Meet Adrian Moreno: Head varsity boys soccer coach of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
MELBOURNE, Fla. — A former soccer player and 2009 graduate of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy (HTEA), Adrian Moreno came home to coach at his alma mater 7 years ago after graduating from UCF. Starting as the Head Coach- JV Boys Soccer for his first 4 years, then moving up to Assistant Coach – Varsity Boys Soccer, and now the past two years as Head Coach – Varsity Boys Soccer team.
Moreno started coaching because of his love for the game as a player and wanted to give back to the next generation of players. A desire to be a positive light for players like his high school coach, James Phillips (now the Athletic Director at HTEA), and his club coach, Diego Phillips were for him. They were big role models in his life, not just on the field but off the field as well. He wants to instill good characteristics and life skills in his players that they can use when their soccer careers are over.
Being an effective coach takes skill in any sport or job. He has found that by connecting with his players, the young men know that they can be themselves on the field during practices and games. He doesn’t want them to feel like they can’t be who they are or express themselves the way they want to through soccer. Being fearful of making a mistake during practices or games is not how he wants them to feel. Pushing them to achieve levels that they may not have thought possible through positive reinforcement and direction is what he believes helps. Moreno says, “I like to motivate them, not scare them.”
Coach Moreno believes in the team being a family. This is not something all coaches go into this position believing, but many who do find it helpful and are successful. When student-athletes are on a team, they often spend a lot of time together and sometimes more time with each other than with their own family. This cohesiveness approached the right way, can make for a successful team for many years. The players lift each other up and form a bond that transitions to effective play on the field.
His coaching philosophy has evolved over the years as his progression to the head coach position. From wanting to win games and being an aggressive team on the field in the early coaching years, to goals of making sure every player developed and improved as a player and enjoyed practices and games. He also worked to instill good qualities in each player, such as a good work ethic, willingness to compete, sportsmanship, and a love for the game.
Now, his philosophy has evolved into making sure he has created a healthy environment for the players and they enjoy practicing and feel safe. Players are held to the same standards and all who break rules receive disciplinary action. Respect is always given by coaches and players to each other, as well as opposing teams and officials. They are not allowed to gloat and must always shake hands with the opposing team- regardless of the outcome. He teaches his players that they represent their school, teammates, coaches, and families and are to hold themselves to a higher standard whether on or off the soccer field.
Grades and academics are important and they must remember that they are students before athletes. One of the important things he teaches them is they won’t all play at the college level, therefore their grades are important to get them to the college of their choice so they can be successful after they graduate high school.
One way that he grows as a coach is after each season, he interviews his players to get a better understanding of what each one’s individual goals are, their team goals, and areas they felt that coaching staff or session plans lacked during the season. Once he compiles all of their responses, he creates a list of goals for the staff and the team to achieve the following season.
Moreno doesn’t only coach the team, but he also adds in a strength training program, speed and agility work, cognitive training, and creates nutritional guidelines for his players to learn. Most of all as a coach, he wants to make sure he can create a love for the game for the kids and he does this with his passion and intensity.
When he isn’t coaching at Holy Trinity, he is on the fields in Viera coaching U19 Boys White at Space Coast United Soccer Club. He has his USSF (United States Soccer Federation) D License, UEFA (Union of European Football Association) C License from Berlin, Germany, and is a certified personal trainer through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). He is finishing up his certification through NASM to become a Performance Enhancement Specialist. Coach Moreno loves the sport and has the passion and the relationship building with his players on and off the field. Expect to see him on the soccer field for many years to come.
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