Columbia United FC, the state’s second largest youth soccer club, announced today it has named Elite coach, Adrian Pinasco, as the club’s new Director of Technical Training. Pinasco’s duties in his new capacity will commence with the club’s Select team tryouts and Academy team evaluations in mid-May.

Columbia United FC, the state’s second largest youth soccer club, announced today it has named Elite coach, Adrian Pinasco, as the club’s new Director of Technical Training.  Pinasco’s duties in his new capacity will commence with the club’s Select team tryouts and Academy team evaluations in mid-May.

 

Born in Buenos Aires, Pinasco is the son of Argentine professional soccer coach Carlos Pinasco. As a teenager, Pinasco played for the world renowned Argentine professional soccer club, Boca Juniors, until the age of 19.  While still in Argentina, Pinasco obtained a university degree in Physical Education and then two Master’s degrees - one in Soccer Physiology from Club Atletico Velez Sarsfield and a second in Sports Physiology from the University of Buenos Aires.  At the same time, Pinasco was working as an assistant coach for Club Ferro Carril Oeste in Argentina’s professional second division.

 

Upon arrival in Columbia, SC, Pinasco obtained his third Master’s degree, this time in Exercise Science from the University of South Carolina, where he joined the Men’s Varsity Soccer program staff in 1999 as an Assistant Coach.  Since then, Pinasco has been a member of the South Carolina Youth Soccer Association’s Olympic Development Program boys’ coaching staff where he has identified and trained many of the state’s top youth players. Tripp Miller, Co-Director of Soccer at Columbia United says, "Adrian Pinasco is exactly the right person at exactly the right time to step in and further the technical training for our Select players, which they deserve. Greg Vallee, our Academy Director, is doing a great job of providing technical training to our Academy players and now Adrian will take players who have ’graduated’ from the Academy and all of our other Select players and keep the ball moving forward.  His passion and appreciation for what we are doing for Columbia’s kids, along with his incredible expertise in teaching players how to develop better possession skills, striking skills and passing skills will pay huge dividends for our Select players and add great value for members of our Select program."

 

Pinasco had this to say about his new role, "I can’t find the exact words to describe how I really feel.  I can simply say that I feel honored and grateful to the club’s leadership for giving me this great opportunity.  It is just as true here as it is in Argentina - the true foundation of a soccer player is his/her individual skill, and that is why I will take this position so seriously.  Soccer is truly a passion in my life and I have always been intrigued by the different methods to shape and develop young boys and girls into soccer players.  I believe that even though in today’s game fitness and conditioning aspects are extremely important, at the end of the day technical ability is what truly defines a soccer player.  Therefore, my main goal will be to build a technical program that provides players the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels they can aspire."

 

As stated by Phil Savitz, Co-Director of Soccer with Miller, "In raising the bar as we have, Adrian’s position was the next logical step for our club. With the Select team coaching staff we are in the process of announcing, all I can say is I wish I were an up-and-coming youth soccer player in Columbia today versus so long ago when I came through! What our players have today in terms of instruction, coaching and opportunity is unbelievable. If an advanced level youth soccer player has the desire, the commitment and the athletic ability, Columbia United is ready to serve that player just as we serve this community as a whole - with true passion and commitment."

 

In accordance with the club’s new training regimen, in addition to two nights of team training, Pinasco will coordinate, plan and implement a third night of skills training for Elite and Palmetto level players, both male and female. Girls’ trainer, Heather Frederick, will continue to work with all Select girls within the club, and Speed and Fitness trainer, Dr. Jim Carson, will continue to provide conditioning sessions each week for the club’s Select players, as well.  Academy Director, Greg Vallee, will continue to lead all Academy player technical and tactical development.  All Goalkeeping training will be provided, once again, by Presbyterian College Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach, Matt Smith.