Donn O'Malley
Youth Soccer Coach
Youth Soccer Coach
(815) 276-7702 • Donn@OMalleyLand.com
Saint Paul Park and Rec Coaches Certification
U.S. Center For Safesport Certification
CDC HEADS UP Concussion Training for Youth Sports Coaches
Sideline Behavior - The Sideline Project / Soccer Parenting Association
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Program Stabilization & Emergency Deployment: Demonstrated immediate adaptability by accepting the role hours before the season opener; successfully managed game-day logistics and coaching duties for both B-Squad and JV teams during staff vacancies, acting as a crucial bridge to ensure a seamless start and maintain program stability.
Holistic Player Development (The "Human Stack"): Implemented a structured journaling and 1:1 meeting framework to understand each athlete’s personal, academic, and athletic goals. Leveraged these insights to tailor coaching strategies, resulting in higher engagement and the ability to navigate conflict through shared expectations.
Pipeline Construction: Designed a developmental pathway that successfully prepared B-Squad athletes for higher-level play. Developed multiple players who became key contributors to the JV squad mid-season, some of whom are projected for Varsity contributions next season.
Strategic Roster Management: Balanced immediate team success with long-term athlete growth, making strategic decisions on player placement not just for the team benefit but to maximize the player’s growth.
Culture & Communication: Prioritized direct, face-to-face communication to build a transparent and respectful team culture, serving as a communications protocol layer to bridge the gap between a newly formed B-Squad and the established program.
Technical Coaching & Process Leadership: Mentoring the programming sub-team on the complexities of software and hardware interactions. Guiding students through the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)—from Design to Production—while assisting with industry-standard version control and documentation processes to ensure year-over-year continuity as students graduate.
Facility Safety & Compliance Management: Leveraged industrial automation and government experience to resolve complex compliance blockers for a large-scale CNC installation. Managed negotiations between international certifying bodies and district facilities to bridge the gap between CE ratings and required UL electrical standards, ensuring equipment safety and operational readiness.
Inclusive Leadership & Player Retention: Championed a "zero-exclusion" philosophy for athletes with diverse learning styles and interpersonal challenges. Partnered directly with families to build trusted support systems, resulting in a near-zero attrition rate and successfully transforming at-risk participants into team leaders.
Inclusive Training: Worked independently with Park and Recreations to secure gym time, allowing me to provide weekly, free, open soccer/futsal practice through the start of winter to bridge the gap between the Rec Soccer and Futsal sessions.
Adapted Coaching Techniques: Tailored instruction to meet individual behavioral needs, ensuring every player found their "right level" of contribution. Fostered a shared understanding of positive participation that allowed challenging players to reintegrate and thrive rather than quit.
Planned and Organized Practices: Developed and executed structured practice plans focusing on the fundamentals, strategies, and rules of soccer to ensure players' growth and development.
Emphasized Sportsmanship: Fostered a positive environment by teaching players the value of respect, teamwork, and good sportsmanship both on and off the field.
Ensured Player Safety: Instructed participants on safety procedures, managed injury situations effectively, and maintained safe playing conditions by inspecting facilities and equipment.
Supervised Youth Athletes: Provided attentive supervision for all players during practices and games, ensuring a secure and inclusive environment.
Motivated Players: Encouraged young athletes to strive for personal and team excellence by building confidence and promoting a growth mindset.
Developed Competitive Skills: Worked with players to improve technical abilities, fitness, and game understanding, preparing them for competitive play.
Managed Equipment and Logistics: Organized and maintained inventory of soccer gear, ensured availability of necessary equipment, and arranged field reservations for practices and games.
Communicated Effectively: Maintained open communication with players, parents, and program administrators, providing updates and fostering strong community relationships.
Supported Program Goals: Aligned coaching activities with the mission and vision of Saint Paul Parks and Rec, contributing to an inclusive and welcoming program for all participants.
Youth Development and Engagement: Designed and implemented practice plans that emphasized skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship, fostering a positive and inclusive environment for young athletes.
Game Strategy and Adaptability: Taught fundamental techniques and game strategies, adapting coaching approaches to meet the needs and skill levels of individual players.
Organizational and Leadership Skills: Managed team logistics, including scheduling practices, coordinating games, and communicating effectively with players and parents.
Emphasized Sportsmanship: Fostered a positive environment by teaching players the value of respect, teamwork, and good sportsmanship both on and off the field.
Motivated Players: Encouraged young athletes to strive for personal and team excellence by building confidence and promoting a growth mindset.
Adapted Coaching Techniques: Tailored instruction to meet the diverse skill levels and learning needs of players, ensuring inclusivity and progress for all participants.
Developed Competitive Skills: Worked with players to improve technical abilities, fitness, and game understanding, preparing them for competitive play.
Communicated Effectively: Maintained open communication with players, parents, and program administrators, providing updates and fostering strong community relationships.
Supported Program Goals: Aligned coaching activities with the mission and vision of Saint Paul Parks and Rec, contributing to an inclusive and welcoming program for all participants.
Process Engineering & Stakeholder Management: Designed and implemented the foundational documentation and process workflows for the club’s annual international trip, creating the program's only legacy continuity assets. Successfully pitched and aligned the Board, coaches, and families on these new systems, overcoming initial resistance to "overhead" to drive long-term operational efficiency.
Roster and Documentation Management: Maintained accurate and up-to-date player rosters, documentation, and photos to ensure readiness for games, tournaments, and official events.
Club/Family Communication: Acted as a liaison between families and the club, ensuring the 'User Experience' for parents was smooth and organized.
Budget Management: Successfully managed team budgets, ensuring invoices were paid on time and financial operations ran smoothly.
Event Inclusivity: Contributed to creating inclusive and welcoming environments by identifying and replacing non-aligned events with engaging, community-focused activities.
Organizational Leadership: Demonstrated strong planning and organizational skills by coordinating schedules, rosters, and team logistics effectively.
Fundraising Leadership: Designed and executed a new fundraising strategy, achieving a 150% increase in funds and a 400% boost in engagement, demonstrating innovative problem-solving and organizational skills.
Effective Communication: Managed social media, newsletters, and digital platforms to enhance engagement with staff, families, and the community.
Process Development: Established transparent systems for managing requests and distributing resources, ensuring accountability and efficiency.
Digital Transition Leadership: Converted organizational operations to paperless systems, streamlining communication and documentation processes.
Team Coordination: Provided consistent updates and managed delegated tasks to ensure smooth collaboration and goal alignment.
Event Leadership and Strategy: Designed and executed large-scale events, including a community-focused Fun Run fundraiser, showcasing organizational skills and the ability to rally participants toward a common goal.
Team Building and Leadership: Led and supported diverse groups, including volunteers and committee chairs, fostering collaboration and achieving full staffing for leadership roles over two years.
Collaboration with Stakeholders: Worked closely with school staff and administration to align organizational goals with broader educational priorities, ensuring cohesive teamwork and shared success.
Operational Planning and Coordination: Streamlined logistics and scheduling, ensuring efficient operations for events and initiatives while maintaining clear communication with all participants.
Youth Engagement and Development: Increased opportunities for student leadership and participation, fostering a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and commitment to shared objectives.
Comprehensive Knowledge of Soccer: Deep understanding of soccer fundamentals, rules, strategies, and proper conditioning techniques.
Safety and Risk Management: Proficient in implementing safety protocols, managing injuries, and ensuring a secure environment for players.
Strong Communication Skills: Adept at delivering clear instructions, fostering team relationships, and maintaining open communication with players, parents, and staff.
Leadership and Team Building: Skilled in motivating athletes, promoting teamwork, and creating an inclusive, sportsmanship-focused atmosphere.
Stakeholder Management & Conflict Resolution (First-Call Resolution): Effective at diagnosing and working with Parents and Players through challenging discussions and differences of opinions to ensure clear expectations and commitment to shared decisions.
Operational Process Design & Planning: Experienced in establishing and maintaining system efficiency via scheduling practices and games, managing equipment inventory, and developing structured training programs to ensure smooth team operations.
Primarily played as a Striker(9) or an Offensive Center Midfielder(8). Also filled in as a Winger (11 or 7 - More left side than right). I often played a full 90 minutes. I play an aggressive, high pressure and very loud game. A team that plays together and has better fitness can win every time. I believe a team is more than the individual players and a team’s success is directly associated to the community and culture the team fosters.
School:
1999-2001 - Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota - Winona, MN
1995-1999 - Crystal Lake Central High School - Crystal Lake, IL
Club:
1995-1999 - FC96ers - Schaumburg IL
1993-1994 - Northwest United Soccer Club - Crystal Lake, IL
1991-1993 & 1994-1995 - Hotspurs Soccer Club - Crystal Lake, IL