Ze Roberto Brings Brazilian Flair and International Experience to Youth Coaching @ SDFA

Spotlight on SDFA’s Coach of the Year Ze Roberto – known as one of the best and most influential professional players, Ze Roberto was USL Hershey Wildcat’s Rookie of the Year when he first came to America.

The former MLS player, Ze Roberto now plays for the Championship San Diego Sockers and coaches youth soccer at San Diego Football Academy.

Most San Diego soccer fans know Jose “Ze” Roberto as a key member of the four-time Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) champion San Diego Sockers.

The fans love and cheer for him as a top professional soccer player but for those at the San Diego Football Academy (SDFA) he is simply “Coach Ze.” Ze Roberto: It is important to me to help the kids to be physically fit and technically sound so as they grow older they will still be able to play the game.

Ze Roberto: From what I have seen in San Diego, we have some good clubs and good players.

Coach Ze was awarded 2013 Coach of the Year because he developed three teams from the ground up, with players who had never played soccer before or who were coming from a low level technically.” Ze Roberto: I always encourage players to put in extra time on their own because I don’t think we have enough time in team practices.

Diane Scavuzzo: Do your kids and their parents look at you differently after they see you playing in a professional game? Ze Roberto: I would like more young players from San Diego be able to play elsewhere.