"I’m a first-generation Ecuadorian-American, born and raised in Union, New Jersey. My parents both immigrated from Ecuador, and I grew up in a family of six—two older sisters, a younger brother, and myself in the middle. The values instilled in me from an early age—resilience, humility, and hard work—continue to guide my journey today.
Coaching wasn’t always my original plan. I’ve always had a passion for working with children, especially in the developmental stages of their growth. After college, my goal was to pursue a master’s in school psychology and work with middle to high school students. But during the summer of 2016, everything changed. I was visiting my cousin to play a pickup basketball game, and while I waited, I was catching up with my uncle. I shared my plans to become a school psychologist, and mid-conversation, he stopped me. For the next 45 minutes, he spoke with a level of passion and belief that I’d never experienced before. He told me I needed to coach—that my understanding of the game, my discipline, and my love for fútbol made me someone who could truly impact young players. No one had ever believed in me the way he did. That night, I started looking for coaching opportunities—and I haven’t looked back since.
It wasn’t an easy road. As a first-generation American, there’s a weight that comes with trying to make something of yourself. Coaching didn’t look like the secure, traditional path my family had hoped for. I didn’t play college soccer or come from a top-level club background. I didn’t have the “resume” most people expect from a coach. But I knew what I had: a hunger to learn, a passion for the game, and the willingness to give everything I had to this craft. The start was rough, full of doubts—but I trusted my gut and committed to getting better every single day.
Some of my proudest accomplishments have come through my time with the Red Bulls organization. I’ve been with the club for five years and have had the honor of coaching the U10 and U11 Pre-Academy teams. Most recently, I took our 2014s to England to compete against top academies overseas—where we lost only one match. I've also had the privilege of working with the Academy staff across multiple age groups, from U12 to U18, learning from some of the best minds in the game.
Red Bull is where my coaching journey truly began. It gave me the platform, structure, and opportunity to grow. It’s been the foundation of my career, and it continues to open doors I never imagined when I first started.
What keeps me going—day after day, season after season—is me. The younger version of me. The one who decided to take a chance and chase a dream. I coach to make him proud. I coach to prove that betting on yourself is worth it. I want to be a representation of what it looks like to fail, to fight, and to keep showing up. As one of my heroes, Kobe Bryant, once said: “Rest at the end, not in the middle.” And I live by that every single day."
Current Position: RBNY Pre-Academy Head Coach
Joined Red Bulls Youth Programs: August 2019
