COLUMBUS UNITED
LEADERSHIP
Jeff Berman is an Executive Director of Columbus United Soccer Club, serves as the Director of Adult Soccer for the club and manages the Mens Open team.
Jeff started playing soccer at age 12.
1980 – started coaching during Senior year at The Columbus Academy, as the assistant coach for the school’s Middle School (Junior High) soccer team.
1981-1985 – 4 year letter winner and starter at Beloit College in Wisconsin (Div III) and was team’s leading scorer during Junior season (9 goals; 5 assists).
1985-1989 – Assistant soccer coach for The Columbus Academy varsity boys team for 5 years.
1985 – started playing for Centurions in the Columbus Soccer League (now Columbus Premier Soccer League).
1988 – Centurions merged with ‘friendly rival’ Spartans to become Columbus United.
1993 – became Manager (coach) of Columbus United Mens Open team.
1994 – became President of the Columbus (Premier) Soccer League.
1994 – started serving on the General Council of the Southern Ohio Adult Soccer Association.
1997-1998 – co-organizer of ‘Crew Soccer Social’, an adult soccer clinic with Crew players.
1998 – ‘presenting coach’ at inaugural Kellog’s Soccer in the Streets Super Soccer Show.
1999 – started Columbus United Womens team.
2000 – named a Top Soccer Leader in Ohio by Major League Soccer.
2008 – started Columbus United Mens 30+ team.
2012 – Southern Ohio Adult Soccer Association Service Award honoree.
2013 – selected by USASA sponsor, Clif Bar, as a ‘Soccer Influencer’.
2014 – unofficially ‘retired’ as a player for Columbus United in the Columbus Premier Soccer League with a ‘walk-off’ goal at the age of 51.
2015 – named Southern Ohio Adult Soccer Association’s Coach of the Year.
2016 – named United States Adult Soccer Association’s Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
2022 - elected President of the Southern Ohio Adult Soccer Association (SOASA), one of fifty-three State Associations under the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)
THE ACADEMY
With more than 2,000 active male and female athletes, Cedar Stars Academy currently has six branches throughout the northeast coast. Two of these branches, Cedar Stars Academy – Bergen County and Cedar Stars Academy – Monmouth County are official member clubs of the MSL Next and Girls Academy programs, which is recognized around the U.S. as one of the top platforms for player development and competition.
Cedar Stars Academy’s has many exclusive partnerships and affiliations with pre-professional, professional international and domestic clubs through President George Altirs and his involvement within the sporting universe.
These pre-professional and professional playing opportunities include exposure to National clubs such as our very own Cedar Stars Rush in the USL 2 and Cedar Stars W League in the USL W League and internationally with MSV Duisburg men and women's teams of the Bundesliga in Germany and HB Køge's mens and women's teams of the Danish top divisions.
Through these affiliations, players that are succeeding within the Cedar Stars Academy program have the opportunity to earn an invite to trail and train with these clubs at their training grounds around the world.
With full development curriculums for athletes U5 – U19, a professional technical staff led by VP Anthony Nixon, and its player development pathway Cedar Stars Academy looks to continue its growth and movement within the academy structure as one of the country’s top programs for development on and off the field by providing every player the opportunity to achieve their soccer dreams.
THE ROOTS (U5-U8)
Our focus and philosophy in The Foundation is based on one main goal: FUN!
We want these young players who are being introduced to professional coaching for the first time to enjoy every minute of training. Our coaches and curriculum are focused on this main goal. Within this, there is always work to be done. At this stage, habits are created and technical skills are taught to each individual player at Cedar Stars Academy. Each player will participate in age-appropriate small-sided games. It is also important to realize results are irrelevant at this stage, and it is the love of the game and the technical foundation that are the main goals.
THE BUILDERS (U9-U12)
As players graduate from the foundation, the coaching and focus are accelerated, and players are pushed to refine their technical skills. The implementation of speed of play and team concepts are introduced. Players have different growth spurts at different times during this stage. Understanding this and knowing that the biggest, tallest, strongest player at the age of 11 won’t necessarily be the same at 17 or 18. Because of this 'The Building Phase' introduces players to several different positions within a team, but the primary focus continues to stay on the individual. It should be noted that results are still secondary and measurements of success include technical ability of both the individuals and the team as a whole, and learning how to play at the right speed - in the right style.
THE ACADEMY (U13-U19)
After graduating through the first two stages of development at CSA, the Academy is the final and most intense program in our club. Philosophically, we continue to focus on the individual’s technical ability, but we add to this focus by working in team concepts. Players begin to learn positions on the field, philosophies and formations, and how the individual fits in to a successful team. Speed of play becomes more important, understanding roles and decisions on the field are emphasized, and the competitive piece is added at a more intense level. Results are tracked, but we are still focused on the individual and not on team results. Again, we believe that with individual success comes team success.
THE EXECUTIVE STAFF
GEORGE ALTIRS
PRESIDENT / OWNER
ANTHONY NIXON
VP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JOSEPH w. NOUN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
JUAN SANTAMARIA
VP / SPORTING DIRECTOR
PARTNERS, ASSOCIATIONS & AFFILIATES
