Coastal Football Club is delighted to announce the appointments of Derek Duke as Head Coach of the 2012-born BCSPL Girls intake team and Lucas Alves as Head Coach of the 2012-born BCSPL Boys intake team.
Derek Duke has been coaching for 20 years and has taken the opportunity to become certified at every age and stage of the grassroots coaching pathway; and currently possesses the Provincial Pre B-licence in preparation for the Canada Soccer C and B Diplomas. During this time, Derek gained valuable experience coaching High School Soccer in China for 2 years before returning to Canada, where he continued coaching junior and senior High School soccer programs at Panorama Ridge Secondary as Athletic Director. In doing so, Derek successfully coached teams to 13 Provincial Championships and won gold on two occasions. From a playing perspective, Derek played for several years on Vancouver Island with numerous competitive adult amateur clubs.
Coastal FC is delighted to appoint a coach who not only has decades of experience coaching in the youth environment but has also remained committed to professional development. He has already played a vital role in developing many young players through high school and community club systems, and we are confident that those fortunate enough to be selected will benefit tremendously from the knowledge and experience he brings to the program. Derek’s professional expertise in working with young players in both the education and soccer spaces makes him an outstanding addition to the BCSPL.
Lucas Alves has been coaching for 15 years and currently possesses the Canada Soccer B Diploma. He is a returning Coastal FC BCSPL Intake coach, having previously worked with our 2004 and 2006 boys and our 2008 Girls since their intake season. Further to coaching in the BCSPL, Lucas has played a major role in developing players in our club academy and development programs. He has been instrumental in advancing numerous players into BC Provincial and Whitecaps FC Elite programs. Originally from Brazil, Lucas has a strong playing background and was fortunate to gain a scholarship to Hannibal LaGrange University in the USA; and also played semi-professionally with St. Louis Lions in USL 2.
Coastal FC is excited to see Lucas return to the BCSPL intake program. Lucas's return to this level of programming ensures top-class delivery of a high-performance environment for young aspiring players. Lucas's playing and coaching experience at both youth and adult levels, combined with his ability to forge strong relationships with players, will create the perfect developmental environment for our players as they make the transition into the highest level of community soccer.
Mark McQueen, Technical Director of Coastal FC, said, “We are thrilled to welcome two coaches who already have significant experience working with players at this age and stage of their development. Having the ability to create a positive and supportive environment is critical at these intake years, in particular when players are perhaps feeling the pressure of moving into a high-performance environment for the first time. Derek and Lucas have many years of experience in a full-time professional capacity with children and youth, and they possess all the modern coaching attributes necessary for working with players at this age and stage. They understand the importance of not only developing the player's technical and tactical abilities but also the need to develop relationships, confidence, and self-esteem, which is a factor in player retention and advancement to higher levels of the game. Appointing coaches with their knowledge, ability, and experience is an example of our commitment to excellence, and also why Coastal Football Club, with the support of our regional partner North Delta FC, is recognized as a provincial leader in player development”.