About Soccer HQ
Why Soccer HQ Exists
A child's first experiences with the game decide whether there is a second one.
We think most kids who walk away from soccer do not walk away because they lack talent. They walk away because the game asked them for things they were not ready to give, and it stopped being fun before it ever got good.
Soccer HQ is built on the opposite idea. Meet a child where they actually are, build the foundation in the right order, and the love for the game takes care of itself.
We respect the club system. We do not compete with it, we complement it. Soccer HQ exists to give kids the foundation they need to thrive wherever they play next.
Our Approach
Four Pillars.
One Community.
Every player is developing four things at once. Which ones lead depends on how old they are.
Technical
What a player can do with the ball
Physical
How a player moves
Tactical
How a player sees and solves the game
Mindset
Who a player becomes
Not every pillar at every age
Ages 2-4
Physical and Mindset lead
Ages 5-7
Technical leads
Ages 8-10
Tactical activates
Ages 11-13
All four firing
One Community is the environment all of it grows in. Belonging, relationships, mentorship, connection.
Justin Phelps
Founder, Soccer HQ
I built Soccer HQ after watching my own kids go through their first years in the game. I saw what a good start does for a young player, and I saw what a rushed one costs. That difference is the whole reason this place exists.
My son plays in an MLS academy now. That path started the same way every kid's does, with touches on the ball and a reason to keep coming back. The foundation came first, and it is still the thing everything else was built on. Get that right and the rest stays open.
What I want for every kid who walks through our doors is simple. Build real skills. Build belief. Leave loving the game.
Meet The Soccer HQ Team
Soccer HQ is led by a team of parents, educators, and experienced coaches who understand firsthand what families are looking for — a structured, positive place where kids can grow.
Our Coaches
Brandon Klase
Director of Coaching, Soccer HQ
Brandon holds a master's degree in coaching and a USSF B License, one of the higher coaching certifications in American soccer. He is currently the varsity girls head coach at Clearwater Central Catholic and previously served as a boys director at a local club.
He designs every session at Soccer HQ around where a child actually is, both in their soccer development and in their development as a kid. A five-year-old and a ten-year-old are not learning the same thing more slowly or more quickly, they are learning different things in different ways. Brandon builds our sessions to match, and he holds every coach to that standard.
His philosophy is simple: keep it fun, keep it challenging, keep kids moving.
Birdie Lombardo
Coach, Soccer HQ
Birdie played Division I soccer as a defender at the University of Georgia, competing in the SEC and earning a degree in communications. After college she worked in professional soccer with Birmingham Legion FC and Tampa Bay Sun FC, before bringing the game back to where she feels it matters most, working directly with kids.
She coaches across all age groups and leads private lessons, with a focus on defending, one-versus-one play, and confidence on the ball. Her standard for a session is that every player leaves feeling like they got a little bit better than when they walked in. It is a small thing to say and a hard thing to deliver forty times a week.
Mariana Giblin
Coach, Soccer HQ
Mariana is a St. Petersburg native who grew up in the game here. She started in rec soccer at six, played travel with Pinellas County United and St. Pete FC, and spent four years on varsity at Boca Ciega High School. She is currently a student at USF.
Mariana is our primary coach for Little Kicks and also works with Rising Stars. She has chosen to specialize in our youngest players, which is harder than it sounds. Holding the attention of a three-year-old, earning their trust, and sending them home wanting to come back takes a particular kind of patience.
Our Advisors
Jennifer Phelps
Child Development Advisor
Jennifer spent over 20 years in education and behavioral science before Soccer HQ existed. That background shaped how our sessions are built, from how long we hold a young child's attention to how coaches respond when a kid shuts down or refuses to join in.
Her view is that a four-year-old's first experience of a team is a developmental event, not just a soccer class. We built the program around that.
Leo Fernandes
Developmental Advisor – Soccer HQ
Leo brings over a decade of professional playing experience and serves as Director of Scouting for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, as well as a scout for U.S. Youth National Teams. He helped shape the development framework our programs are built on, the progression that carries a player from their first touch through competitive training.
As both a former professional player and a parent, Leo knows what clubs and national team scouts look for, and he knows almost none of it is built by rushing a young player. What matters early is touch, confidence, and wanting to come back next week.
Our Promise to Parents
When you join Soccer HQ, you’re joining a community that values growth over pressure and development over outcomes.
We promise to coach your child with positivity, structure, and care — and to partner with you every step of the journey.