Academy Directors

 

                                                                                                                                                              

JORGE GARCIA, BOYS MLS NEXT ACADEMY DIRECTOR


Born and raised in New Jersey, Jorge has been calling San Diego home since 2018. Jorge grew up playing club and high school soccer at national powerhouse St. Benedict’s Prep, winning a National Championship in his senior year. He then went on to play college soccer at Rutgers University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Finance.

Jorge got his start in coaching over 14 years ago at Benfica Soccer Academy in New Jersey. Since then, he has been Assistant Coach of St. Benedict’s Prep, Club Founder and President of First Touch Football Club in NJ; Director of Coaching and Associate Head Coach of the PDL team at Lehigh Valley United in PA. Jorge has obtained his USSF National A license, as well as his Advanced National and Director of Coaching Diplomas from United Soccer Coaches. Jorge has guided players to collegiate and professional ranks, and is eager to do the same here at ALBION SC as the Boys MLS Next Academy Director.


 





                           

DANIEL CAVAR, GIRLS ACADEMY DIRECTOR


Daniel was born in the former Yugoslavia and played soccer in Germany before coming to the United States. Playing for TSV Altheim, SF Salzstetten, and Stuttgart Auswahl, when he moved to the United States, the stellar athlete continued his career with Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah, and Utah State Select.

Daniel has been coaching soccer for the last 15 years, where he spent most of his career as an Academy Director for Utah Soccer Alliance, one of the largest youth soccer clubs in the state of Utah. He was also involved with the Olympic Development Program with both the girl's and boys' sides, and coached in the USL 2 with the Park City Red Wolves.

After successfully guiding players to the college and professional ranks, Daniel is excited to do the same as the Girls Academy Director at ALBION SC.  In addition to coaching soccer, Daniel has dedicated much of his life to educating students in schools about the importance of physical education. He served as an Athletic Director and holds a B.A. in Exercise & Sport Science, M.A. in Sports & Athletic Administration, and currently is finishing out his Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis on Performance Psychology.  Daniel holds a USSF National B License, and is immensely proud to wear the ALBION SC crest on his heart as the new Director of the GA soccer program. He is looking forward to building a strong program that will compete for many national titles. With his passion for the game, Daniel is determined to develop talented players and provide them with the best resources and opportunities to succeed at the highest level. He is committed to creating a culture of excellence and building a winning tradition that will stand the test of time.
 


                                                                                                                                                              

ELTON JAZEXHIU, BOYS ELITE ACADEMY DIRECTOR


Elton grew up in Tirana, Albania, where he played soccer with the youth program of FK Dinamo Tirana, one of Albania’s premier professional clubs. Coach Jazexhiu studied Exercise Physiology and Coaching at “Tirana Sports University” from 1992-1995, and graduated from BYU with a BA in International Studies in 2001. He is in the process of finishing his Master of Education in Sport Administration from MSU Texas, which will be completed in December 2023.

Elton comes to ALBION SC after having extensive coaching and leadership experience. Coach Jazexhiu spent three years as Head Assistant Coach with the Men’s and Women’s Soccer programs at Salt Lake Community College During Jazexhiu’s tenure, where both teams won Regional Championships for the first time in their history. He then went on to coach WTC’s mens from 2021-2022. Under his leadership, the Westerners not only posted a 20-5-2 record in his two seasons at the helm, achieving unprecedented success reaching as high as no. 4 in the country, but also qualified for the NJCAA Division 1 National Championship Tournament in consecutive seasons after a ten-year absence. Under his leadership, WTC Men’s soccer team was recognized with the National Tournament Sportsmanship Award. En route to qualifying for the National Championship, WTC men’s soccer was crowned Conference Champions, Regional Champions, District Champions, while Coach Jazexhiu was voted as NTJCAC and Mid-South District Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons. From WTC, Elton completed two seasons as coach with Men’s Soccer at La Salle University, a D1 program in Philadelphia competing in the Atlantic 10 conference.

In 2019, Coach Jazexhiu was instrumental in helping both the SLCC Men’s and Women’s soccer programs achieve their best records ever. The Women won their SWAC Conference going undefeated in conference play. The team finished 12-1-1 with the only loss coming in the Regional Championship game, improving the 2018 record of 13-2-2. The men won their SWAC Conference for the third time in four years, going perfect in conference 10-0-0, and made it to the District Final for the first time in program history. The program finished 2019 with a record of 14-1-1, and both teams were ranked in the top 5 in the Nation by the NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches organizations. In 2020, the Men's team won a National Championship and the Women's team were finalists at Nationals.

Jazexhiu has been involved in coaching in Utah, Texas, and Pennsylvania for almost 25 years. Recently, he was Director of Coaching for Pennsylvania Rush. Prior to Rush, he was in Utah where he was Director of Coaching for La Roca FC. From 2006 to 2008, Jazexhiu was the Head Coach of the Utah Valley University Men’s Soccer club team amassing a record of 29-8-2 in his two years there. From there, Jazexhiu was the Director of Coaching for Utah Arsenal SC from 2011 to 2014, then to La Roca FC, and finally to Pennsylvania Rush.

Coach Jazexhiu holds a Union of European Football Associations, UEFA A license, a U.S. Soccer National Youth License, and a U.S. Soccer C license.

 

 

                            

 

DAVID BANKS, DPL DIRECTOR 


David Banks started his soccer career as an English soccer defender, and is currently the Technical Director of Albion SC San Diego CS & the DPL women's director. He was the 1991 Major Soccer League Rookie of the Year and played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, National Professional Soccer League, USISL and USL A-League. In 1983, David joined Wigan Athletic as an apprentice, and played 79 youth and reserve team games for Wigan over two seasons. In 1985, David joined Nottingham Forest with the reserves, and in 1986 entered Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, Philadelphia, where he played on the men's soccer team from 1986 to 1989. He led the team in goals with 10 in 1989, and is ninth on the career assists list with 20. David was selected as a First team All American his senior season, and was inducted into the Philadelphia Textile Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 1990, David signed with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Soccer League, and he earned “Rookie of the Year” when The Sockers won the championship. After a repeat championship win in 1992, David still holds the record for most consecutive games as a rookie with the Socker’s, as well as the title of the Youngest Captain in team history. He spent part of the 1992–1993 National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) season playing for the Denver Thunder. The team finished as runner-up in the first Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) championship with David being named as a first team All Star. That year, David was also named captain, a position he held through the 1996 season. The Sockers folded in 1996, and David began the 1996–1997 NPSL season with the St. Louis Ambush before moving to the Buffalo Blizzard for the end of the season, where he continued to play through the end of the 1998–1999 NPSL season. David spent the summer of 1997 with the Houston Hotshots of the CISL, and the summer of 1998 with the Charleston Battery of the USISL. In 1999, David moved to the San Diego Flash of the USL A-League, eventually concluding his career in 2000, as a second team USISL All Star, and playing 25 games for the Flash.

David began coaching in San Diego with the La Jolla High School girls’ varsity team, for a total of three seasons, then returned in 2001, taking the team to the CIF Championship win & state championship. In 1999, he joined the University of California, San Diego women's team as an assistant coach, until 2003. In 1999, he became the Director of Coaching with the San Diego Fire F.C. youth club before moving to Nott's Forest F.C. in 2004-2022. Currently, David is the ALBION SC San Diego CS Technical Director & DPL women's director. Holds a USSF 'A' license.