MEET THE FOUNDER

Rafa brings a tremendous wealth of experience and professionalism to his program. With 25+ years of playing and coaching experience, he brings to the training field the knowledge and ability to help players reach their full playing potential.

Player development has always been Rafa’s passion and philosophy, this is why he created SWAP in 2009. SWAP began as a private training program and in 2015, it evolved into a soccer club.

“After spending almost 6 years of doing private training with players from all over Southern California, our program was ready to move to the next step and that was to provide an environment where our players could get the full club experience”.

Rafa played college soccer at Cal State LA and played professionally in Mexico. He has coached at pretty much every level. He’s coached at the youth club level including in the US Development Academy where he was voted National Coach of the Year by US Soccer in 2008. From 2000-2004, he was Leo Cuellar’s assistant on the Mexican Women’s National Team that qualified for the Olympics in Greece. Rafa has also coached at the college level and since 2012 he has been the girls’ head coach at Gabrielino High School where he has won two CIF championships (2013, 2019) and one State title (2019).

“It really doesn’t matter what any of us have done as players or even where or who we have coached, it all comes down to whether or not we can teach the game to these young players”.

“The key is to find and use the right tools that can help each individual become motivated enough to do everything it takes to achieve their personal goals. You want players hungry to become better, if they get better, the whole team gets better. It’s never the other way around. To me, that’s player development and that’s what I strive to accomplish in every session.”

Rafa currently resides in Alhambra, CA, with his wife and three children.

RAFA’S RESUME

Soccer With A Purpose (SWAP) Founder

2009-PRESENT

  • Private Training Program Head Trainer

  • Technical Development Program (TDP) Director

  • Club Teams Coaching Director

COACHING EXPERIENCE

CLUB SOCCER

2009-PRESENT SWAP Coaching Director

Titles and Responsibilities:

  • Forming New Teams

  • Managing all aspects of the club

  • Training and Coaching teams in every age group

  • Coaching teams in CSL and So Cal League

  • Coaching our teams in prestigious tournaments such as Dallas Cup, Disney Showcase Surf Cup and Man City Cup

1997-2008       Flyers SC/Los Angeles Futbol Club (LAFC) Coaching Director

Titles and Responsibilities:

  • Club Director: Responsible for managing all aspects of the club consisting of 38 boys and girls teams;

  • Coaching Director: Recruited, assigned, and evaluated coaches and handled all coaching related issues;

  • Head Trainer: Responsible for training and providing training for teams and players; conducted or administered team skill training clinics;

  • Head Coach: Coaching experience includes every age group from U9-U19 teams;

  • Camps Director and Coordinator

Coaching Experience in youth club tournaments and league competition:

  • USSF DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY 2008:

  • One of only 63 clubs accepted in the entire country

  • Development Academy U18 National Championship Finalist

  • Development Academy Southern California Conference Coach of the Year

  • Voted USSF Development Academy U18 Coach of the Year

  • Coast Soccer Premier League: Boys U16 and U-17 Coach

  • Coast Soccer League: Coached Boys and Girls U9-19 (All bracket levels)

  • Dallas Cup: 2007, 2008 Boys U-16 and U17

  • Disney Showcase: 2007, Orlando FL

  • Super Y League Championship Tournament: 2007, 2008

  • Voted Coach of the Year in 2008

  • Experienced in other prestigious youth soccer tournaments such as Surf Cup and Gothia Cup in Sweden.

INTERNATIONAL COACHING EXPERIENCE        

2000-2005 Mexican Women’s National Team Assistant Coach

  • Assistant Coach to Leo Cuellar on the team that qualified to the Summer Olympics in Greece 2004.

  • Extensive international games and tournament experience with the Mexican Women’s National Team.

COLLEGE COACHING EXPERIENCE   

1995-1996          Cal State LA Volunteer Assistant Coach to Leo Cuellar

1997-1998          Claremont McKenna Assistant Coach to Louie Bilowitz

HIGH SCHOOL COACHING EXPERIENCE

2002-2003          La Canada High School Boys Varsity

  • League Champions

  • Coach of the Year

2012- PRESENT Gabrielino High School

  • 8 Mission Valley League Titles

  • 2 CIF TITLES (2013 and 2019)

  • 1 State Championship 2019

 PLAYING EXPERIENCE

COLLEGE CAREER:               

1989-1992    Cal State LA University NCAA Div 1, played for Coach Leo Cuellar and was a starter all four years. Rafa was also the team captain in his junior and senior years.

 PROFESSIONAL CAREER:  

1992-1993    Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Mexican 1st Division Played for Coach Anibal Ruiz

1993-1994    Club Deportivo Guadalajara Tapatio, 2d Division Played for Coach Nene Zapiain and won a National Championship

1994-1995    Club Deportivo Tepic, Mexican 1-A League

1995-1996    LA Salsa, United Soccer League (USL) Pro Division Played for Coach Ricky Davis

1997-1998    Orange County Zodiac, USISL