About Us

Paul Sapsford pictured at Real Madrid’s training base, as guest of former Assistant Coach, Paul Clement.

Paul Sapsford serves Academy student-athletes with advice on recruiting, NCAA rules and guidance with college coach communication. His undergraduate thesis examined the Home Advantage in Professional Soccer and was conducted with first team professionals at Wimbledon FC and Crystal Palace FC. He lectured in the field of Sport Psychology at Saint Mary’s University College (UK), and collaborated on research into the FIFA Experiment on Semi-Professional soccer which was later published in the Journal of Sports Sciences. His post graduate studies at Exeter University (UK) and Saint Mary’s College of California culminated in his thesis on the relationship between coaching behavior, collective efficacy and team cohesion. He holds a USSF “A” License and has coached D1 NCAA athletics at both Stanford University and Saint Mary’s College of California. While at Stanford he guided the Cardinal women’s soccer team to an elite eight finish in the 2002 NCAA playoffs and was named National Coach of the Year by Soccer America for this achievement. He also served Northern California as Director of Coaching, where he specialized in sport science and coach education.