Saucedo FC Academy Staff

Meet the Team

Martin Saucedo

Head Coach

“They can be good, but we gotta work"

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Martin Saucedo is a soccer coach who made a transition from being a full-time father to a full-time soccer coach for his son, Sebastian Saucedo. Martin raised and trained Sebastian starting in Park City Soccer clubs all the way through his son's professional soccer career. This led Sebastian to play professionally for  Real Salt Lake and now for one of the biggest soccer teams in Mexico City, The Pumas. 

Martin started coaching in 2003. Prior to coaching, Martin spent time observing training and games around the country. He brought that information back to his son Sebastian, and trained him to play at the highest level of soccer. This includes tournaments at the national level, where Sebastian has had the honor of representing the U.S. national team. Through Coach Saucedo’s dedication and commitment, he has shaped his son into the professional athlete that he is right now.   He has also coached several boys youth teams for The Red Wolves Academy, an elite soccer club based in Chattanooga TN. 

Martin has obtained several coaching certificates, trainings and courses that include Intro to Grassroots Course which covers the U.S. Soccer’s Grassroots Coaching Education Philosophy, Play-Practice-Play Methodology, the characteristics of players aged 11-12 and 13 & Older, the Six Tasks of a Coach (coaching games, coaching training sessions, leading the team, leading the player, managing the performance environment, and leadership).

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Today Coach Saucedo offers a wide range of training skills and abilities to provide for your child to grow and achieve desired goals.  Coach Saucedo focuses on both technical skills combined with physical fitness to make for optimal performance on the field. A balanced practice schedule that includes developing technical skills and endurance/plyometric training is a big part of Coach Saucedo’s coaching style. He schedules 3-4 soccer training sessions a week, as well as 2 games a week, to keep SFC players focused, “in the game” and active. Responsibility, respect and appreciation for team, coach, parents and game officials is instilled in all the SFC players, as these are life long character traits that define the integrity of the individual, player and team. Coach Saucedo is committed to training his players like professionals so they can excel in their position, be confident in their abilities and exhibit a level of play that is more advanced and developed than their peers. He will strive to teach each player to be confident and comfortable with the ball at their feet.

Signature quote:  "They can be good, but we gotta work."

Alejandro Mejia

Assistant Coach

“Your team is your family"

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As a player, Alejandro was a natural leader on the field, playing fairly, respectfully and with professionalism in games and tournaments. As a soccer athlete he excelled in his ability to read the field and his opponents. Those abilities coupled with his advanced technical skills and quick reflexes served him well as goalkeeper and made him a highly sought after player in Colombia. His extensive playing experience speaks for itself. 

• 2013: League de Bogota sub 13 Elite - Fairplay

• 2014: League de Bogota sub 14 Elite - Fairplay

• 2014: Tournament suroriente - Equidad Seguros

• 2015: League of Bogota sub 20 Equidad Seguros

• 2015: Tournament “futuras estrellas del Olaya” champion - Equidad Seguros

• 2015: Tournament “Olaya juvenil” - Seleccion Bogota

• 2016: Tournament national sub 17 - Equidad Seguros 

• 2016: League of Bogota sub 20 elite - Equidad Seguros

• 2016: Tournament of the Tabora youth (on loan) - Curramba

• 2017: Tournament national sub 20 - Equidad Seguros

• 2017: League of Bogota sub 23 Elite - Equidad Seguros 

• 2018: League of Magdalena sub 20 - Union Magdalena

• 2019: League of Bogota sub 23 Elite - Arsenal Bogota  

COACHING EXPERIENCE 

In addition to Alejandro's extensive playing career, Alejandro was the personal goalkeeper coach and trainer to professional soccer athlete Velez Sarfield - Colombia. He has obtained several coaching education and certifications, including Intro to Grassroots Course which covers the U.S. Soccer’s Grassroots Coaching Education Philosophy, Play-Practice-Play Methodology, the characteristics of players aged 11-12 and 13 & Older, and the Six Tasks of a Coach.  In addition, he  worked as an assistant coach with the boys youth teams affiliated with Red Wolves Academy from  2018-2020.

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Coaching Style/Philosophy: Alejandro believes that technical skills combined with physical fitness make for optimal performance on the field. A balanced practice schedule that includes developing technical skills and endurance/plyometric training is a big part of Alejandro’s coaching style. 3-4 soccer training sessions a week, as well as 2 games a week keeps Alejandro’s players focused, “in the game” and active. Alejandro teaches his players responsibility, respect and appreciation for team, coach, parents and game officials as these are life long character traits that define the integrity of the individual, player and team. Alejandro believes that “your team is your family” and hopes to instill in his players the importance of teamwork, good sportsmanship, positivity, and strong work ethic, not only working hard for yourself but also for your team. Commitment, determination and playing with heart are more important than a lot of experience or skill as skill and technique can be honed, commitment and determination cannot.  

Goals for the team: Alejandro is committed to training his players like professionals so they can excel in their position, be confident in their abilities and exhibit a level of play that is more advanced and developed than their peers. He will strive to teach each player to be confident and comfortable with the ball at their feet. His goal is to teach his players the same basic principles and soccer fundamentals that he was taught as a young athlete in Colombia. Those fundamentals include: endurance, mental and physical strength, speed, footwork and leadership. 

What makes Alejandro love coaching soccer: Alejandro’s love of coaching centers around developing the athlete, and the person. Not only does Alejandro enjoy developing each player’s individual skillset, he truly delights in seeing the person inside the athlete develop and grow in confidence, in strength, in mental capacity as well as athletic ability. He believes personal development is just as important as athletic development.

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