COACH SPOTLIGHT:
Riddel (Ray) Foster

Teams and roles at FKK: U19 Kraze N1, U17 Kraze N1, U14 Kraze N1

How long have you been coaching soccer?

I have been coaching soccer for more than 25 years throughout Central Florida. I began my coaching career as a coordinator with Deltona Youth Soccer Club before moving into coaching U-12 and U-13 boys and girls teams.

I later joined Orlando Football Club, where I coached U-14 and U-15 boys. I also served as Head Coach at Pine Ridge High School, coaching the Varsity girls and Junior Varsity boys teams.

From there, I joined FC America, where I spent six years coaching U-15 through U-18 boys. I then spent two years with Spirit United, coaching U-16 and U-17 boys.

In 2014, I joined FKK, where I have now been coaching for more than 12 years. During my time with FKK, I have coached U-18 Composite, ECNL, ECNL-R, and NPL teams.

In addition to my club and high school coaching experience, I founded a semi-professional soccer team, the Macca Ballers, which competed in the UPSL (United Premier Soccer League). I also served head coach for the team Frenzy, which competed in the UPSL.

Favorite part of coaching:
What I enjoy most about coaching and mentoring players is seeing when they accomplish something they have worked so hard to achieve. Whether their goal is to play soccer at the collegiate level, master a specific skill, or improve in an area of their game, watching them reach that goal is incredibly rewarding. For me, there is no greater joy as a coach than seeing a player realize that their hard work, dedication, and belief in themselves have paid off. Their success and growth are what make coaching so meaningful to me.

Coaching philosophy:
My coaching philosophy is giving players the freedom to play, make mistakes, and solve problems on their own. When they are unable to find a solution on their own, that is when I step in to guide and coach them. My goal is not only to develop better soccer players, but to develop confident players who can think for themselves and make decisions on the field.

Most memorable soccer moment:
A moment in my coaching career that stands out is my time at FC America. Over the course of three years, I played a pivotal role in helping over 30 players receive college scholarships. Seeing those players achieve something they had worked so hard for was incredibly rewarding. Knowing that I was able to contribute to their development and help them take the next step in their soccer careers is something I will always be proud of.

Advice for young players:
Advice I would give to young players trying to improve their game is the famous quote, "the heights by great players reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight, but while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night." It's important to set goals for yourself and work hard to achieve them at your own pace.

Favorite soccer player or role model:
My favorite soccer player is Ronaldinho, because he is the one of the most skillful players in the world and also maintains a great attitude when playing under pressure and adversity

Fun facts about you:
I like to pray before every game. I am a christian, and true believe in Christ and enjoy going to church.

Why you love being part of FKK:
I love being apart of FKK because it provides me the best environment as a Coach to reach my goals and gives players in and outside of the club the best opportunity to achieve their soccer goals.

One word that describes your team(s):
U14 Boys N1 - Trusting
U17 Boys N1 - Family
U19 Boys N1 - Growing