Click below to download Press Release
    




La Canada Flintridge, CA – Feb 10th, 2015 – Barry Ritson, Executive Director of LA Premier Sports, proudly announces the appointment of Louis Hunt as their new Girls Director of Coaching and Radames ‘Rod’ LaFaurie as Boys Director of Coaching.

Hunt takes over this position from Emanuel ‘Manny’ Martins and LaFaurie takes over from Jamie Harvey. LA Premier FC is a premier youth soccer club based out of La Canada, CA serving the San Gabriel, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys.

Louis Hunt has been a valuable member of the LA Premier FC coaching staff since 2006. He has held various positions including Asst. Girls DOC and most recently Director of Player Development. Hunt is also the current Assistant Coach of the Women’s Soccer Team at Division 2 powerhouse, Cal Poly Pomona. A native of the UK, Hunt graduated from the University of Wolverhampton in 2005 with a degree in Sports Studies.

At the professional level of coaching, Hunt served as the goalkeeper coach for the L.A. Strikers during the 2012 W-League season.

Hunt holds various coaching licenses, including the "B" License, National Goalkeeper License and National Youth License from the USSF. He also earned the NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma. He is awaiting results form his “A” license that he completed earlier this month.

“I'm delighted & extremely excited to take on the responsibility of Girls Director of Coaching at LA Premier FC”, said Hunt.

“In the nine years I've been at the club I've seen the girls side has grown immensely. Especially in the last few years under the guidance of Executive Director Barry Ritson & our former girls DOC Manny Martins, who did a terrific job. I'm looking forward to working with our talented coaching staff on a more in depth level over the coming months and years. “

“Whether it be playing in a fun learning environment, playing to compete at higher levels, or playing to maximize college recruitment opportunities, I'm convinced LAPFC is the place for female soccer players in Southern California & I'm delighted to continue to be apart of it. “

Radames ‘Rod’ LaFaurie is our new Boys Director of Coaching, and comes to the program as Head Coach of Occidental College Men’s Soccer and Golf Coordinator. In the club world, LaFaurie is a seasoned professional coach having worked at Westside Breakers youth club for the past 9 seasons.

A former soccer standout at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. he contributed to two CIF championships teams. As a club player, he guided his teams to two Coast Soccer League Premier titles and two Surf Cup Super Group tournament wins before he continued his soccer career at Cal State University, Northridge, a Division I member of the Big West. During his four-year career Lafaurie amassed the record for most wins as a goalkeeper in program history, helping the team to perennial top-25 national rankings while consistently participating in the post-season play. Lafaurie was named the 2003 Cal State Northridge Male Scholar Athlete of the Year for the Matadors.

After capping off his collegiate career, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Communications in 2005, Lafaurie went on to train with the Los Angeles Galaxy as a reserve for a season under Steve Sampson and followed up with a two-year stint in the Premier Development League (PDL). Simultaneously, while playing professional soccer, Lafaurie completed Master’s coursework in History from CSUN in 2007.

Beyond the classroom and the field, Lafaurie has a solid foundation in recruiting, scouting and planning/organizing both practices and schedules for his teams and has proven himself by way of the success of those teams he has coached.

Called one of the finest up and coming coaches in the country, he also currently works with the Region IV Olympic Development Program as a staff coach for the 1997s age group and is also the Nevada ODP Head Coach for the 2002 Boys Team. Rod currently holds a United States Soccer Federation "A" coaching license.

Rod and his wife Graziella live in Eagle Rock with their son Luca.

“I'm really excited to become a part of LA Premier FC. It does a lot of good in the community, has a great name in youth soccer, and is a place that ultimately can become more than just a club. I'm eager to raise the profile even further on the national stage while creating a place where players look back on their careers here at LAPFC as the most formative time of their lives. “

Furthering the opportunities on the field is a major priority, LaFaurie continues,

“On the field, we want to create a distinctive style of play and continue our on-the-field success, but more importantly we are striving to achieve excellence in order to leave a positively distinctive impact on everyone associated with this club. We have a large goal in front of us, but simply put, we will be aiming to create the best place to play club soccer in the country.”

LA Premier wishes to place on record its gratitude to both Emanuel ‘Manny’ Martins and Jamie Harvey, and thanks them for their years of service. We are excited at the new changes in our leadership and are confident the club is in good hands as we look to the future with excitement.