Mike Smith
Interim Academy Director
USSF A License
Constantine Konstin
"Cony"
Academy Technical Director
USSF A License
2020-2021 Season
Head Coaching Staff
Paul Karver
U19 Team
USSF A License
Paul Karver
U17 Team
USSF A License
Chris Thurley
U16 Team
USSF A License
Tracy Nelson
U15 Team
USSF A License
Erin Grand
U14 Team
USSF B License "Candidate"
Tracy Nelson
U13 Team
USSF A License
For the 2020/2021 Season the Portland Thorns Academywill have teams in the U18/19, U17, U16, U15, U14 and U13 age groups. The Thorns Academy will play in the ECNL League.
The coaching staff will be integrated and will work with each other across the age groups, as well as with the Thorns FC first team coaches when available.
Portland Thorns Academy will continue to partner with Westside Timbers who will provide administrative support to the program as well as a more consistent access to field space.
Below are the 2020/2021 Head Coaches. We are finalizing the Staff and Assistant Coaches and will post in the near future.
2020/2021 Portland Thorns Academy
Coaching Staff
Mike Smith - Interim Academy Director
UEFA Youth Pro License from the French Football Federation Previous Coaching Experience
Mike has been involved in the Thorns Academy since its inception in 2014. Mike formed the initial Academy team, a U17 team, that played in the Far West Regional League. The following year, a second team was added at U16, which meant we had 2 elite teams at U16 & U18. In 2016, US Soccer announced that they were beginning the US Soccer Development Academy for Girls. Mike as the original Academy Director, was a driving force behind The Portland Thorns Academy being one of the first 2 clubs in the country accepted to the new Development Academy (DA League). In the past few years, Mike has had the opportunity, on occasion, to train the non-travel players when the first team is on the road, which has also further strengthened the connection between the Academy and the first team. "Our mission & directive has always been to be a pioneer in girls' soccer and run the top female Academy program in the country. The Thorns Academy gives these elite young women athletes a professional structure to work within daily and provides the best environment to develop top female players" | 
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Tracy Nelson - Assistant Academy Director and
U13 & U15 and Head Coach
Previous Coaching Experience
Awards
Playing Accomplishments | 
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Paul Karver - Head Coach U19 & U17 Driven coach with 14 years experience at highly competitive NCAA soccer programs in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Southern California, Nevada, Oregon, and most recently, Northern California. A proven track record in recruiting and developing talent at the college, club and ODP levels. Consistently developed positive team cultures resulting in high achieving teams with a focus on the student-athlete experience. Previous Coaching Experience
Other Licensing | 
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Chris Thurley - Head Coach U16 Previous Coaching Experience
Awards including: Chris has coached at the state and regional level since 1994. He coached boys and girls at La Salle HS before moving to Jesuit HS in 2005. In that time, he has coached numerous players that have gone on to play professionally, including Kendall Johnson (Portland Thorns) Ryan Cochrane (various MLS teams) and Rubio Rubin (currently playing for Tijuana in Liga MX ). Chris played soccer in England at Bishop's Stortford Swifts in the Essex Olympian League (1984-1990). Chris holds a current USSF 'A' & 'Y' license as well as Advance National Diploma through the NSCAA. | 
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Erin Grand - Head Coach U14 Previous Coaching Experience
Playing Accomplishments | 
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Constantine "Cony" Konstin In addition to his role with the Portland Thorns Academy, Cony has been the Director of Coaching for Westside Timbers since 2002 and the Director of the Metros Futsal Academy since 2016. He has been a FIFA Futsal Instructor since 2005 and has conducted FIFA and Futsal courses in various countries around the world as well as providing scouting and translating for the PFL during the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2016. He has been a CONCACAF Coaching Instructor since 2016 and holds an 'A' National Coaching License and a Master's Degree in Sports Management from University of San Francisco. Cony was the former Assistant Coach for the USL Portland Timbers and has over 38 years of coaching experience at Club, High School, Collegiate, Professional and Olympic Development levels in California, Texas and Oregon. He played on the US Futsal National team as well as the professional team, Golden Gate Gales ASL and Semi-Pro Greek Americans. He is fluent in both English and Spanish.
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