble Charter High School's first boys varsity program.  He continued his passion working with kids by coaching underprivileged inner city youth as well as heading Menomonee Club's youth soccer program.  After 3 successful years with Noble, Legzdins was hired to coach soccer at Whitney Young High School.  Wanting to reach more kids of different ages at different playing levels, Coach Legzdins started his club coaching career in 2007.  He's been singing songs to fundamental technical ball exercises since.

Licenses Held: USSF "D" License

Coaching Staff

Personal: Resides in Barrington with husband Scott and son John "JT"

Playing Experience: 4 year Varsity Player at Palatine High School-1989 State Championship at Palatine High School-All State Selection in 1991, played at Lynn University Boca Raton, FL 1991/92 and Berry College, Rome GA 1992-95-NAIA National Champions in 1993 with Berry College. Illinois Women's Open State Cup Champion (player and founding coach) in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2004 and US Region II Tournament of Champions 2002 with FC Barrington.

Coaching Experience: NS Premier Staff Coach 2007-2009, FC Barringotn Staff Coach 1998-2007, IYSA ODP Staff Coach, FC Barringotn Open Women's Team 2000-2007

Licenses Held: USSF "B" License, NSCAA National Youth License, Positive Coaching Alliance Certificate

Coaching Staff

Personal: Coach Caparos may be Greek, but he began his life in Zaire, Africa and if his vernacular seems interesting at times, it may be because English is his second language. Beyond the stint in Africa, Caparos is Northbrook-grown and is currently raising his family in town.

Playing Experience: Coach Caparos had a storybook high school playing experience. As a 3-year Varsity starter at Glenbrook North, he was an integral part of the 1983 IHSA State Championship team. Coach Caparos was also a 1985 high school All-American. At Illinois State University Caparos was a 4-yr starter and 2-yr captain.

Coaching Experience: Coach Caparos began his training career right out of Glenbrook North, assisting several coaches over 15 years with the Northbrook Travel Soccer program. Coach Caparos then formed his own soccer club, Windy City FC, which in it’s five year existence had a highly successful run. As head coach, Caparos realized 26 All-State players, 8 All-American players, and 8 players who moved on to professional careers with the MLS and MISL. Caparos’ Windy City FC U17 team was the 2000 boys Illinois state champion and the Region II semi-finalist. Coach Caparos then merged Windy City with Chicago Magic, and became an assistant to Mike Matkovich, training teams that were state, regional and national champions.

Licenses Held: USSF "E" License

Coaching Staff

Personal: Coach Skale is a stalwart in the world of Northbrook soccer! He is a "lifer" in our community’s competitive soccer program, not only has he coached more teams than he’d probably care to remember, but he was personally responsible for initiating the girls' travel soccer program in Northbrook. Coach Skale finds the time to continue his 25-year dental practice, is the dentist for Glenbrook North High School's athletic teams and is currently president of Spartan FC's board of directors.

Playing Experience: Coach Skale is a recreational soccer player, but earned his reputation on the lacrosse field. Skale was the captain and a 3-time varsity letterman at Ohio State University. He also started and played in a semi-pro lacrosse league after leaving Ohio State.

Coaching Experience: An extremely experienced coach, Skale has not only been teaching and coaching the competitive soccer players of Northbrook for over 20 years, he has been the Director of Coaching for nearly as many. And lucky for his players, over 80% of them have graduated youth soccer and gone on to play high school futbol. In addition to soccer, Coach Skale has been the assistant Glenbrook North lacrosse coach for 12 years… a nice spring complement to fall soccer! To honor Skale’s dedication to and and promotion of Northbrook Soccer, Coach was elected to The Northbrook Park District Hall of Fame.

Licenses Held: USSF "E" License

Coaching Staff

Personal: Coach Soltani is a Northbrook native who has a strong sense of community and desire to give back through the love of soccer.

Playing Experience: Coach Soltani played many years of Northbrook youth soccer and parlayed his skill into a very successful varsity run at Notre Dame High School. Soltani continues to be passionate about playing the game and is a fierce competitor in several outdoor and indoor men’s and co-ed leagues throughout the year.

Coaching Experience: Coach Soltani has been an integral member of the Northbrook Travel Soccer coaching staff for eight years, coaching multiple teams, both boys and girls. Coach Soltani is a firm believer in continuing education.

Licenses Held: USSF "B" License, USSF National Youth License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, & IWSL 3-Year All Teams Pass

Coaching Staff

Personal: Resides in Barrington with wife Jenny and son John "JT"
Playing Experience:

* Three Youth State Championships
* US Region II Midwest Champion
* Played for Sockers' U19 & U23
* Won State Championship in 1984 with Fremd High School
* Division I NCAA Collegiate Soccer Player
* Over 30 Men's State Championship

Coaching Experience:
* Manager and Coach of FC Barrington Open Women's Team 2000-2007. State Cup Champions 2000-2004 and US Region II Tournament of Champions 2002
* Dynamo FC in Palatine, IL
* FC Barrington Barrington, IL
* NS Premier

Licenses Held: USSF "C" License, NSCAA National Youth License, Positive Coaching Alliance Certificate, Grade 8 Referee License

Coaching Staff

Personal: Jordan finished his playing career as the starting Center Back for the University of South Carolina.  A perennial powerhouse in College soccer.  South Carolina , being an independent, always had one of the toughest schedules in order to have the credentials to qualify for the post season tournament.  During his career at South Carolina, the team had posted national rankings as high as #2 in the country.

Jordan was always given the task to mark man to man the opposing teams #1 striker.  Through his career he had the opportunity to defend several top MLS players such as: Alecko Eskandarian, Taylor twellman, to name a few.  During his high school and club soccer career, Jordan was the center midfielder and captain.  South Carolina recruited him (without seeing him play the position - as a center back for a flat four system) Jordan was recruited by several top Division 1 programs.  He chose South Carolina for the opportunity to play the majority of the top programs in the ACC and the rest of the country.

College Experience: University of South Carolina:
2 year Captain
3 yr starter
Made All tournament (3 times)

Played for the Chicago Fire PDL team (2 years)

High School: Buffalo Grove high School: 4 year varsity starter
All State (2 years) 
All Sectional (2 years)
All conference (2 years)
His senior season was named the  Daily Herald player of the year
Chicago Tribune All State First Team
Chicago Sun Times All State First Team
ESP Camp player
Club Team:  Windy city FC
Captain 3 years
State Champions U-17
Region 2 semi-finalist U-17

Coaching Experience: Jordan has coached several youth teams and camps prior to joining Spartan FC.  He has been with Spartan FC since its inception.  Jordan brings a wealth of knowledge and a calm demeanor to our program.  He is quite mature for his age and truly cares about the development of each player. Jordan goes above and beyond to assure each individual player feels very good about him / herself.
 

Licenses Held: USSF "E" License

Coaching Staff

Personal: Originally from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina; resided in Chicago for the past two years.

High School:  4-year starter, two-time captain & All-Conference goalkeeper, also played club for Cabarrus United and Rowan Rage in NC's Premier Division.

College:  Walked on as a goalkeeper at the College of Charleston under coaches Ralph Lundy and Ralph Polson.

Coaching Experience:  First two seasons coaching were spent with the U9 Boys Galaxy for Mount Pleasant Soccer Club in South Carolina. This is his first season coaching for Spartan FC.

Coaching Staff

Personal: Currently resides in Palatine, IL

Professional: Chicago Stingers, Chicago Sockers PDL, Halifax Town AFC England D3)
Semi-Professional: SchwabenFC, Green & White FC, Goole Town (England)
Youth: York City England D2

Coaching Experience:  

Youth Professional Soccer Coach: 18 Years
Ela SC
TCSA
Fox Valley Strikers
St. Charles SC
St. Charles High School Assistant Coach
Palatine SC
Euro SC North
North American Soccer Camps (MLS Camps)

Director of Coaching and President: 4 Years
Euro SC West

Licenses Held: English FA Coaching License, ASEP Certificate

Coaching Staff

Personal:  
Born : Fort Wayne,IN  
Jeff and his wife, Jill, live in Evanston with new baby girl Clancy.

Playing background:
College:   97-00 IPFW (indiana-purdue @ fort wayne)  All-american,  inducted into Hall of Fame in 2009. 
semi-pro: 2000 Sioux Falls Spitefire  (PDL)  All-PDL  Selection
pro:         2001-2011  Milwaukee Rampage (A-league) "2001 a-league champions",  Milwaukee Wave United( A-league), Milwaukee Wave (MISL) , Chicago Storm ( MISL,XSL), Rockford Rampage (MISL), Chicago Riot (MISL)
United States National Futsal Team:  starting keeper for 2008 Gold Cup ( Guatemala)  and World Cup (Rio De Janerio,Brazil)club coaching: 04-2011Chicago Wind,  Northbrook Spartans

Coaching background: 
Summer camps:  96-2011  Bobby Poursanidis National Pro Soccer Schoool,  Sioux Falls Spitefire, Milwaukee Rampage, Milwaukee Wave, Chicago Storm (camp director).

Highschool Coaching: 06-2011     North Shore Country Day School
-4 years girls assistant coach
-3 years boys assistant                                               
-2 years boys Head Coach (currently head coach)

College: Depaul University - assistant coach