“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying,
sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”
     ~Pele

The parents and players of Strikers Red would like to thank Coach DJ and Coach Lee for their leadership, guidance, support, and patience as we navigate this first year of travel soccer.  Without their presence, the team would not be the same.   For more information on the the Coaches, please visit: www.solsoccerschool.com

Head Coach - Djeri Memene

Coach DJ has been coaching soccer for over 10 years, and has founded his philosophy on the simple &beautiful game inherited from his dad. Coach DJ experience span three continents (Africa, Europe and US) and in addition to currently serving as SYC/Strikers Red coach, DJ also trained and coaches other teams in the area. DJ managed to mould SYC house soccer players to a well organized and challenging team. In 2010 the Strikers Red finished second in their first season appearance. The Strikers Red play an exciting game of attacking soccer that reflects the vision and passion that coach DJ brings to the game under Coach Lee’s academy system philosophy.

Coach DJ was MVP in his junior and senior years in Europe and has won several times the Spanish League trophies as player and coach. He has also coached both boys and girls in indoor and outdoor leagues. His broad experience combined with his mental approach to the game makes him unique.

---

Coach - Lee Chang

Coach Lee Chang learned to play soccer on the streets and beaches of the sun-drenched island of Trinidad. As a teen he was selected to play with the youth development team of a local professional club, Carib FC. Shortly after coming to the United States in high school, he was selected to the Indiana, and then Ohio South, State Olympic Development Team (ODP) teams, which led to him being selected for the Region II Regional Team in 1999 and 2000.

With the exposure from ODP, Lee was recruited to play for Eastern Illinois University. At Eastern, Lee was nominated for the All-Missouri Valley Conference team and Academic All-Conference team. After his sophomore year, Lee transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which for the remainder of his college soccer career, was ranked in the top 20 of all Division 1 soccer teams in the US. In both his junior and senior year, Lee helped lead the UWM Panthers to two Conference Championships and to two NCAA tournament appearances.

After college Lee spent some time playing semi pro with the Queen’s Park Cricket Club in Trinidad, and then with the Northern Virginia Royals in the USL second division. Lee also had a brief experience playing against professional teams during a tour of El Salvador with the 2007 champions of the Copa Taca, Juventus de Maryland.

Lee's coaching philosophy is simply to foster and promote a lifelong passion and pursuit of the beautiful game.

"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people."
— Lee Iacocca