Website Manager

Coaches

 Mark Gavin is the Apex Soccer Academy Director of Coaching and current Director of Coaching at Norwalk Soccer Club. Coach Gavin has over 15 years of experience coaching competitive soccer in Colorado and Iowa 6U through 19U age groups. While coaching high school soccer he helped Aurora Central in Colorado to its first-ever conference title and 3 straight state playoff berths. Coach Gavin holds the U.S. Youth Soccer National Youth License as well as the U.S. Soccer National D license. In addition, Mark earned the National Diploma and the National Goalkeeping (Level 3) Diploma from United Soccer Coaches.  He also completed the Coerver Youth Diploma course in 2014.  Mark grew up in Indianola and played for Indianola Soccer Tribe and Indianola High School and continued to play into his early thirties in adult leagues in Colorado. 

In addition to his DOC role, Coach Gavin will oversee the Boys Select Program 11U-19U and the Boys 9U-10U Academy.

Nick Wenger graduated from Norwalk High School and was a 4 year varsity player as a midfielder and forward. Coach Wenger earned a soccer scholarship to Grand View University. Coach Wenger has 9 years of coaching experience. He gained 3 years of experience as an assistant on the Norwalk High School staff. Coach Wenger has coached at Apex Soccer Academy and Sporting Iowa at the 13U-14U age groups.

Coach Wenger will be coaching the 13U-14U boys teams.

Kayla Hermanson has several years experience as a coach. She was a head coach at Indianola Soccer Tribe for several years. Kayla served as assistant boys coach at Ottumwa High School. She played high school soccer and continued playing in college at Indian Hills Community College. Kayla coached the 19U Apex girls in Fall 2022 and the 10U girls in the Spring 2023.

Coach Hermanson will be head coach of the 19U girls for Apex for Fall 2023.

 Dennis May has coached for Apex for over 5 years.  Dennis served as Technical Director for the Indianola Soccer Tribe (IST) prior to joining Apex a few years ago. He was responsible for creating curriculum for coaches and leading training sessions for all age groups U6-U19. Prior to his Technical Director role, Coach May was a head coach for 5 years for teams ranging from U10-U14. At Apex, Coach May has worked with 9U-10U Academy players and 11U and 12U boys. Coach May has the U.S. Soccer National D License, the United Soccer Coaches' Director of Coaching Diploma and is a licensed U.S. Soccer Referee.  He played soccer from a young age through his late twenties.

Coach May is currently coaching the Academy Boys 9U-10U Group. 

 

Josh Konkol has been playing soccer most of his life with over 20 years of experience coaching soccer for ages 6U through 19U and adults.  Josh grew up on the Southside of Des Moines and played soccer at Lincoln High School, he then went on to play for GrandView University.  Josh holds the USSF E-License Coaching designation and most recently was an assistant soccer coach for Lincoln High School.  Coach Konkol runs a Breakfast Soccer Club and surrounds himself with as much soccer as possible. 

Coach Konkol will be on the coaching staff for the 16U and 19U girls' teams.

  

Miki Schmidt has been a staff coach on the Apex 13U/14U girls team and has also helped with the 17U girls and the 11U/12U girls in past seasons. 

Miki has been playing soccer most of her life. Miki played at Norwalk High School. She was team captain for two years and earned Honorable Mention all-state, and first team all-district honors.  She went on to Simpson College to play for the Women’s team. During her time at Simpson she helped coach the summer soccer camps for high school players. She graduated in 2020 with a Double major in Accounting and Business Management with a minor in coaching.  Miki  is currently attending Drake University for her MBA while working full time at Farm Bureau as an auto adjuster. She is working on courses at Farm Bureau for her associates degree in general insurance. Miki is also a certified yoga instructor. In her spare time she loves spending time with her one and half year old puppy.  Miki looks forward to sharing her knowledge of the game and impacting our Apex players!


 

Katlyn Schochenmaier is the Goalkeeper Coach for Apex Soccer Academy and has been a staff coach for 14U and 18U girls teams. During college, Katlyn taught private goalkeeper sessions to middle and high school-aged girls as well as assisting during UNO's college prep camps. 

Katlyn grew up playing in the Norwalk Soccer Club. In high school, Katlyn played on the Norwalk varsity soccer team for 2 seasons. Katlyn also was a goalkeeper for Iowa Rush's regional team throughout high school and played on the Iowa ODP team. Katlyn played Division I soccer at the University of Nebraska Omaha where she played for 3 years. Katlyn recently finished her doctorate degree in occupational therapy from the University of South Dakota and is very excited to settle back in the Des Moines area. 

Coach Schochenmaier will work with our goalkeepers from 11U-19U and will be a staff coach for 14U girls and 18U girls teams this fall.


Sam Steenhoek has coached for Apex for a few years with a variety of age groups including 11U-19U. Sam was the head coach of the Apex 16UB in the fall of 2020 and as staff coach for 13UB team that competed in the President's Cup in the Spring of 2021.  Coach Steenhoek completed his U.S. Soccer “D” License in March of 2021. This course is over 36 hours of classroom and field sessions with additional coursework. Sam’s patient demeanor and high level understanding of the game have a tremendous impact on all players he coaches. For the 2021-2022 season Sam will serve as Age Group Director for 13U-15U boys. As a player, Sam played at a high select level playing for top clubs in the metro area and competing with the Iowa ODP team in regional and national competitions.  As a member of the Norwalk High School team, Sam owns several NHS records. Sam was a starter for the 2014 State Championship team, as well as a State Finalist team in 2012, third place team in 2015, and State Qualifying team in 2013.

Coach Steenhoek is the 13U-15U Age Group Director and Head Coach.

 

Heath Weeks has over 17 years of coaching experience, 16 years as a varsity head coach. He has coached high school soccer in Hobbs (NM), Johnston (IA) and now serves as the head coach for Indianola High School. He has also been involved with club soccer in Iowa and has coached several age groups at JUSC, WDMSC, and Sporting Iowa and has his National Coaching License through the United Soccer Coaches organization.  

Heath grew up playing soccer in Okinawa, Japan before finishing his HS career in New Mexico and winning a state championship with Hobbs HS. After HS, he played for four years at Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL) and was a four year participant in the NCAA D3 National Tournament and a two-year captain for the Thunder. Wheaton College finished with a final national ranking of #5 his senior year.

Coach Weeks will be leading the 10U Boys Academy age group this fall for Apex Soccer Academy.

       
            Ryan Tuggle graduated from Norwalk High School in 2005.  He grew up playing Select soccer for several Des Moines-area clubs
            and played three years of varsity for Coach Kralik during high school.  Coach Tuggle has 2 years of coaching experience with
            JUSC, Norwalk Soccer Club, and Apex. He completed his U.S. Soccer National D License course in early 2023.

            Coach Tuggle will be coaching the Select boys teams this fall.

           
      
             Bill Wilson started coaching in 1993 and holds a U.S. Youth Soccer National Youth License as well as the U.S. Soccer National D
            license.  He was the head coach for 9 years at the Lincoln High School Girls soccer program and was an assistant coach for 9
            years at Simpson college. Bill has coached teams from 6U Rec through 19U Select at multiple clubs in Waukee, WDM, Iowa
            United, and Indianola. He has been with Apex for the past 4 years. 

            Coach Wilson will be coaching the 11U & 12U girls this fall.
            The following coaches will also be coaching Select teams this fall:

            Brad Fuller
            LeGrand Bien-Aime
            Kasey Leaper


  








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