Tim became the Executive Director of Coaching for the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy in 2003 after serving as Girls Director of Coaching for one year.
During his tenure OESA has experienced a meteoric rise to national prominence. Under his guidance OESA has captured numerous tournament titles, state championships, regional championships, and a US Club Soccer National Championship. The Ohio Elite Soccer Academy has also experienced great success away from the playing field. Tim was instrumental in negotiating the deal to make OESA the only boys and girls Nike Premier Club in Ohio. He also played a vital role in the fundraising, purchase and development of the future Ohio Elite Soccer Academy Training Center due to open in the spring 2007.
Tim has sent countless players on to college programs throughout the country, including NCAA Champions North Carolina and Florida. Two of the players Tim coached (Heather Mitts and Robin Brallier) have won both a USYSA National Club Championship and NCAA Championship. Three former WUSA players (Erin Gilhart, Heather Mitts, and Katie Barnes) played their club soccer for Tim Lesiak. Mitts is currently a member of the Women`s US National Team.
He has been instrumental in the education of the coaching training staff. Tim has traveled observing some of the top clubs in the world such as, Real Madrid, Juventus, Ajax, Newcastle, Monaco, Valencia, River Plate, and Fluminense.
Tim competed collegiately at the University of Cincinnati where he was named All Mid-East region twice. He later became an assistant coach for both the men`s and the women`s program at UC. After his college playing days he went on to play professionally with the Cincinnati Cheetahs in USISL. He is currently on the Board of Directors for US Club Soccer. He is on the Super Y League National Staff and oversees the SYL Midwest ODP Program. In the summer of 2007 he was invited to serve on the staff at Nike Premier 50.He has served as a member of the Ohio South Olympic Development Program coaching staff at both the state and district level.
Doug came to the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy with an extensive background in college soccer. He began his time at OESA in 2002 as Girl`s Associate Director of Coaching and was named Girl`s Director of Coaching in 2003.
He has been a key player in bringing OESA to state, regional and national prominence. Under his leadership OESA teams have captured multiple state and regional championships. In 2005, the OESA U14 team was the first Ohio Elite team to appear in the USYS National Championships. The team was awarded the Fair Play Award during the Championships. He was head coach of the 2007 U17 SYL North American Championship team. In the summer of 2009 he led the OESA U18 team to the USYS National Championship game. The team won the Region II title and was awarded the FIFA Fair Play award at the National Championships. Doug has helped more than 100 OESA girls players move on to play college soccer at UNC-Chapel Hill, Virginia, Santa Clara, Duke, Wake Forest, Kentucky and Ohio State to name a few . He has coached nine NSCAA Youth All-Americans, two Parade All-Americans and three ESPN Rise All-Americans. He also played a vital role in the fundraising, purchase and development of the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy Training Center that opened in the August 2008.
In 2009-2010 U15-U17 OESA girls teams will participate in the inaugural season of the Elite Clubs National League. The league brings together the top clubs in the country for a meaningfull competition that will culminate in the ECNL National Championship in the summer of 2010. Doug was instumental in the formation of the league and serves as it`s Vice President.
Prior to coming to the club he served as assistant coach at Iowa State University. Before his stay at Iowa State he was the assistant coach at the University of South Alabama and the head women`s soccer coach at Union College. He led Union to national prominence and to the school`s first ever Mid-South Conference championship, and a national ranking. He was named Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year that season. He has served on the Super Y League National Staff and US Club Soccer id2 staff. Doug was a Director at SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School run by former US National Team coach Tony DiCicco.
Doug played collegiately at Ashland University where he was a four-year starter, two-year team captain and the team`s MVP. He holds a USSF "A" License, USSF National GK License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and NSCAA GK Diploma.
On March 1, 2008, Mike Cullina became the club`s second Boy`s Director of Coaching at the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy.
Coach Cullina most recently served as the first full-time Technical Director for Cincinnati Classics Hammer, where he was responsible for all developmental aspects of the organization, overseeing five technical staff coaches and the club administrator.He was also the Chairperson for the Blue Chip Showcase Tournament, a top 10 recruiting tournament in the country by Soccer America.
During his 2 1/2 year tenure at CHFC, Mike was responsible for several successes including a rise of more than 220 spots among boy`s clubs nationally and from #18 to #11 in Ohio South on GotSoccer. Before his arrival few teams participated in the Midwest Regional League or Buckeye Premier League. Every age group from U12 or older is now represented in either or both leagues. His commitment to coaching education is evidence by more than 15 coaches earning their coaching education in USSF "B" through "E" License courses during his time. In addition, the club realized an increase in tryout participants more than 10% each year and was well-represented in ODP with 29 Ohio South and Kentucky State Team players, 3 Region II players, and 1 National Pool player in 2007.
In 2007, Classics Hammer FC saw seven teams into the Ohio South State Cup Semi-Finals and four teams into the Championship game, including the first boys’ team in more than a decade.In the previous two years only two teams advanced to the final weekend.The U18 girls’ teams coached by Coach Cullina was the first in club history to advance to the Region II Championship by way of the MRL Wildcard.
