Guillermo A. Valencia is entering his second season as an assistant coach with the New York University women’s soccer program, and will continue to oversee the squad’s goalkeepers while helping with training sessions.
"We're very excited and lucky to have ‘Memo’ work with the goalkeepers,” NYU head coach Werner T. Dasbach said. “He is a fantastic GK trainer who brings a wealth of professional playing experience, as well as coaching experience from all five boroughs of New York City. Memo is one of New York's top GK trainers.”
In 2007, Valencia helped develop Katie Barnes into a Second Team All-University Athletic Association (UAA) goalkeeper, as the Violets’ goalkeepers posted nine shutouts and a 1.13 goals against average. This included a shutout streak of 503:26, as NYU went 10-7-1 and earned a trip to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Metro Tournament.
Valencia has extensive experience coaching in the greater New York City area on the collegiate, high school and club levels. He served as the goalkeepers’ coach at Columbia University, where he worked with Dasbach, from 2002-05.
Valencia is also well established in area high schools, having been the goalkeepers coach at Riverdale H.S. (2003-06) and Greenwich H.S. (2005-06). In addition, he has served as the goalkeeping clinics director for organizations including Larchmont Soccer (2004-06), the Greenwich Soccer Association (2004-06), the Westchester Youth Soccer League (2004-06), the Manhattan Soccer Club (2002-06), and White Plains Soccer (2001, 2004-06).
Valencia also possesses professional playing experience, both nationally and internationally. He was a goalkeeper for America de Cali (1990-95), Cartago Futbol Club (1995) and Deportivo Pereira (1996-2000) in his native Colombia, before playing for minor-league soccer clubs America Pumas and Potros Marte in 2001. He also suited up for the Westchester Flames (2003-04) and Long Island Rough Riders (2005) of the United Soccer League (USL).
A resident of Englewood, NJ, Valencia intends to attain his United States Soccer Federation “B” License in January 2008.
