Staff

 

The DCWA Coaching Team is dedicated to providing a professional, fun, and challenging soccer experience for all of our amazing players. Our academy boasts a team of highly qualified coaches from diverse backgrounds. This enriches our players' learning experience by exposing them to various coaching approaches and methodologies.

The members of our team strive to accomplish our mission by exhibiting strong characteristics such as leadership, responsibility, and accountability as well as holding true to our core values of being family-oriented, promoting good sportsmanship, keeping a balanced lifestyle off the pitch,  growing individuals first and then the team, community outreach work, educating families on injury prevention, and developing coaches within our community through Counselor-in-Training programs.

DC Way Academy is based on a culture of honesty, fairness, expertise, and a passion for soccer and coaching. We take it very seriously when considering hiring a new member of our team. We are truly proud to say that every member of our staff has exceptional personality traits and coaching skills such as a positive, fair approach to coaching, honesty and fairness with all players, a love for the game, a passion for teaching and giving instruction to youth, and extensive knowledge of games, activities, and skills to develop players into well-rounded and successful individuals. 

 

Our Coaches

BLAKE BROWN

Academy Coordinator

Travel Coach - U9 & U10

CELESTE BUSS

Academy Coordinator

Travel Coach - Girls

LEO GONZALEZ

Travel Coach - U8 & U11 Boys

AMALIA PROPER

Travel Administrator

JUAN CORTES

Travel Coach - U8 Boys

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ

Travel Coach - U12 Boys

RUSS GULIYEV

Travel Coach - U10 Boys

MICHAEL ELFMAN

Travel Coach - U11 Boys

ALY ISMAIL

Travel Coach - U13 Boys

LUKAS BARBERI

Travel Coach - U9 Girls

CARINA VITAL

Travel Coach - U10 & U11 Girls

ANDREJ POPOV

Travel Coach - U12 Girls

SPENCER PAIK

Travel Coach - U11 Girls


Get To Know Our Coaches


Our Team

 
DENIS C. LUCKYDirector of Coaching Denis comes from a long tradition of soccer. His father, a professional player, started teaching Denis soccer as soon as he could walk. Coming from a tradition of education, he was also raised by a mother who has w…

DENIS CHEKURISTOV

Director of Coaching

Denis comes from a long tradition of soccer. His father, a professional player, started teaching Denis soccer as soon as he could walk. Coming from a tradition of education, he was also raised by a mother who has worked at a school for over 25 years. Later in life, Denis went through the Volgar Gazprom FC youth academy system and played successfully on the collegiate level. He became one of the first people to play futsal in his city Astrakhan, Russia.

Overall, he holds a National Soccer Coaching License for the ages 8-12 years old and a Coerver Coaching Youth Diploma. He believes that a focus on continuous self-development is key to better helping players and keep up with the latest changes in soccer. Therefore, he regularly attends seminars to improve his coaching skills. Last but not least, Denis was VOTED the Best Sports Coach for the years 2016 and 2017 by the Washington City Paper!

ROMAN KILISHEKDirector of OperationsRoman fell in love with a game of soccer when he was a child and he believes it played a huge role in his life. Roman holds an MBA degree from George Mason University and brings with him extensive experience in fi…

ROMAN KILISHEK

Director of Operations

Roman fell in love with a game of soccer when he was a child and he believes it played a huge role in his life. Roman holds an MBA degree from George Mason University and brings with him extensive experience in finance and project management. His skills help DC Way be successful and have all day-to-day operations under control.

 
 

SALVATORE LISCIANDRELLO

Technical Director

Toti is a graduate of Motor Sciences with over 20 years of experience in some of the top Italian academies including Palermo and Inter Milan. He specializes in youth development and has received training from various educational methodologies, including Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Northern European schools, incorporating the latest studies in neuroscience-based learning. Toti is fascinated by technology in soccer and has expertise and licenses as a video match analyst and GPS tracking specialist.

MELIS BAYRAKTAROGLUMarketing ManagerMelis graduated from The George Washington University School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration concentrating in Marketing and a minor in Organizational Sciences. Growing up in Tu…

MELIS BAYRAKTAROGLU

Marketing Manager

Melis graduated from The George Washington University School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration concentrating in Marketing and a minor in Organizational Sciences. Growing up in Turkey, she has always been focused on tennis and competed in professional tournaments until joining the varsity tennis team at GW. Melis also volunteers in her free time to help reduce chronic homelessness and participates in other activities to give back to the community. Her past experiences in the field of marketing allowed her to gain great organizational and leadership skills that lead her to excel at coordinating our programs and other aspects of DC Way.

 
 

ONUR SENOL

Digital Marketing Specialist