MEET THE COACHES
Peter Kirov
It is my privilege and honor being the Director of Coaching for Arsenal Soccer Schools Hawaii and I would like to welcome all our students on behalf of our coaches, supporters and fans.We have committed ourselves to teach our students all the necessary skills through different technical drills and games full of fun and excitement. We would like to assure all our students and their parents that the players will feel enriched and excited every time they come and participate in our programs. Our coaching staff includes former professional players from Europe and the USA who have a great deal of combined experience in playing and coaching the game. We are all very proud of coaching and we strive to provide you with the highest possible quality of training and playing “The Arsenal Way!” We are looking forward to seeing you soon on the pitch!
Jimmy Gabriel
Hello to all the students and welcome to the Arsenal Soccer School information that awaits you.As an ex Premier League player and a coach of Everton FC in the 60’s and 90’s I have been delighted to witness the technical and tactical brilliance that Arsene Wenger has brought to Arsenal FC over the last decade.
He has taught his players to play the game of soccer by possessing the ball while controlling the forward movement making sure they are alert to any opportunity that would allow his players to strike like lightening should an opening appear in the opposing defenses shape.
Also the teams’ defensive activities are a combination of speed and power making the opposing forwards task of scoring more difficult than they want it to be.
Great teams control the game on defense, build-up and attack and we plan to show you the Arsenal way of doing this.
Oguzhan Erkut
“Would you like to play the beautiful game in Arsenal way? On behalf of the biggest soccer schools in the world, I would like to welcome you to our world recognized soccer schools.As a native born in Turkey, I played the beautiful game on both professional and amateur level for 25 years. During my playing career, I played for a Turkish first division side Bursaspor FC youth programs and was a team member of another professional Turkish club called Bursa Merinos FC for years in Turkey. I continued my playing career in the state of Washington and played for Bellevue College for two successful years in 2004 and 2005. I have been coaching for the last 5 years. The colleges and the clubs I coached for are Bellevue College, FC Alliance U-16 Boys, Manchester United Soccer School in Seattle, Chaminade University Women’s Soccer Team, Cedar Park Christian High Schools and Highline Premier Football Club in WA.
I am everyday striving to learn something new about the game. My passion comes from my father. I learned a lot about the game from my father who played for the most recognized Turkish team, Galatasaray FC, as well as Turkish National Team. My father also has been coaching for 30 years professionally. Being around him, it was a tremendous exposure to learn and play the game. Now being a coach for Arsenal Soccer Schools Hawaii, I am looking forward to sharing my passion for the game and my learning with you all in a safe, fun and learning environment with the other great experienced coaches. Are you ready to learn some cool moves and tricks? See you at the camp and welcome to Arsenal Ohana.”
Richard Romain Dika
Hello Everyone and welcome to Arsenal Soccer Schools Hawaii. I am from France and I started playing soccer over 20 years ago. My mother knew I would be a great soccer player before I was born when I was kicking her stomach. Now, I joined the Arsenal Soccer Schools Hawaii and I am very excited to be part of the coaching staff. I am also very delighted to share my passion with kids. My love and my commitment to the number one sport in the world have no limit.Let me show you how to play the Arsenal Way.
Darren Smith
I would like to personally welcome you to Arsenal Soccer Schools Hawaii. As a local born and raised soccer player to the islands, dreams of one day be affiliated with one of the largest clubs in the world had always been a personal pursuit. For myself, being able to coach under the Arsenal umbrella amongst a world class staff has simply been an amazing honor and privilege. A little about me, I started playing at the age of four in the backyard with my older brother and it was thanks to times like that that really sparked my passion for the game. Even though many years have passed since that point, I still find that each time I enter the field as either a player or a coach, I still walk away having learned something new about the game or about myself. Although Soccer is often seen as just a game, it has taught me many life lessons from: responsibility, determination, confidence and respect for others, my surroundings and myself. As the Director of Goalkeepers, I take a different approach with coaching each individual player as every player has different strengths, weaknesses and passions for the game. Whether they are aiming to play at the highest levels one day or just enjoy the game while improving there understanding of the position, each player will set the stage for the diverse keeper sessions. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have trained among world class caliber keeper coaches over the years and being able to share their knowledge has opened doors for myself and individuals I’ve had the honor of training. Having been able to provide different tools for individuals to focus on in their personal pursuits as players has been an amazing experience and I’m looking forward to continuing this pursuit as an instructor and a player. Thank you for taking the time to better acquaint yourself with our staff and I look forward to meeting you on the field in the near future.
