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Professional Coaching Staff

John “Shedzy” Sheridan

Sporting Iowa Academy Co-Director
Executive Director of Coaching, JUSC

As Co-Director of Sporting Iowa Academy, Shedzy shares a passion for elevating soccer to its highest level.

Shedzy joined the Urbandale Soccer Club in August 2001 and brings a semi-professional playing and coaching background spanning over 20 years. During his time in England, Shedzy served as a staff member at English Professional Club, Walsall FC’s Centre of Excellence and was also instrumental in the introduction of an innovative development program for youth players at Leamington FC.  As a staff member for the Iowa ODP program, Shedzy has been responsible for the program’s oldest girls teams including the '89-'99 teams team. During this time, he has built relationships with many college coaches across the country that has helped in the placement of many student athletes to college soccer programs.  

  • USSF ‘A’ License
  • NSCAA Premier Diploma – Pass with distinction
  • English FA Coaching Certificate
  • ISA Licensing Instructor

Rich bywater

Sporting Iowa Academy Co-Director
Executive Director of Coaching, WDMSC

Born in Yorkshire, England. Rich represented Yorkshire school boys. Along with having spells at Exeter City F.C. and competing semi-professionally for Frickely Athletic F.C. Rich came to America to coach for Challenger Sports British Soccer, where he worked for five years. Rich attended Western Texas College both as a player and as an assistant coach until he transferred to Grandview University. Rich earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management from Grandview University where he was part of the program that reached the national quarter finals two out of his three years.  He currently has a Level 2 F.A. coaching certificate.

  • USSF ‘B’ License

Matt Ream

Director of Operations

Professional Club Coach

Matt Ream moved to Des Moines in January 2016 and brought with him a wealth of experience coaching at different levels. In addition to his role with Sporting Iowa as Director of Operations, Ream currently serves as an assistant varsity boys coach for Roosevelt HS and as an Iowa ODP staff coach. Ream is also a founding member of Des Moines Wanderers FC, a local amateur men's team.

Prior to relocating to Des Moines, Ream lived in Milwaukee, WI, where he coached with the Bavarian Soccer Club and Elm Grove Soccer Club, as well as four years as an assistant coach at the NCAA D3 level with Alverno College and Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Ream is a proud California native and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from University of California, Davis with a minor in education. At UC Davis, he was a member of the men's club soccer team. In 2012, he earned a master's degree in kinesiology with perfect 4.0 GPA from Cal State Long Beach.

Ream has a USSF 'C' coaching license and an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma. In 2014, he was named to the second NSCAA '30 under 30' class.

Ream is married to Libby and resides in West Des Moines with daughters Sophia and Nora.

  • USSF 'C' License
  • NSCAA Advanced National Diploma
  • NSCAA '30 under 30' 2014

dan bertsch

Professional Club Coach

john cook

Professional Club Coach

John Cook is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and is married and has four kids (17, 14, 8, 5). He has been an Iowa transplant for over 5 years with stops in Indiana, California (2x) and Colorado before. He currently serving as the Freshman Girl’s JV coach for Ankeny High School where he handles development, film study, and tactics. John has a Master’s degree in Music for Conducting and is currently enrolled at Drake University studying for a Master’s in Public Administration. He loves the game of soccer and follows more teams than should be allowed (USWNT, USMNT, Atlanta United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, to name a few). He enjoys reading, classical music, cooking, teaching and can quote entire sections of Empire Strikes Back from memory. 

  • USSF "E" License

Tim dobberfuhl

Professional Club Coach

Tim has been coaching with JUSC/Sporting Iowa since 2008.  Tim grew up playing soccer in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio and Dallas, TX.  Tim played for many clubs and at many different levels within the US Club system.  Most recently, Tim earned a BA in Art and was a four year starter/two year captain for Central College (Pella, IA) and has since made Iowa home with his wife and two kids.

  • USSF ‘B’ License

Paul Gruber

Professional Club Coach

Paul is originally from Council Bluffs and has been involved in soccer since 1981. Paul began his coaching career at Indianola High School as an assistant in 2005. In 2007 he started the girls’ soccer program for Carlisle High School. He also worked for the Carlisle Soccer Club holding various board member and coach positions, assisted in developing their training curriculum and led the successful campaign to win grant money from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to help build their facilities.

  • USSF National “B” License
  • NSCAA Goalkeeper I and II Diplomas
  • Coerver Coaching Youth Diploma.

Sean holmes

CAP Boys Director

Professional Club Coach

Sean Holmes has been a Des Moines soccer institution for the almost two decades. The Ontario, Canada native has experience at the professional, college, and youth levels. Following stints at Evansville and Baker, Holmes served as the Drake University men's soccer coach for eighteen years (including a 2009 NCAA Elite Eight tournament run) and is perfectly poised to move into the role of leading the boys College Advisory Program with Sporting Iowa. 

  • US Soccer A license- 1993
  • Head Coach- Drake University 98-15
  • Asst. Coach- U. of Evansville 94-98
  • Head Coach- Baker University 89-94
  • Region 2 ODP staff coach
  • 2009 NCAA Elite 8
  • Founder - Collegiate Soccer Prep
  • Scout- Minnesota United - MLS 2016
  • Head Coach - DM Roosevelt HS 2016-Present

Adnan Junozovic

Professional Club Coach

Jordan Moon

Professional Club Coach

Mike MOON

Professional Club Coach

trevor neary

Professional Club Coach

cam peterson

Professional Club Coach

chris rennie

Professional Club Coach

Chris arrived in the United States in 2005 from Edinburgh, Scotland where he played at the highest competitive level. After enjoying a very successful college playing career at Iowa Wesleyan, Chris moved to Des Moines in 2009 and became apart of the JUSC/ Sporting Iowa coaching staff. Chris resides in Grimes with his wife Jenna and two sons Jack and Liam.

Playing Experience

  • Falkirk F.C, 2000 - 2002
  • Allow Athletic F.C., 2002 - 2003
  • Iowa Wesleyan University, 2005 - 2009

Coaching Experience

  • Grand View University , 2010 - present
  • Iowa OPD Staff/ Goalkeeper coach 2014 - present
  • Drake University, 2015-2017
  • Des Moines Menace (PDL) 2016-2017

Coaching Education

  • NSCAA Advanced National
  • NSCAA Advanced National GK
  • USSF D

ryan rink

Professional Club Coach

Ryan Rink began playing at the age of 6 with the Cedar Valley Youth Soccer Association starting with the recreational program and later moved onto select teams. Rink continued playing at Central College in Pella, Iowa for two years then decided to become student assistant coach for the Central College Women’s team.

Rink was also an assistant coach for the Pella High School boys team and the Pella Soccer Club. Rink graduated from Central College with a degree in Exercise Science – Health Promotion.

Coaching Experience

  • Professional Coach- Cedar Valley Soccer Association 2010-2012
  • Professional Coach- JUSC 2012-current
  • Des Moines Christian High School Boys Head Coach- 2013-2014

Coaching Education

  • NSCAA College Coach Professional Development Certificate
  • NSCAA State Youth
  • NSCAA Youth Regional
  • NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1
  • (2) NSCAA High School Diplomas
  • USSF National  "C" License

whitney sharpe

Professional Club Coach

CAP Girls Advisor

Joined Sporting Iowa as a full time staff member in January 2015 after playing professionally for one of the biggest clubs in Europe, Ajax FC in Amsterdam, Netherlands. During her two seasons with Ajax, Sharpe became the player with the most minutes played, and helped her team to win the KNVB National Championship in 2014.

Prior to her professional career, U15-U20, Sharpe was a part of the US National Team earning titles such as NSCAA Adidas All-American in 2006 and 2007, and First-Team Parade All-American in 2008. Sharpe represented the United States in tournaments in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and domestically. Sharpe was also a part of the Region II ODP team from 2005-08 gaining both national and international experience.

Heading into college, Sharpe was ranked the No. 16 national recruit by Soccer Buzz and played her first two college seasons at UCLA under coach Jill Ellis. She helped the Bruins win the PAC 10 in 2008, and appear in back-to-back NCAA Final Four tournaments in 2008 and 2009. Sharpe spent her junior season at Texas Tech University under Tom Stone where she sustained a season ending injury, but was named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team and All-Big 12 Second Team. Her senior season was with Loyola Marymount University where Sharpe was the team captain and named to the Second-Team All-West Coast Conference, and West Coast Conference All-Academic Team.

In high school, Sharpe helped lead the West Des Moines Valley Tigers to four-consecutive state championship titles as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals and 36 assists. Sharpe was a three-time member of the All-State Elite Team, and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Iowa.

  • USSF 'D' License

corbin stone

CAP Girls Director

Professional Club Coach

  • USSF 'A' (1996) and National Youth Licenses (1997)
  • High School Boys (7 years)
  • DOC Club: 10 years
  • Club Coaching: 30 years
  • College: 10 years, Division III men, Division I women
  • ODP: State (IA, VA, DC), Region I and II
  • 7 Coach of the Year Awards at high school, club, and college level

nate tiry-ortiz

Professional Club Coach

Joined West Des Moines Soccer Club June 2011 overseeing the Goalkeeper program and taking on team coaching duties. Been involved with ODP since 2011 to present. WDM Valley 2011- present : having 3 gks selected to the all tournament team and 1 selected to 2nd team all conference and all district team. 2011-2016 Volunteer coach Drake men's team- working with current USL Swope Park ranger GK Darrin MacLeod. Working with soccerplus golaie camps since 2014 led by legend Tony DiCicco. 2 years @Scott community college as a captain. 2 years at Upper Iowa University being the first class recruited for division 2 play. Married to Kayla with 3 kids Isabella, Gabriella and Beckham.

  • USSF National D
  • USSF U6-8 national module
  • NSCAA goalkeeper level 3.

Greg Velasquez 

Professional Club Coach

Greg is the Boys Program Technical Director for Sporting Iowa and his primary role is assisting players in the college placement process. He has extensive coaching experience across age groups and genders and at various levels in the game including youth club, high school, and also at the NCAA DI and DIII college level. He also has a very strong playing background having played at Simpson College and at the PDL in the USASA Cup in 2014.

Coaching License: USSF ‘D’ License

sam weeks

Professional Club Coach