SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes have hired Luciano Fusco as a Quakes Girls’ Academy coach. Fusco joins the staff with 15 years of coaching experience and private training, most recently serving as the assistant coach of the UCLA men’s soccer program, head coach of LAFC’s U-12 Boys’ Academy and assistant coach of LAFC’s U-14 Boys’ Academy for the past two years.
“Luciano is a Bay Area native and is very committed to player development,” said Earthquakes Technical Director Chris Leitch. “He possesses an impressive track record in the collegiate and youth space and we’re looking forward to him helping our academy teams reach new heights.”
Fusco previously coached at several clubs in the Bay Area. In 2003, he started his coaching career in San Francisco as the U-16 head coach for Atlas A.C. and the U-8 head coach for Wild Cats Soccer Club. In 2004, he joined Burlingame Soccer Club where he coached multiple teams ranging from the U-9s to the U-16s. After eight years of coaching for Burlingame, he served as the technical director of the club from 2012 until the end of the 2013 season.
In 2013, Fusco became a head coach for San Mateo County and De Anza Force’s Academy teams. Fusco left San Mateo County’s Academy after one season to work exclusively for De Anza Force’s Academy as a head coach and the club’s curriculum developer.
“I lived in this area for 14 years and then went to Los Angeles to work with UCLA and LAFC,” said Fusco. “I wanted to come back. I love the area and I know [Girls’ Academy Director] Andres [Deza] very well so it is very exciting for me to work with him. I did have other opportunities, but I chose to work with Andres and the Earthquakes. I am very pleased for this opportunity.”
He has served on the coaching staff at various U-16 Men’s National Team camps, including San Ramon in 2016, Argentina in 2017 and Florida in 2018.
Fusco graduated form San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, and has completed the Fiorentina Coaching Methodology and NorCal International coaching courses. He has also earned his National, Advanced National and Premier Diplomas from the United Soccer Coaches education program, and is currently working towards his certificate in training for team sports at the Barca Innovation Hub. He possesses a C-level coaching license.
