Nate BakerFounder of The Developer's Way | Achilles FC Technical Director (MLS NEXT) | U19 Academy Head Coach | Former College Coach | Former MLS Academy Head Coach | Former Professional Player (USL)🔹 About Me 🔹I've had a lengthy and successful career as both a player and coach, but it's my coaching journey that truly sparked my passion for player, team and organizational development. With substantial experience in the professional, collegiate, and youth game, I have a wealth of knowledge around development that I intend to use to lift the sport up and bring its people closer to their potential.👉 Coaching Highlights:🌟 D.C. United - Director of Scouting, Head Coach for U17 and Assistant Coach for U19, U17, and U14 groups.🌟 Recognized by MLSsoccer.com as an "MLS academy coach ready to make the jump to the first team" in 2020.🌟 Worked directly with current D.C. United players Jeremy Garay, Jacob Green, Ted Ku-DiPietro as well as Moses Nyeman (Real Salt Lake) and Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg).👉 Collegiate Achievements:🌟 University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) - Led school to its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and a No. 10 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches/NCAA Top 25 poll.🌟 Guided Navy to their first NCAA tournament victory in 35 years and helped achieve a No. 25 national ranking.🌟 Notably, I contributed to the development of Joe Greenspan (first MLS player in Navy history)👉 Coaching Journey:Before my college coaching career at Navy, I founded "Soccer Means More, LLC," an innovative training company that emphasized technique both on and off the field. It aimed to provide affordable soccer programs to young athletes, regardless of their background in the game.👉 Qualifications:✅ United States Soccer Federation "A" Coaching License✅ Talent Scout License👉 Playing Experience:As a former professional player in the United Soccer League (2007-2010), I played for the Harrisburg City Islanders and Real Maryland Monarchs. Notably, I helped the City Islanders achieve quarterfinal berths in the US Open Cup (2007, 2009) and secure the USL Championship in 2007.I was a four-year starter at American University, where I contributed to a Patriot League Championship in 2004 and served as a team captain (2005, 2006).🌟 My vision is to create a transformative soccer culture where Development is our shared passion and navigation. I pursue this through sharing my ideas around “The Developer’s Way” and modeling it’s philosophy through our work at Achilles FC (MLS Next). I post new content on LinkedIn every weekday at 9am ET.