Lindsay Kauffman has been coaching girls (ages 5­ thru 18) in the Bay Area for over 15 years. She was the assistant coach for the Gold Medal winning of the 2013 USA Maccabi Women’s Team, and has been head coach for Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep HS, Lowell HS, Bay HS, and Vikings Club. In 2014, Lindsay was awarded the San Francisco Unified School District Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year in 2014. She is committed to helping girls fall in love with the game of soccer; encouraging them to be strong, healthy and confident. Lindsay studied elementary school education as well as cultural and social anthropology focusing her work and research on women’s and girls empowerment and human rights.

Val Henderson is a Bay Area native and long time sport and soccer lover. She is passionate about empowering players and coaches of all ages through sport. Val has served as an ambassador to the US State Department in Chile, Paraguay, Singapore, and Mexico, uniting communities through soccer, and teaching and empowering coaches and players. Val was an All-American, Academic-All American, and captain for the UCLA women's soccer program. She competed in the 2004 U20 Women's World Cup in Russia and played professional soccer for the LA Sol, Philadelphia Independence, and KIF Örebro in Sweden. Val has a degree in English and Spanish from UCLA as well as a teaching credential from CSUEB. Val has coached players of all ages and levels from U8 to college and post-collegiate. Val holds her USSF 'B' License and serves as an assistant coach with the US Youth National Teams.

Shalom Kimble holds a National E coaching license. She is a head coach and the keeper trainer Girls Unite. Shalom played Varsity Soccer at San Francisco State University where she earned a B.A. in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She has 25 years of experience working with youth ages 3-18.

Alex Knecht made her way to San Francisco from Oregon where her family still lives. She played soccer when she was young and played competitively until the end of high school. She attended Colorado State University where she studied Health and Exercise Science and worked with the varisty and club sports athletic training programs. Alex coached youth soccer when living in Austin, TX and has played recreationally while in San Francisco. Outside of work and coaching, Alex enjoys cooking, reading, and doing all things outdoors.

Angelique Gosse has been playing soccer for the majority of her life. She grew up playing club soccer in the East Bay, then heading North to play in college for the Humboldt State Women’s Soccer team, continuing her soccer career post-college briefly playing for the WPSL and now plays recreationally in San Francisco. Angelique has her degree in Business with a minor in Economics and when she’s not coaching or playing soccer, she works as a full-time data analyst.

Bio coming soon!

NATIONAL F COACHING LICENSE

Emi has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old. She got her BFA in Fashion Merchandising at the Academy of Art University, where she played Division 2 Soccer on the university’s first team. She has played multiple positions including, sweeper, stopper, left wing, and striker. In addition to coaching soccer, Emi is a Visual Manager.

Coach Erin grew up playing competitive soccer in Pleasanton, CA and has continued to play soccer for the past 20 years in San Francisco. She has been coaching girls competitive soccer for the past six years. She is a D licensed coach and holds two special topics diplomas for Speed of Play and Maximizing Player Performance using Technology and Science. She has three children and her two daughters play on competitive Girls Unite teams.

Helga Forstreuter is a Bay Area native who has a great passion for watching, playing, and coaching soccer. She's been involved in soccer for the last 15 years of her life and is looking forward to coaching the next generation of female soccer players. Currently, she is a 4th year student at San Francisco State University studying International Relations. Helga's personal mission for each of her players is for them to grow from this soccer experience, learn new skills, gain new friends, and to have a safe and fun season. Soccer has played an important part in her life and she would like all girls to have a chance to experience that love for the game.

Karsyn Kapur is in her last year at San Francisco State University completing her Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She played soccer from an elementary age to a high school level, but ended her soccer career early-on because of a knee injury. Karsyn now loves to live vicariously through her players! She strives to create an accepting and empowering environment and is dedicated to her players' growth and development.

Kathleen Breakey is a new coach that recently moved to the Bay Area from the Sacramento area. She attends Skyline Junior College. She has played soccer all her life, specifically, she has played recreationally, competitively, as well as for high school. Kathleen looks forward to the season to share her love of soccer as well as supporting and motivating youth soccer players.

Kayla Dzurek started playing recreational soccer when she was seven years old, and played competitively throughout high school. She coached preschool sports for three years, and recently graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of San Francisco. Kayla is currently an administrator and head coach for Girls Unite.

Marieke Blazeski is a San Francisco native. She has been playing soccer for 25 years and has been coaching for 15 (ages 3 thru 18) with a F, E, and E/D coaching license. In addition to coaching for Girls Unie, she is also currently the Head Coach for the boys soccer team at Galileo High School (4+ years). Growing up in San Francisco she played recreational soccer in the Vikings and PAL league, club soccer with the San Francisco Vikings, semi professionally with the San Francisco Night Hawks, and 4 years in college at San Francisco State University. She has experience personal training (soccer and fitness) and studied Creative Writing with a bachelors in English. She is very passionate about soccer, teaching, and competition.

Bio coming soon!

Samantha Lipkins is a new coach with Girls Unite. Samantha has been around soccer since a very young age. Beginning to play when she was four, she continued until entering high school due to an injury. Part of her soccer career was spent on a Girls Unite team! Samantha is currently a senior at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. Samantha chose to become a coach in order to stay involved with the soccer community and to help young players. She hopes to teach not only soccer skills, but also, how to be a good teammate and leader while on the soccer field and off.

Toni Setteducato comes to the Bay Area and Girls Unite by way of the East Coast. Growing up in NJ, Toni started playing soccer at a young age on all boys teams - as there were no girls soccer teams in her community. Nonetheless, she persisted and her love of the game only grew, playing competitively in high school, D1 college, and beyond as a defender and then a defending center midfielder. Toni continued to play at a competitive level in adult leagues in NJ, NYC, and, most recently, here in SF where she plays for the Golden Gate Women’s Soccer Legue. Toni transitioned into a coaching role when she took over as a trainer, junior varsity coach, and then eventually the varsity coach of her alma mater high school for 6 years before relocating to San Francisco in 2016. Toni’s passion for the sport has translated into attending dozens of professional games around the country and world, attending coaching workshops, and participating as a board member for her adult soccer leagues. She is a hard core USWNT fan - she has a connection with her fellow Jersey girl Carli Lloyd and onced coached at the Alex Morgan ProCamp where she got to play on the pitch with one of her favorite players! But when it comes to soccer greats, Toni grew up idolizing Mia Hamm. In her non-soccer personna, Toni is an administrator at an independent middle school in SF and absolutely adores working with this crazy age group! When she is not playing or watching soccer and wrangling middle school kids, Toni loves taking hikes with her dog, doing yoga, and traveling - especially if there is a beach involved.

Veronica Marin is a Maryland native who has lived in the Bay Area for seven years. Veronica grew up with a family that is passionate about soccer. She played on and off throughout her childhood and was an assistant coach while living in New Jersey. She will join Girls Unite as an assistant coach this fall. Veronica is excited to join the program and give back to our players in a fun and safe environment. Outside of the program, you can find Veronica working with the homeless community in SF. She loves running, hiking, camping, and the USWNT.

Zoey Surdis has been playing soccer since she was four years old. As a San Francisco native, Zoey grew up playing recreational soccer with the SF Vikings, played in middle school at San Francisco Day School, for a club team out of San Francisco, and for four years on Lick-Wilmerding High School’s varsity team. After graduating from high school, Zoey attended the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she majored in Sociology and Philosophy and minored in History. Zoey then attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she graduated in May of 2018. Zoey became a coach to continue her involvement in the soccer community in San Francisco, and after having so many influential and amazing coaches, to pay it forward to teach and have a positive impact on the development of young soccer players.