Riverview ParkSoccer Venue in Tempe, AZ

I grew up playing premier club in Seattle, WA. After my career was cut short by an injury, I began my coaching career. I have been an evaluator and coach for AZ ODP since 2024. Im also certified in Barça methodology. I specialize in helping players ages 8-18 develop game understanding over memorized patterns because the best players can read the game before the opponent can create it. Through film review, live-feedback, and leaving with homework, you learn the “why” behind every decision on the pitch!

"Our family met Coach Careena by chance nearly two years ago at a Barcelona camp where she trained our younger son, Kam. I quickly recognized something different in her approach: she brought a high level of soccer knowledge and quality to her sessions without underestimating what young players are capable of understanding. Too often, coaches simplify the game so much for kids that their own knowledge never fully transfers. Careena does the opposite. She keeps training supportive and fun while challenging players to think, understand, and perform at a higher level. After that camp, I asked about private training for our sons and learned that Careena was also an ODP trainer with extensive playing experience. That was about a year and a half ago, and both our U11 and U14 sons have now trained with her consistently for over a year. Today, Careena feels more like family than simply a trainer because of how genuinely invested she is in our boys. But as much as we value that relationship, the reason we continue training with her is the results. She works on aspects of the game that can substantially change a player: body mechanics, technical execution, decision-making, and realistic, scenario-based situations. She doesn’t just explain concepts—she demonstrates them, breaks them down, and provides specific feedback in language the boys understand and can immediately apply. She related to them both very well! Her investment also extends beyond training sessions. She has traveled to games, reviewed video, and even observed their team coaches to identify individual gaps that a head coach managing 13–20 players simply may not have time to address. She then adjusts her sessions based on what she sees, often without us having to identify or communicate those needs ourselves. When both boys attended ODP tryouts this August, Careena was checking the rosters for their results before I was! One made it and one didn’t, but what stood out was how she approached both outcomes—with positivity, perspective, and, most importantly, a plan for what each player needed to do next. Careena always comes prepared, and we leave every session feeling that the time was extremely well spent. She cares deeply about our boys, but she also challenges them, holds them accountable, and teaches details of the game that are too often overlooked. We’ve watched that work translate directly into their development as players, and that is why we keep coming back. We love Coach Careena and are incredibly grateful to have her in our boys’ corner!