NCFC Youth welcomes Nicole Turner and Dan Cohen to its full-time staff. Turner officially started in May as the Camps & Events Coordinator. She will also be a Classic Staff Coach and is slated to coach the ’06 Gold & ’07 Red North Girls teams this fall. Cohen, who started his post as Tournaments and Facility Events Director on July 6, will also be coaching the ’06 Red North Boys this year. 

“I’m excited to welcome more talented, well-rounded people to NCFC Youth. Nicole and Dan came to NCFC Youth from across the country, further showing our club as a destination for the best staff and coaches in the game,” said Gary Buete, NCFC Youth CEO. “Nicole is already having an immediate impact on our summer camps program, managing nearly 2,000 kids and staff through a great experience, and Dan will be kicking off his tournament run with the 3v3s this weekend and jumping into the fall tournament preparation mode right away.”

Turner comes to NCFC Youth from Real Salt Lake – Arizona. She has a wealth of on-field and business experience inside and outside of the game to add depth to NCFC Youth’s overall operations. While in Arizona (2019 – 2022), she wore many hats including Field Director, Registrar, and Head Coach. She was the coach for the elite U14 & U16 girls competitive teams. Off the field, she was responsible for registrar duties, training/game fields, and training schedules. In 2021, she was named Arizona Soccer Association’s Competitive Coach of the Year. Prior to joining Real Salt Lake – Arizona, she was the Director of Coaching & a Head Coach with the PYSL Blast (3013 – 2017), where she was responsible for strategic planning for the club’s vision and oversaw the club’s 30+ teams and coaches. 

Outside of the soccer office, her experience over the years as a Management Analyst, Client Operations Manager & Consultant, and Operations Director with various companies will undoubtedly improve the efficiency, communications, and operations at NCFC Youth – in its core business, in the programs (camps) she directly oversees, and on a micro-level among her teams. Turner currently is an Adjunct Professor at Grand Canyon University. She’s a consultant with the Mind Champs Performance Consulting Group, a company she co-founded to offer individual and team development programs for coaches and athletes at all levels. And, she’s actively a Senior Consultant with the Eduardo Borquez Company, which trains, coaches, and consults for businesses to help them improve. In these capacities, Turner’s leadership, organizational, communication, and visionary skills will have an immediate impact on NCFC Youth and her players. 

Cohen has his UEFA B coaching license and brings diverse coaching and business experience to NCFC Youth. Originally from England, Cohen has been involved in the game across the pond and in the states for more than 10 years. Most recently, he was with the Charleston Soccer Club (2020-2022). While there, his work ethic, leadership, and business acumen were recognized and rewarded as he quickly climbed the ladder and began to take on additional responsibilities. One of his primary roles was Director of Facilities & Events, which included running College ID events, Tournaments, and other supplemental programs. In addition, he was the Boys NPL Director for the club and managed and executed the club’s graphic design, marketing, and media needs. In 2021, his role grew into the Director of Operations, which gave him further leadership on the business side of the organization with budgets, contracting, facilities management, and HR. This experience will serve Cohen well in his role at NCFC Youth where he will be handling the day-to-day of all in-house tournaments and contributing to the long-term vision to make NCFC Youth and WRAL Soccer Park a destination for teams and events. 

Cohen’s 10-year career in the industry is flooded with experience around the world coaching and managing clubs and events. Prior to joining the Charleston Soccer Club, he was with the Global Premier Soccer (GPS) in (South) Carolina and New Jersey as Technical Director, head coach, Director of Operations, and eventually Franchise General Manager for GPS Carolina. He has experience as PE teacher, summer camp coach, clinic director, and even referee. This vast experience connects him to various stakeholders in the game (players, parents, coach, referee) that not only translates well to coaching teams and communicating with parents, but also in the tournament space where he’ll navigate all that comes with executing large scale events. 

Nicole and Dan report directly to Bryan Bachelder, former Tournament & Events Director, who took on a new leadership role within the club as Director of Administration.