About

MICHAEL BECKER grew up in San Carlos, CA and has played competitive soccer for over 25 years. As a youth player, he participated in club soccer in the Bay Area and traveled all over the US playing international tournaments. He went on to play at Sonoma State University. He has coached boys and girls ages u-10 to u-19 for over 10 years. In addition, he worked for the City of San Carlos’ Youth Development Unit for a decade. Michael has been certified by the Positive Coaching Alliance, is a member of National Youth Sports Coaches Association, is a San Carlos Youth Center Foundation Board member and San Carlos Police Athletic League board member. In 2004, he co-founded Soccer and Smiles with the goal of instilling the love of the game in children. Michael is a licensed coach, licensed referee, professional trainer, and skilled player. He loves sharing his passion for soccer with children.

JIMMY ROTHENBERG grew up in Foster City, CA and has played competitive soccer for over 25 years. As a youth player, he participated in club soccer in the Bay Area and traveled all over the US playing international tournaments. He went on to play at Canada College. He has coached boys and girls ages u-10 to u-17 for over 10 years. In 2004, he co-founded Soccer and Smiles with the goal of instilling the love of the game in children. Jimmy is a licensed coach, professional trainer and skilled player. He loves sharing his passion for soccer with children. He is also very proud of his son, Bastian, who joined Soccer and Smiles last spring and is looking forward to his youngest son, Baron, joining Soccer and Smiles in 2010.

Brittany Richeson, or to your children Coach Britt.  Soccer has been my favorite sport and a large part of my life since I was four-years-old.  I was an All-State player for three years in high school and continued playing on competitive club leagues throughout college.  I now play for a women’s division I team in the Bay Area and continue to enjoy soccer as much as the first day I played.  My degree is in Psychology and I have worked with children for over ten years in a variety of settings, but the opportunity with Soccer and Smiles to combine my love of soccer and children has been a dream come true for me.  Soccer is such a great sport because it provides an opportunity for all kids, no matter what ability, to gain the benefits of being part of a team in which any child can be the star on any given day!  Soccer also helps develop social interaction and physical coordination all while having a great time.  Soccer and Smiles provides the perfect opportunity for children to acquire and improve on these skills in a non-competitive, safe and healthy environment and I feel so fortunate to have the chance to share the sport with your children that I have enjoyed my whole life!

CATHERINE BECKER grew up in San Carlos, CA and has played competitive soccer for over 18 years. Throughout her youth she participated in club soccer, which enabled her to travel around the United States. Catherine continued her soccer career all through high school as a member of the Notre Dame High School Varsity Soccer team for 4 years and then played collegiately for Menlo College and Canada College. Currently, she resides in San Luis Obispo, CA and plays competitively within the San Luis Obispo Women’s Club Soccer League. She recently graduated from Cal Poly State University where she received a BS in Child Development and Psychology. Since 2003, Catherine has worked with children of all ages in various capacities.  She has worked for the City of San Carlos for 7 years in Youth Development and the YMCA as well. Presently, she is the Soccer and Smiles San Luis Obispo Regional Coordinator and enjoys spending her time sharing her love and passion of soccer with children of all ages!