Staff

---

Background

With over 35 years of playing and coaching experience, Chris Wright brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to First Football Coaching. A product of the Nottingham Forest FC Professional Youth Academy, Chris played semi-professional football in England before moving to the United States at the age of 22.

Over the past 20+ years, he has held a variety of leadership and coaching roles, including Academy Coach, Academy Director, Technical Director, Head College Coach, Assistant College Coach, Director of Soccer Operations, and Executive Director. Throughout his career, he has worked with players of all ages and levels, from grassroots to elite youth internationals and Power-5 NCAA student-athletes.

As a youth coach, Chris has worked with boys and girls aged 5–19 and most recently served as a U15-U19 Girls Academy Director, where he coached multiple Youth International players who represented their countries at the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup and CONCACAF Championships. He has also helped more than 200 players earn NCAA college scholarships and has guided teams to league championships, national titles, and consistent qualification for national tournaments and playoffs.

Chris specializes in individual and small-group training, creating elite, high-intensity learning environments that emphasize technical proficiency, decision-making, and game understanding. Players participating in First Football Coaching programs compete at the highest levels of youth soccer, including MLS NEXT, ECNL, and Girls Academy (GA).

His experience also extends internationally, having delivered individual training sessions to youth players from the Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Derby County, and Notts County professional youth academies in England.

• UEFA 'A' License Candidate
• UEFA 'B' License
• English FA Level 2 License
• English FA Level 1 License
• English FA Talent Identification Certificate
• English FA Introduction to Coaching Disabled Footballers

• USSF 'A' License
• USSF 'B' License
• USSF 'C' License
• USSF 'D' License
• Club Technical Leadership Diploma

• Premier Diploma
• Advanced National Diploma
• National Diploma
• Director of Coaching Diploma

• BSc Physical Education & Youth Sport – Sheffield Hallam University (England)
• Master's in Education – North Park University (USA)

• First Aid Certified
• Safeguarding Certified
• SafeSport Certified
• Heads Up Concussion Certified
• DBS Background Checked