Meet the Competitive Coaches of Oakdale Soccer Club!
Hector Padilla
Head Coach 2009 Girls - Premier team
“Yes, I am the coach with a prosthetic leg.”
Coach Hector was raised in Oakdale, California. As a Defender for Oakdale High School from 2005-2009 Hector helped secure two CIF Section Championships, and would also eventually go on to coach their boys varsity team from 2013-2017. With a coaching career that now spans 11 consecutive years so far, his coaching accomplishments include three VOL Championships and 3 runner-up titles with OHS, as well as one State Cup Championship with Oakdale Youth Soccer League.
Coach Hector is currently the Head Coach of the 2009 Girls Premier team with Oakdale Soccer Club, where he has led their team since 2021. He holds US Club Soccer Grassroots licensure, having pursued his coaching education through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center for 4v4, 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 team structures. He also holds his referee license, and has traveled and worked at a number of regional events throughout the country.
Coach Hector is married with three children, two of which so far have also embraced the competitive and recreational soccer world. Hector lives by the motto “Enjoy every minute of your life and always remember that life is too short. Heaven is forever.”
And as an avid Liverpool fan, and advocate for amputee sports regularity, Hector consistently echoes their mantra, “You’ll never walk alone.”
Steve Slah Frej
Assistant Coach 2009 Girls - Premier Team
Bio Coming Soon...
Sebastian DeSales
Head Coach – 2012 Girls
Coach Sebastian is from Santa Barbara, California. From the age of 8 years old, Sebastian has been emersed in the sport of soccer as both a player and a coach, having played for Santa Barbara Soccer Club in his youth, and Santa Barbara High School as a goalie on the varsity team all four years.
Coach Sebastian has coached for 24 years, having spent two years with Modesto Ajax United, and the last 22 years with Oakdale Youth Soccer League and Oakdale Soccer Club, and the past four years simultaneously with Oakdale High School. His coaching accomplishments include being awarded the Coach of the Year District VIII and the State Coach of the Year from the California Youth Soccer Association – Cal North Soccer, in 2015.
Coach Sebastian is currently the Head Coach for the 2012 girls team with Oakdale Soccer Club. He holds an E and D coaching license through California Youth Soccer Association.
Richard Woods
Head Coach – 2015 Girls
“I believe that playing sports as a child not only builds character and confidence, but also gives a sense of accomplishment. It helps prepare children for life, teaching them about working as a team or as a team player, not as an individual.”
“My coaching ideology revolves around obtaining GRIT. The drive, stamina, and fortitude to push through any challenge or obstacle until our goals are achieved.”
Coach Richard was born and raised in Oakdale, California. Richard is a Marine Corp Combat Veteran that served two tours in Iraq. After military service Richard moved back to his hometown to start his family.
Richard’s coaching career began in 2021, as he took on the Head Coaching duties with Oakdale Soccer Club for the 2012 girls, 2014 girls, and 2015 girls competitive teams simultaneously. His coaching accomplishments include the following:
2012 Girls:
2022/2023 NorCal Bronze State Cup Champions
2022 NorCal Fall League Champions
2022 Granit Bay Ghosts and Gouls Champions
2014 Girls:
2023 Santa Cruz Breakers Cup Champions
2022 NorCal Spring League Champions
2022 NorCal Fall League Champions
2022 Pleasanton Rage Summer Cup Finalist
2022 Merced United Tournament Champions
2022 Almaden Tournament Finalists
2015/2016 Girls:
2023/24 NorCal Silver 2 State Cup Champions
2023 NorCal Fall League Champions
2023 Santa Cruz Breakers Cup Finalists
Richard holds multiple US Club Soccer grassroots licenses, having earned his coaching education through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center for 4v4, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11 team structures. He is in pursuit of his D license in the summer of 2024. Richard is married with three children, all of which he has coached in the competitive program with OSC.
Frank Coelho
Head Coach 2016 Girls / Assistant Coach 2017 Girls
“Always searching for that forever blowing bubbles feeling.”
Coach Frank was raised in Oakdale, California. His passion for soccer began at the age of 9, when he began playing competitively for Ajax United Soccer Club. He would go on to play Forward for Johansen High School from 2001-2005, and played in various other organizations including the Super Y League national finalists team, and the Olympic Development Program, Cal North team. Frank would also play at a collegiate level for California State University, Stanislaus - also as a Forward - from 2005-2007. His adult soccer path has also included playing for USL California Gold - a semi-professional Premier Development League, as well as Academica Men’s Club and Acoreano Men’s Club.
Coach Frank’s coaching career began with the Assistant Coach position for the Men’s Soccer Team with Modesto Junior College (MJC) from 2009-2011. Most recently Coach Frank spent the past three years coaching U6, U8 and U10 age divisions for the recreational program with Oakdale Soccer Club (OSC), and then transitioned to the competitive program in the Spring of 2024. He is now the Head Coach of the 2016 girls team, and the Assistant Coach for the 2017 girls team. He also currently holds the club Registrar position over both programs.
Coach Frank maintains several US Club Soccer grassroots licenses, having pursued his coaching education through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center for 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 team structures. He also holds a Referee License and previously held the Referee Manager position for Oakdale Soccer Club’s Board of Directors. He will be pursuing his D license in the summer of 2024. He is married with two children, both of which have also begun their young soccer careers with OSC.
Jose Meza
Head Coach 2017 Girls / Assistant Coach 2016 Girls
Coach Jose was raised in Ceres, California. Growing up Jose spent 8 years playing competitive soccer as a goalie for the Turlock Tornados in the Central California Athletic League. He would go on to earn All-League Honors as a midfielder while playing on the Varsity team for Ceres High School from 2008-2009. Jose also spent one year with the Northern California Olympic Development program, and made guest player appearances for multiple teams throughout the region. Jose’s player accomplishments also include a US Club Soccer National Cup regional championship.
As a coach, Jose has eight years of indoor and outdoor leadership experience for various organizations throughout the Central Valley, and has spent the last three years with the Oakdale Soccer Club (OSC), coaching U6 and U8 girls for the recreational program. He most recently transitioned to the competitive program in the Spring of 2024. He is now the Head Coach of the 2017 girls team, and the Assistant Coach for the 2016 girls team. Coach Jose maintains multiple US Club Soccer grassroots licensure, having pursued his coaching education through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center for 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 team structures, and is in pursuit of his D license in the summer of 2024. He is also a state certified instructor with over 100 hours of instructional development training.
Jose is married with three children, all of whom he has coached in the recreational and now competitive programs with Oakdale Soccer Club.
Melissa Popovic
Head Coach – 2014 Girls
Picture coming soon...
Coach Melissa was raised in Oakdale, California. Melissa played center midfield and forward for Oakdale High School from 1999-2001. She would go on to play for Modesto Junior College for a year, before leaving the game to concentrate solely on her academics at California State University, Stanislaus. As an adult Melissa played recreationally for various women’s and co-ed teams, on both indoor and outdoor pitches.
Coach Melissa began her coaching career in 2021 as an Assistant Coach for Oakdale Soccer Club’s (OSC) recreational program. After three years coaching in the U6 and U8 age divisions, she transitioned to the competitive program in the Spring of 2024 to take on the role of Head Coach for a newly formed 2014 girls team. Melissa also holds the Uniforms, Pictures, and Awards Coordinator (UPAC) position for the OSC Board of Directors and Volunteers.
Coach Melissa currently maintains multiple US Club Soccer grassroots licensure, having pursued her coaching education for 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 team structures through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center. Future coaching aspirations include assisting with the startup of a new 2016/2017 boys competitive team in the Spring of 2025. Melissa is married with two children, both of which have joined OSC as recreational and competitive players respectively.
Jelenko Popovic
Assistant Coach – 2014 Girls
Jelenko was born and raised in Zajecar, Serbia. His love for the game of soccer began while watching Red Star Belgrade at the age of 6 years old, and he aspired to be a professional footballer. By 9 years old, Jelenko began training as a defensive midfielder with a professional developmental futbol club, FC Timok, where he competed in a 4 tier youth Serbian league through his teenage years. After moving to the United States as an adult, Jelenko played in various local adult leagues, both indoor and outdoor. He has played for the co-ed adult league with MYSA-Ajax for the past five years.
Jelenko’s coaching career began in 2021 for Oakdale Soccer Club’s recreational program. After three years coaching both U6 and U8, he transitioned to the competitive program in the Spring of 2024 as the Asisstant Coach for the 2014 girls competitive team. Jelenko is also the U6 and U8 Divisions Coordinator for the OSC Board of Directors and Volunteers.
Coach Jelenko holds multiple US Club Soccer grassroots licensure, having pursued his coaching education through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center for 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11 team structures. His future coaching endeavors include starting the upcoming 2016/17 boys competitive team in the Spring of 2025. Jelenko is married with two children, both of whom have begun their recreational and competitive soccer paths with OSC.
Javier Tapia
Head Coach 2009 Boys
BIO COMING SOON........
Ulises Vargas
Director of Competitive (DOC)
BIO COMING SOON.....
The Oakdale Soccer Club is always looking for coaches to expand our competitive program!
Our competitive program is molded by the mantra “for the love of the game” and we are looking for coaches who love and respect
the game of soccer.
Oakdale SC competitive program is a year-round program, and competitive coaches have the freedom to create their practice schedules, and game/tournament schedules and locations. Online coaches training, licensure, and resources available through the US Soccer Learning Center.
Coaches Training and Stipends options available.
If you are interested in becoming a coach for the competitive program, please reach out to us at:
[email protected]