Hometown: Prospect Heights, IL

Player Experience: New Trier High School, Metro Soccer League, National Soccer League, PSL

Honors: 2018 President’s Cup National Championship

Coaching Career: Green White Soccer Club Director of Coaching, FC1 Academy, Team Evanston, FC United, Wilmette Wings 

Licenses: USSF National C License, 

Personal: Jay's passion for the game started on the streets, parks, schoolyards, and beaches of Bulgaria where he grew up. "I vividly remember that between the ages of 6 and 12 all that mattered to me and my friends was playing soccer all day every day. We played all the time, before school, during school, and after school until our parents would have to physically drag us home. The competition was always fierce, but it was also more fun than anything else."

Jay has been coaching youth soccer for over 15 years with various travel clubs, most recently with Green White Soccer Club where he served as Director of Coaching and led their U18 girls team to the President’s Cup National Championship.  He has trained hundreds of players of all ages and many of them have gone on to play in high school and college. "One of the best rewards for coaching kids is seeing them develop and grow as players and individuals. I was really happy to see the New Trier Girls Varsity win the 2014 and 2015 Illinois State Championship because I coached many of the players when they were U10, U11, and U12. It was great to see the girls continue their involvement in soccer and achieve such a great accomplishment."

Jay began his coaching career in high school as a volunteer after he was sidelined by an ACL injury. Coaching was a way for him to stay involved with soccer while recovering from his surgery. He loved the experience and went on to get his USSF coaching license and began coaching travel soccer in Wilmette. His passion for teaching soccer in a fun and different way was heavily influenced by Italian coaches during an exchange program in the summer of 2004.

Jay lives with his wife and two children in Prospect Heights and enjoys spending time with family, watching Liverpool, and the NBA.