ECNL announces Coaches of the Year across all leagues for 2024-25 season

RICHMOND, VA – The ECNL announced the 2024-25 Kwik Goal Coaches of the Year for ECNL Boys, ECNL Girls, ECNL Regional League Boys and ECNL Regional League Girls.

2024-25 Kwik Goal Coaches of the Year

• ECNL Boys: Leo Maric (XF Academy)
• ECNL Girls: Esteban Sosa (MVLA)
• ECNL Regional League Boys: John Kokkoris (East Coast Surf)
• ECNL Regional League Girls: Collin Scott (Lobos Rush)

These awards celebrate the successes of these coaches, clubs and players throughout the season and postseason. They represent clubs in all regions of the country, and reflect the strength and quality of the ECNL and ECNL Regional League across America.

Maric serves as XF Academy’s Sporting Director, coaching the club’s U17 boys team and then assisting with all other age groups. XF Academy won the ECNL Boys U18/19 National Championship on the club’s home fields in June, while the U13s, U14s and U17s all claimed a title at the ECNL Boys National Finals in Richmond. XF Academy’s four national titles were the most for a single club in a single season in ECNL Boys history, and the club was named the ECNL Boys Overall Club Champion as a result.

“Winning the ECNL Boys Coach of the Year is an incredible honor, but it’s truly a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and passion of our players, staff, and families,” Maric said. “This recognition means so much to our club — it validates the culture we’ve built together and the commitment we have to developing both athletes and young men of character. I’m proud beyond words of what our teams accomplished this season, from the big wins to the unseen daily grind that made them possible. Coaching in the ECNL is inspiring because it brings together the highest level of competition with a community that pushes each other to grow. For me, it’s about more than soccer — it’s about helping players realize their potential and creating moments they’ll carry for a lifetime.”

This season, Sosa coached his MVLA U16 girls squad to an ECNL National Championship at the ECNL Girls National Finals, the club’s first trophy since 2020-21. Sosa also coached his U15 girls team to the ECNL Girls National Finals, finishing as a Top 8 team in the age group. Fueled by the success of his team and the club overall, MVLA finished 7th in the overall club rankings.

“It’s an honor and incredibly humbling to be named ECNL Girls Coach of the Year,” Sosa said. “I am not the coach I am today without the help of my peers and the amazing coaching staff we have at MVLA. I’m so proud of our club’s accomplishments this year and being in the top seven clubs in the country is something we take a lot of pride in. What I love most about coaching in the ECNL is the level of learning that goes on as a coach both in playing against other amazingly talented teams, and having a staff that pushes me to continue learning through different ideas. The ECNL continues to prove why it’s the best league in the country through some of the most competitive and well organized events throughout the year.”

As East Coast Surf’s Boys Director of Coaching, Kokkoris oversaw the club as they claimed the ECNL RL Boys U15 National Championship and finished as the runner-up in the U13 National Championship game. Thanks to his leadership, East Coast Surf earned promotion into ECNL Boys for the 2025-26 season.

“Being named Coach of the Year is an honor, but it represents far more than one person – it reflects the standard of excellence our players, families, and staff live every day,” Kokkoris said. “We don’t want to just compete, we strive to set the bar. And as we remind our players, this recognition is not the finish line, the hard work is only just beginning.”

With Scott at the helm, Lobos Rush brought home the ECNL RL Girls U15 National Championship. The U15 National Championship was the first-ever national title for the club.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized as the ECNL RL Girls Coach of the Year, especially given how many talented and experienced coaches are part of this league,” Scott said. “Lobos Rush is very proud to be part of the ECNL, and coaching under the ECNL umbrella has expanded both my coaching and personal growth, with all of the tools and resources they provide to help us improve. From Coaches Voice to the Symposium and so much more, it’s easy to see why this league not only has the best teams, but also some of the best coaches in the country.”