OUR COACHES

Jose was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, and has dedicated more than 25 years to developing youth soccer on the island. He played at the high school level, helping Castle High School earn their only Boys Varsity Soccer State Championship, before going on to play collegiate soccer at California State University – Dominguez Hills and continuing at the semi-professional level.

He discovered his passion for coaching while still in high school assisting American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) teams, and returned to Hawaiʻi after graduating to begin what would become a lengthy career developing youth players on the island - winning multiple State Championships, reaching the finals and semi-finals of the Far West Regional Championships, and winning numerous mainland tournaments along the way.

Jose previously served as an Olympic Development Program (ODP) Coach for Hawaiʻi, contributing to the identification and development of the state's most promising players for the national team pathway. In 2023, he led the FC Hawaiʻi 09 Girls (14U) to the US Youth Soccer National Championship - only the second Hawaiʻi team to win the national title and the first since 2004, and notably achieved with an entirely Hawaiʻi-based squad. He has placed players in ODP Region IV teams, ODP Thanksgiving Interregionals, US Youth National Teams, and collegiate programs across the country. His credentials include a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National License and a US Soccer Youth License.

Jose is also the father of three Division I soccer players: Zane (United States Air Force Academy), Caprice (UCLA; 2021 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Defender of the Year, currently with Bay FC), and True (University of Oregon).

Oth is a co-founder of FC Hawaiʻi and one of the driving forces behind the club's growth since 2014. His playing career took him from Warner Pacific College at the collegiate level to the professional ranks, where he played for the Portland Pride and the Portland Timbers. His record with the Portland Pride spans a 129-game career from 1993 to 1998, during which he scored 50 goals and recorded 27 assists. The Portland Pride were a professional indoor soccer team competing in the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) - one of the premier professional indoor soccer competitions in the United States during that era.

He holds a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National License, reflecting his commitment to formal coaching education alongside his extensive on-field experience. With over 25 years of coaching experience, Oth has been one of the most influential figures in Hawaiʻi youth soccer - his teams have won six Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) State Championships, a remarkable record that speaks to his ability to develop players who perform at the highest level of competition in the state. His contributions to sport in Hawaiʻi extend beyond soccer - in 2025 he was honoured by the Kaiser High School Athletic Foundation for his accomplishments across soccer, track, and football.

Oth has played a central role in developing players who have gone on to compete at collegiate and international levels, including FC Hawaiʻi alumni Maxim Speed, who became the first player from Hawaiʻi to play in Germany's Under-19 Bundesliga since Bobby Wood in 2011.

His coaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that physical and mental toughness are the foundations everything else is built on. He demands high fitness standards, strong discipline, and a relentless work ethic from his players - not as ends in themselves, but because he believes that the ability to push through difficulty, to keep going when it is hard, is what separates players who develop from players who plateau. He creates environments where effort is non-negotiable and accountability is shared - where players learn that the work they put in is directly connected to what they get out. For Oth, resilience is not something you are born with - it is something you build, rep by rep, session by session, season by season. That belief, earned through a professional playing career and decades on the sideline, is what he brings to every player he coaches.

Vlastimir brings a rare combination of elite collegiate playing experience, professional arena soccer, and Division I coaching credentials to FC Hawaiʻi. He played for the nationally-ranked Sereno Soccer Club before competing at Paradise Valley Community College and the University of Portland (2008–2010), where his squad reached the NCAA Division I tournament quarterfinals.

After college, he competed in the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) for Real Phoenix FC, finishing the 2012–13 season as team MVP with 23 goals and 7 assists in 13 games. On the coaching side, he served as Director of Coaching at Valparaiso United FC from 2012, helping build the club before its merger into RSL-AZ in 2018. He then spent three seasons as assistant coach to the widely recognized Schellas Hyndman and recruiting coordinator at Grand Canyon University (2018–2021) - helping the program win the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament Championship in 2018 and WAC Conference title in 2020, earning two NCAA Tournament appearances and contributing to the development of two Major League Soccer (MLS) first-round draft picks.

As head coach at Phoenix College (2022–23), he led the team to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Region I Championship, West District Championship, and a National Final Four appearance, earning West District Coach of the Year and NJCAA Division II United Soccer Coaches Staff of the Year honors. He was subsequently selected as a US Department of State Sports Envoy - alongside Schellas Hyndman - to Bangladesh in 2023, and coached EA and MLS Next teams at RSL-AZ (2022–24) before relocating to Hawaiʻi in 2024.

Vlastimir is a participant in US Soccer's National Talent Identification program - the federation's primary pipeline for identifying future national team players aged 13 to 15. Alongside Boris Teoharevic, he gives FC Hawaiʻi two coaches with a direct and active connection to the national team pathway. He holds the US Soccer National "A" Coaching License, a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Portland, and a partially completed Master's degree in Psychology from Grand Canyon University.

Vlastimir joined FC Hawaiʻi for the 2024–25 season, drawn by the club's authentic, development-first environment and its fiercely independent identity - free from mainland franchise structures and focused entirely on the holistic growth of each player. He believes the beautiful game is a safe environment where everything about life can be learned with a ball at your feet - a platform where all players face the same adversity, and where that adversity prepares them for challenges both within the game and beyond. He builds dynamic, positive environments where mistakes are embraced as growth opportunities, and measures coaching success by one thing: the love players develop for the game - and how long that love keeps them in it.

Boris brings one of the most decorated playing and coaching résumés in Hawaiian youth soccer. His playing career spanned from 1991 to 2002, beginning as an academy player and then professional for FC Partizan in Belgrade, before going on to play for clubs in Serbia, Montenegro, and Germany, eventually coming stateside to compete in the NPSL with the Florida Thundercats and USL. With the USL's Arizona Sahuaros, he was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

On the coaching side, he served as head men's soccer coach at Paradise Valley Community College from 2010 to 2012, helping lead the team to their first playoff appearance in five years. As Junior Stars Director of Coaching at CCV Stars Soccer Club from 2009 to 2017, he directed 16 coaches and built the club's curriculum - during which the program earned No. 1 national rankings in 2015 for both the U-14 Boys and U-11 Girls teams. He has also held roles at FC Phoenix AZ, SC Del Sol, RSL-AZ, Sereno Soccer Club, and Grand Canyon University, and currently serves as Olympic Development Program (ODP) Head Coach at the Hawaii Youth Soccer Association.

Boris joined FC Hawaiʻi in 2021, drawn by the club's commitment to long-term player development and a clear football identity. Since joining, he has served as an IberCup ambassador, contributing to their coaching education initiatives and spending time in Brazil and Portugal visiting academies and learning from different development environments. He is also a participant in US Soccer's National Talent Identification program - the federation's primary mechanism for identifying future Youth National Team players - working alongside US Soccer Talent ID Managers and Youth National Team coaches to evaluate and connect Hawaiʻi's most promising players to the national pipeline, ensuring talent from the islands is never overlooked.

His credentials include an active US Soccer "A" License, US Soccer Club Technical Leadership Level 1, US Soccer Goalkeeping License, US Soccer National Youth License, and NSCAA Goalkeeping certifications at Levels 1 and 2. Boris holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Grand Canyon University and published a coaching article in 2025 titled "Shaping Young Minds in Soccer: Why Fun and Development Must Come Before Competition." His coaching philosophy centers on seeing the game through a child's perspective - prioritizing enjoyment, curiosity, and personal growth over results and pressure. He develops intelligent, confident, and adaptable players by creating environments that promote decision-making, scanning, and game understanding, balancing structure with the freedom for players to solve problems, express themselves, and fall in love with the game.

Melanie brings an exceptional combination of athletic achievement, coaching credentials, and professional expertise to FC Hawaiʻi. She played collegiate soccer at Whitworth University before building a well-rounded coaching profile in Hawaiʻi youth soccer.

Her credentials include a US Soccer D Soccer License, an NFHS National License at Level 3, and a Coerver Hawaiʻi coaching certification - the globally recognized player development methodology focused on technical mastery. She is the Head Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Punahou School (ILH Division 1-AA), where she has led the program since 2020.

With over 11 years of coaching experience across AYSO, Punahou School, Calvary Chapel Christian School, and FC Hawaiʻi, she has developed a reputation as one of the state's most credentialed youth coaches. Beyond soccer, Melanie holds a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Counseling - a background that gives her a deep understanding of the psychological and developmental needs of young athletes, and that informs her ability to connect with players as people, not just as soccer players. At the heart of Melanie's coaching philosophy is her value of loving each player and her family, connecting and pouring into players as student athletes, and helping instill solid character in the areas of discipline, high work ethic, respect, humility, and attention to details.

Chris is a co-founder of FC Hawaiʻi and has led the club since its founding in 2014, building it into one of the most respected youth programs in the state. Under his leadership, the club has grown to over 300 players across 25 teams, is a four-time defending Hawaiʻi Youth Soccer Club Champion, and is one of only two clubs in state history to win a USYS National Championship - achieved with a fully homegrown roster.

Chris grew up playing street soccer before competing in organized leagues in Hawaiʻi, where he became one of the most productive players in local competition, holding multiple championships alongside scoring and assist records. He has over 35 years of experience coaching youth across multiple sports, including a stint at Punahou School as offensive coordinator on a staff that won six HHSAA State Championships.

Chris leads the club's developmental philosophy during the most formative years of a player's growth - emphasizing connection, creativity, decision-making, and confidence so that players learn to understand the game and find genuine joy in it. He holds USC National Diplomas, a TOVO Methodology certification, and a US Soccer Futsal Certificate, alongside PCA Double Goal certification and CPR and concussion training.

Beyond the pitch, Chris is deeply committed to expanding opportunities for local keiki. He has directed more than $1.2 million toward youth and community initiatives, helped establish education-focused endowments, created free early development opportunities for children ages 4–6, and established international pathways for players through partnerships with German Bundesliga youth programs. His belief is simple: through sport, we can help kids become connected, inspired, and learn how to get better.

Karli is one of the most decorated homegrown players in Hawaiʻi soccer history. She was a four-year starter at Punahou School, earning three consecutive all-state selections and leading the team to back-to-back HHSAA State Championships in 2009 and 2010 - also being named the HHSAA State Tournament's Most Outstanding Player that year. She played club soccer with Leʻahi SC, winning the 2008 Surf Cup at the U19 level and the 2009 state championship.

Karli went on to play Division I soccer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa from 2010 to 2013, starting all 17 matches in her senior season, earning Big West All-Academic honors, and cementing herself as one of the most relied-upon defenders in the Rainbow Wahine program.

With over 10 years of coaching experience, she holds a US Soccer License and brings the high standards of her playing career directly into her work developing the next generation of players at FC Hawaiʻi. She also holds a Master's degree in Business Administration, reflecting the same discipline and commitment to excellence she has applied throughout her athletic and professional life.

At the heart of Karli's coaching is a simple belief: soccer should be fun, and the love of the game starts young. She wants every player she works with to fall in love with a sport that connects people from all over the world - one that builds friendships that last a lifetime. Getting that foundation right from an early age is everything.

Jenna Dydasco coaches FC Hawaiʻi's youngest age groups, bringing energy, patience, and a nurturing approach to players beginning their soccer journey. She has been coaching for over four years, including her time with FC Hawaiʻi, and is part of the extended Dydasco family, which has helped shape youth soccer in Hawaiʻi for over two decades.

Growing up, she was consistently involved in volunteering and coaching youth programs, developing her passion for working with young players early on. She grew up playing soccer through Hawaiʻi programs and competed at the club level, where her team won a national championship in 2005.

Jenna's coaching philosophy focuses on helping young players fall in love with the game while building confidence and teamwork. The lessons she gained through soccer continue to influence her career in nursing, where she applies those same values of discipline, communication, and care for others each day.

Larilyn is a Hawaiʻi-grown coach who played collegiate soccer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa after a standout high school career at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, where she was named 2x team MVP, second-team all-state as a junior, first-team all-state tournament team as a senior, and earned four varsity letters. At University of Hawaii, she appeared in matches across the 2006 and 2010 seasons as a defender, earning four years of all-WAC academic team honors, the 2007 WAC Championship and the NCAA WAC Tournament Championship.

Through volunteering and working at numerous UH Women's Soccer youth camps she now channels that background into coaching FC Hawaiʻi's youngest players, working with the U7/U8 age groups. Larilyn has been coaching for FC Hawaiʻi for 4 years and also assists with coaching the FC Hawaii Keiki Academy. She is passionate in working with the younger players as she strives to give them a solid foundation of soccer on and off the field. Her philosophy is to build confidence in each player through mastering basic fundamentals, motivating them to the next level, and to develop their love for the game.

Paulo has been coaching FC Hawaiʻi's youngest age groups since 2022, bringing a thoughtful, detail-oriented perspective to early player development. He holds a PhD from the University of Hawaiʻi's Communication & Information Sciences, and Ocean Policy studies, and has spent his career in marine resource policy, management, and conservation - work built on science, education, and community engagement, values that carry naturally onto the training pitch.

Paulo approaches coaching the way he approaches everything: with curiosity, care, and an eye for what the data tells you. He keeps a close eye on how each player is developing and stays in constant communication with parents, making sure families always know how their child is progressing. He holds a US Soccer Grassroots License and came to the game through a lifelong love of playing. His coaching philosophy is rooted in the basics done well - developing confident, two-footed players from the very beginning, and making sure every child leaves each session having had fun and learned something new.

Eric brings over 45 years of playing experience to FC Hawaiʻi - a career that has taken him across the world, including stints in the United States and Germany, and continues to this day with Waipio FC in the MISO League. That kind of playing longevity speaks to a genuine, lifelong love of the game that translates directly into his coaching.

In his five years at FC Hawaiʻi, Eric has become a trusted presence across the club's younger age groups. He holds a Master's degree in Education - a background that informs everything he does on the pitch, where his philosophy is to develop the player and the person in equal measure. For Eric, coaching is about more than tactics: it's about building technical skill, improving fitness, and deepening each player's understanding of the game - so that what they learn at FC Hawaiʻi stays with them long after they leave the pitch.

Nicky is one of the most recognizable figures in Pacific soccer and brings 24 years of international goalkeeping experience to FC Hawaiʻi. Born in Aua, American Samoa, he is the long-serving goalkeeper and captain of the American Samoa national team - the subject of the 2014 documentary and 2023 Taika Waititi biographical film Next Goal Wins.

He was the goalkeeper for American Samoa's historic 2–1 victory over Tonga in November 2011 - the national team's first-ever FIFA-recognised win, ending a 30-match winless streak. He played professionally for PanSa East FC in American Samoa and had a stint with SC Mauerbach in Austria's regional leagues (2008–2011).

After his international career, Nicky settled in Waipahu, Hawaiʻi, where he continues to train the next generation of goalkeepers through his enthusiastic and exciting coaching style. His international experience, resilience, and unique story make him an inspiring presence for FC Hawaiʻi's players.

Zane Dydasco brings elite-level playing and leadership experience to his role at FC Hawaiʻi. A Gatorade Hawaiʻi Player of the Year and Honolulu Star-Bulletin Player of the Year, he led his high school to two state championships before competing at the Division I level at the United States Air Force Academy, where he was a four-year starter and active in cadet leadership.

Following his time at the Academy, Zane was selected as head coach of the USAF Preparatory School team, competing at the junior college level. While serving in the military, he earned selection to the All-Armed Forces Soccer Team, representing the top players across the Department of Defense in international competition. He also played semi-professional indoor soccer and gained coaching experience across the country during his service.

At FC Hawaiʻi, Zane coaches the U11 Girls team. His coaching philosophy centers on using soccer as a tool for personal growth - helping players better understand themselves while developing skills that translate beyond the field and into all areas of life. Grounded in his upbringing under his father Jose Dydasco, he emphasizes strong technical foundations, discipline, and well-rounded player development.

Euan's path to FC Hawaiʻi is one of the more unconventional on the coaching staff - and one of the more compelling. While his early years were shaped by rugby rather than soccer, his competitive career took a dramatic turn when he moved to Singapore and took up outrigger canoeing and dragon boat racing. He went on to win two World Club Crew Championship medals and numerous national titles, bringing the discipline, team cohesion, and mental toughness forged in elite endurance sport to everything he does on the pitch.

After moving to Hawaiʻi, Euan immersed himself in the island's paddling culture. He led the coaching program for the women's outrigger team at Waikiki Yacht Club and competed personally in the OC1 and OC6 disciplines - completing the Kaiwi Channel crossing five times in a variety of boats, one of the most demanding open ocean passages in Hawaiian paddling. Before parenthood shifted his focus, the water was as central to his life here as the pitch.

That same drive for development brought him to soccer coaching. Euan has been coaching at FC Hawaiʻi since 2021 as an assistant coach with the U11 and U12 Boys teams. He holds a US Soccer D License, earned under Adam Yassaman at LAFC SoCal - an environment that gave him direct exposure to coaching methodology at the top end of the US soccer pyramid. He is also trained in the TOVO Methodology - a player-centered approach developed by former Barcelona and Ajax coach Todd Beane that prioritizes game intelligence, technical execution, and decision-making in small-sided environments.

His coaching philosophy reflects that foundation: building technically capable players who can think, solve problems, and execute - while falling in love with the game along the way.

Gerrit Arzberger was born and raised in Munich, Bavaria, and brings to FC Hawaiʻi a rare combination of elite European youth development, standout collegiate playing honors, and years of coaching experience building competitive youth programs on Oʻahu.

His soccer education began at two of Bavaria's most prestigious youth academies - FC Bayern Munich Youth Academy and SpVgg Unterhaching Youth Academy - instilling in him the technical precision and tactical discipline that define German football at its highest level. He went on to compete in the adult German football pyramid with FC Ismaning (5th division) and VfR Garching (4th division), developing the grit, consistency, and game intelligence that would define him as both a player and a coach.

Recruited to Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) on a full athletic scholarship in 2017, Gerrit became one of the most decorated players in the Sharks' modern era. Playing as a midfielder and attacker, he captained the team and led the squad in scoring across multiple seasons. In 2019, he was named to the PacWest All-Conference First Team after leading the team with 9 goals and 7 assists in 16 starts, earning PacWest Player of the Week honors and a spot on the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 8 NCAA Division II Team. In 2021, he was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team and CoSIDA All-District Team. His graduate season in 2022 was his finest - leading the squad with a career-high 10 goals and 18 shots on goal, earning All-PacWest First Team recognition and a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Second Team award - one of the highest academic distinctions available to collegiate athletes in the United States. In total, Gerrit was a five-time PacWest All-Conference honoree, graduating with a degree in Business Management.

On the coaching side, Gerrit began his career in Germany as Head Coach of FC Ismaning's Under-13 and Under-14 teams, developing young players in the same region where he came of age as a player. He has since built a reputation in Hawaiʻi for creating structured, high-level training environments for players at all stages of development. Gerrit joins FC Hawaiʻi for the 2026-27 season, coaching the Under-12 and Under-13 Boys. He believes soccer is a vehicle for life - and coaches with three core values at the center of everything he does: Respect, Belief, and Resilience. He creates environments that are positive, high-energy, and fun, where players feel free to express themselves and unafraid to make mistakes, because for Gerrit, mistakes are not setbacks - they are the most powerful learning tool available. If players leave his program a better person as well as a better player, he has done his job.

Dani Homestead brings a decorated playing background and a clear sense of purpose to her role coaching the FC Hawaiʻi U14 Girls.

Dani grew up playing soccer in Northern Virginia, earning Virginia state Olympic Development Program (ODP) selection and a place in the East Regional Pool, alongside various high school, district, and All-Met honors. She went on to play at the United States Naval Academy, where she was fortunate enough to be coached by one of the sport's most celebrated figures - Carin Jennings-Gabarra, a World Cup winner and one of the most decorated players in US women's soccer history. Playing as a forward and outside midfielder, Dani was part of a squad that went 17-3-1 in her freshman year, winning the program's first regular season league title - the beginning of a run of winning seasons that defined her time at Navy.

On the coaching side, Dani began in AYSO before spending approximately four years coaching at Albion SC. She holds a US Soccer 11v11 Grassroots License and a United Soccer Coaches 11v11/Pre-National Diploma, and completed the Soldiers to Sidelines soccer coaching program - a pathway designed to help military-connected individuals transition their leadership experience into coaching.

Dani came to FC Hawaiʻi as a parent of a player, drawn by the club's local roots and its reputation for authentic, development-focused soccer. That experience - seeing the club from the inside as a parent - informs how she approaches her role. She understands what families are looking for, because she was one of them.

Her coaching philosophy centers on helping players develop and maintain a healthy love of soccer - creating environments that are both fun and challenging, where players can reach their potential not just as individuals, but as a team.

Marvin brings collegiate-level playing experience to his coaching role at FC Hawaiʻi. Originally from Guam, where he attended Father Duenas School, he went on to play as a forward at Chaminade University of Honolulu, earning Pac West All-Conference Second Team honors in 2007 - recognized for the pace and attacking instinct that made him a consistent threat up front. After his playing career, Marvin settled in Hawaiʻi and has channeled that competitive background into developing the next generation of players at FC Hawaiʻi.

Millie Dydasco is a trailblazer in Hawaiʻi soccer - recognized as the first female professional soccer player from the state. At SF State University, she was NCAC All-Conference and Player of the Year in 1984, finishing her collegiate career ranked second on the all-time points list, a record that earned her induction into the SF State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996. After college she took her game to the professional level, playing in the women's professional leagues in both Japan - with Shiroki Serena - and Brazil with São Paulo, forging a professional path that barely existed for women at the time and that paved the way for the generation of Hawaiʻi players who followed.

She has brought that pioneering spirit into over 40 years of coaching, including serving as staff coach for both the Nā Wāhine and Nā Kāne Hawaiʻi National Teams, Leahi Na Koa 06 Boys, Leahi 02 Premier Girls, Castle High School, both Northern California and Hawaiʻi ODP Programs, the Hawaiʻi US Club id2 Program, and currently as a scout for the US Club id2 Program. She holds a USSF License and is an integral part of the FC Hawaiʻi coaching staff. As the sister of Jose Dydasco, Millie is at the heart of the most influential family in Hawaiʻi soccer history.

Her coaching philosophy is simple and profound in equal measure: to develop outstanding players, but more importantly, to develop players with outstanding character.