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Richmond Kickers

Dakota Barnathan and Nil Vinyals Earn USSF B Coaching Licenses

May 20, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Kickers are pleased to share that defender Dakota Barnathan and midfielder Nil Vinyals have successfully completed their courses to earn the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) B Coaching License.

Barnthan and Vinyals earning their licenses is a reflection of their commitment and the Kickers professional team's commitment to building a cohesive player development pathway in the Central Virginia region. By pursuing professional development opportunities like coaching licenses, Kickers pro players can continue to grow the game in Richmond both on the pitch and on the touchline.

The pair both serve on the Richmond United academy staff which is the same academy that has developed numerous talented players who now compete and train with the Kickers pro team and Richmond Ivy SC - Richmond's pre-professional women's team competing in the USL W League.

Barnathan currently serves as the assistant coach for the U15 and U16 Girls ECNL teams and Vinyals serves as the assistant coach for the U15 and U16 Boys ECNL teams.

The pair have been very well received by the young academy players as they help coach their teams to successful 2023-2024 seasons, with ECNL playoffs and ECNL Mid-Atlantic Cup Finals slated for June 2024.

"Even though Dakota has only been our assistant for a year, he has taught me so much," said Annabel Sharrer, a Richmond United U15 Girls' player. "He always brings a positive attitude to all of our training sessions. He gives coaching points whenever he can to help us translate training activities to game situations. He has been a great role model, as he plays center back like me, he has helped grow my game by working closely with me. Dakota pushes us day in and day out, but always makes training so fun. He has been a great addition to our RU squad, and learning from him this year has been great!"

"Nil is a great coach and I'm grateful to be coached by him. I like how intense he always is with us in each training session and how focused he is when he does warmups with us. It gets me focused for training sessions and in general he's just a good and fun person to be around," added Axel Aldana Gallegos, a Richmond United U16 Boys' player.

The USSF B License is designed for coaches involved with teams at the U13 level or higher. Originally accepted into the course in October 2023, Barnathan and Vinyals studied and applied leadership and coaching skills that involve game model creation, team and individual player performance analysis, and more.

Barnathan and Vinyals were waived straight into the B coaching course because of their numerous years of professional playing experience and their aptitude for coaching in highly competitive youth environments.

Dakota Barnathan said:

"I am grateful for the invaluable support and positive environment Richmond United provided as I honed the intricate details of my coaching craft through my B license journey. I'm excited to continue growing and achieving new heights together!"

Nil Vinyals said:

"It has been a pleasure to be involved with RU and coach the best players in Richmond, allowing me to keep growing as a coach. I want to thank Darren Sawatzky for allowing me and Mika Elovaara for the opportunity to coach at RU and his guidance in the USSF B license process. I'm very happy to have completed the course and grateful for the help of my colleagues and instructors, especially from my lead instructor, Leigh Veidman. I'm excited to continue to grow within the Richmond United environment and develop in my coaching pathway."

Darren Sawatzky, Richmond Kickers Head Coach and Chief Sporting Officer said:

"We are very happy for both Nil and Dakota with earning their USSF B license certifications. As we work to evolve and modernize the player development pathway in Richmond, both of these players are integral to the current professional team as players, and now they expand their reach here by passing on knowledge and information to the next generation of players while representing the community both on the field and off."

Mika Elovaara, Richmond Kickers Head Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development and Methodology, and Richmond United Technical Director said:

"I am proud of Nil and Dakota for pursuing and earning their B Licenses. If we want to develop better players, we must be committed to developing better coaches, too; the players deserve nothing less. I am grateful that I get to work with Nil and Dakota in both environments every day. We aim high in player development and in league standings, and they help us keep high standards for all. It takes a special person to complete the rigorous B course while also playing professional soccer, and that is, indeed, who they both are. They are promising young coaches, and also role models and mentors for the RIchmond United players."

Kimmy Cummings, Richmond United Girls' U15 and U16 Head Coach, and Richmond Ivy SC Head Coach, said:

"Dakota has been an incredible addition to the Richmond United coaching staff this year. His ability to dive right into working with two high-caliber teams was incredibly important to the overall team success. His willingness to absorb information and effectively apply it allowed for his continued growth this season. Being an incredibly talented player doesn't always equate to being an effective coach - Dakota checks both boxes and I'm incredibly excited for his continued growth in his coaching education!"

Chris Maimone, Richmond United Boys' U15 and U16 Head Coach, said:

"Nil's knowledge of the game, both as a coach and as a player, offers so much to me and most importantly to the players within the Richmond United environment. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate and work alongside him, and I know that this license is a continuation of not just his professional development, but also the future progression and development of the RU staff and players he interacts with."

Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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