Southwest MO Rush

Coach Marco's love for the game of soccer began when his two sons started playing in Nixa over ten years ago.  Marco enjoys every aspect of soccer; being a fan, coach, analyst.  He watches soccer whenever possible, whether it's one of his three kids on the field, MLS, Premier League, Champions League, CONCACAF, and Gold Cup games.  

Coach Marco has played recreationally in the local adult soccer leagues for over five years.  He coached his son's team in the 3v3 Live small side game league where their team reached 2nd place in the nation in 2016 in Nashville, TN.

Coaching Experience:

National F License

2018-2020 Magic Soccer Club

Born:  Wurzburg, Germany
High School:  Greenwood Laboratory School (Springfield, MO)
College:  Drury University and Missouri State University

Playing experience: 
Greenwood Laboratory School 1996-1994 year varsity; 4-time district champions; 3-time state runner-up
Drury University 1999-2001

Coaching experience: 
National “D” License
Magic Soccer Club 2015-2020
Demize Soccer Club 2008-2010
Assistant Coach Springfield Demize PDL 2008-2010
Co-Founder and General Manager Springfield Demize PASL 2008-2010

I was born in Algeria and I grew up mainly in France. I have been around soccer ever since I was little; watching it with my family/friends on TV or going to the stadium to see teams playing. I started to play competitive soccer at the age of 6 in my town, Rennes. I played for the French Ligue 1 Professional Youth Academy “Stade Rennais F.C.” from the age of 8 where I learned the depth of this sport. During my youth, I enjoyed being the captain of my team for several years as I was close to my coaches and picked up on their coaching techniques. I got the chance to be selected a few times to represent my State “Bretagne” in Interstate games. It was also an honor to meet Zinedine Zidane in 2005 during one of his tournaments in which he invited my team to play. Zidane has been my favorite player until this day. I also played recreational in Algeria every summer growing up.

At the age of 18, I chose to travel and pursue my studies. I have played recreationally ever since; indoor and outdoor. I hold a bachelor’s and a master’s Degree in Marketing/International Business Development. While studying, I worked for the former French Professional Ligue 2 Team “Vannes Olympique Club” as a Business Development Consultant. I am also a licensed soccer coach with the USSF and intend to continue my soccer education. I have been coaching soccer for a few years; back in France as well as in Texas (Frisco Soccer Association) and Washington State (Greater Renton Tukwila Youth Soccer Association).

National "E" Coaching License

Marc grew up in a small farming town in Massachusetts where sports of all kinds were a big part of his life, family and community. A three sport athlete growing up, soccer, basketball and baseball were always on his mind. He filled his days practicing in the backyard, traveling near and far to numerous leagues and pick-up games, attending as many camps as possible and entering as many tournaments as his parents would allow. He just wanted to play all of the time. Having dabbled in coaching here and there after college when his work schedule would allow, he really got into coaching once his five boys started getting into playing soccer, basketball and baseball. He coaches at least one of them in all three sports and is a believer in the benefits of the multi-sport athlete. He encourages youth to develop their individual skills, bodies and knowledge across all sports they are interested in and try to help them see how a drill for one sport also translates to useful knowledge in many other sports. He wanted to allow his players to have fun, work hard to develop individual skills, learn the importance of being a team and create a passion within them they can carry through in all they do.

COACHING RESUME
USSF Youth Coaching Certificate/License
Certification CDC Concussion in Youth Sports Training
Creator of the Branson Futsal Shootout
2014-Present - FC Legacy Head Coach, 2009 Boys,2011/2012 Boys

 PROFESSIONAL RESUME

Education
BA in Business Management, Bryant University, Smithfield, RIHS Experience

1989-1992
3-year Varsity Soccer Starting Member
3-year Varsity Basketball Starting Member
4-year Varsity Baseball Starting Member
Two Time Boys’ Basketball State Champion
1000 point scorer HS Boys Basketball
40 goal scorer HS Boys Soccer
Selected as Three Sport All Western Massachusetts Division III Player for Soccer, Basketball & Baseball
Awarded Winner of 1992 Gremio Lusitano Soccer Outstanding Player Award

 College Experience-1993-1997
Full Basketball Scholarship Athlete for Division II Bryant University
3-year starter for Men’s Basketball Team 1994-1997

Current
General Manager Branson Convention Center/SMG, Branson, MO. 
Home of the Branson Futsal Shootout.

My full name is Josephat Brighton Moses Yokonia Phiri.  I go by Joe.  I was born and raised in Zambia, Africa.  I am a born-again Christian.  I have a wonderful wife, Amanda, and we have three kids:  Isabel, Kendra, and Elijah.  I came to the United States in 1998 with a singing group called the Zambian  Acappella Boys Choir.  I started playing soccer when I was about five years old.  I started playing professional soccer at the age of 15.  I was part of the U17 Zambia National team for two years.  I played college soccer at Union University in Jackson, TN.  In 2002, I was awarded the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Men’s Soccer Player of the Year.  

I have been coaching soccer for 15 years.  Even though its not much I been blessed with valuable skills, both on and off the field, to pass on to our youth. I have much experience with soccer from an international perspective and desire to teach our young people everything I know about soccer and what I have come to learn over my years of professional experience about teamwork, sportsmanship, and building relationships through competitive soccer.  I would appreciate the opportunity to work with your son or daughter.  I consider it a tremendous blessing to serve our youth by passing along the skills and experience with which I have been blessed.

Coach Marie’s love for soccer began at the age of 10 when she started playing recreationally with a girls’ team in Virginia.  She was very shy and timid back then, having moved around most of her youth as a member of a military family.  Soccer became a passion that helped grow confidence on and off the field as she made friends and learned the importance of being a team.   This passion for the sport grew as she played on rec leagues on the east coast even on a coed team.  She moved back to her hometown area of San Diego and started High School soccer.  Marie played with her High School team and several clubs – MYSA, CYSA, and AYSO.  As a JV player her Freshmen year, she received Best Offensive Player.  The remaining 3 years she was on the Varsity team, receiving Best Defensive Player and Most Valuable Player awards as well as serving as Captain two years.

Marie continued with her love for soccer in later years by coaching her eldest daughter’s rec team in California for a few years (ages 4-6) and when the family moved to Springfield, she coached with a SPARC team for a few seasons(4^th/5^th graders).  By a great blessing, her daughter was  placed on Rush’s Girls’ DOC Christy’s team about 10 years ago which has led down this exciting path.  Marie has since dusted off the ‘cleats’ to play with the Lake Country Women’s Adult teams and she can be seen religiously at the friendly Wednesday morning  Ladies’ soccer match.  She was also a certified Referee at LCS for a year.  Having seen the many facets and roles in soccer, she’s eager to encourage our youth, help them grow as a player, and above all just enjoy and love the game!

Marie lives in Strafford with her husband and youngest daughter.  Her day job is as Customer Service Manager for DairiConcepts – DFA Ingredient Solutions.

I came to soccer coaching as many people do, to allow my children to have a team on which to play.  My experience began after many years of playing, by volunteering to help coach my son’s first team when he was 5 years old.  Through this, I realized a passion for helping children learn to play and love the sport.  Any child who wants to, should have an opportunity to be a teammate, to know the satisfaction of team success, and to strive to be a better player.
 
My professional background is in Sport Science.  I have spent many years studying the benefits of exercise on the human body and the ways in which athletes can improve their performances.  I will bring this expertise to FC Legacy and work with the Director of Coaching to include conditioning, injury prevention, and assessment into the coaching curriculum to help all players develop their strengths and minimize their weakness so they can develop into the best players possible.

COACHING RESUME

USSF D License

2012-2020
Head Coach, U11-High School boys
Head Coach, U8-U9 and U12-High School girls

2008-2012
Head Coach, U9-U11 boys teams "Nighthawks"
Head Coach, U9-U11 girls teams, "Thunder"

2007-08
Ozarks Premier Soccer Academy (OPSA), Ozark, MO
Head Coach, U8 boys team

2005-2007
Ozark Youth Soccer, Ozark, MO
Assistant and Head coach, U5-U7 co-ed teams