About Us
Our mission is to develop better soccer coaches, players, and parents! Our emphasis is on fundamentals, skills, and developing players the “right way”. We believe a coach’s number #1 priority is to be a positive role model and teach players about life. All too often coaches worry too much about winning now — instead developing players for the future and teaching what they need to know about life. To make that happen, setting a good example is crucial.
On this site you’ll find dozens of soccer drills, articles, tips, and advice. Please take your time to see what we have to offer. And be sure to sign up to our free newsletter.
People Behind the Scenes
Jeff Haefner – Co-Owner and Founder
Jeff is a co-owner and founder of SurefireSoccer.com and several other sports websites. He is an avid sports fan and promoter of positive coaching. Through each website he promotes and stresses to coaches the importance of focusing on fundamentals, teaching life lessons, setting a good example, developing better players, and coaching the “right way”.
Jeff graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with his Coaching Certificate and a Degree in Computer Science. Jeff grew up in Iowa and currently lives there today with his wife and two kids. In his spare time Jeff enjoys boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, traveling to sunny places, working out, and playing with his kids as much he can!
Mark Kerlin – Contributing Editor & Content Advisor
Mark Kerlin has been involved in the sport of soccer since the age of nine. Born in Phoenix, it has been a love of the game that has carried him through 38 years of amateur and professional competition. Mark has always been an ambassador for Phoenix soccer, conducting and taking part in camps, clinics and personal appearances all across the valley. He was the first Arizona native to sign a professional soccer contract. He has starred in Dallas, Baltimore, San Francisco, Tacoma, Milwaukee and all five professional teams in Arizona – the Inferno, Pride, Condors, Sandsharks and the Thunder. In 1994, he won a championship title with the Las Vegas Dustdevils.
Throughout his 18 years of professional soccer, Mark has acquired experience and knowledge from many diverse coaches. Many of his coaches played or coached for their countries, such as England, Brazil, Argentina, Yugoslavia, and Portugal. Mark has utilized the diverse training regimens of each of these coaches to develop his own training programs that integrate the styles and the best methods of each coach. He continues to stay educated on the latest and current trends and changes in the world of soccer. He is the head of Anthem Soccer Club in Anthem, AZ. For more information on Coach Mark and his club, go to www.anthemsoccerclub.com.
Doug Pillsbury – Content Development Coordinator
Doug played three sports at Eastern Nazarene College, an NCAA Division III school in Boston, MA. He participate in more than 225 intercollegiate athletic contests in baseball, basketball, and soccer at ENC and was an All-America selection in soccer.
After earning an MBA at Arizona State University and a Master’s in International Mangement at Thunderbird, Doug taught and was an assistant basketball coach at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, an NAIA Division II school. Doug has stayed active in athletics for over 34 years, and now coaches club basketball and soccer. His passion is to develop relevant and practical products for coaches.
Rob Smith – Contributing Editor & Content Advisor
Rob Smith is a life-long soccer player and coach. A former high school New Jersey state champion and division III college player, Rob has several years of experience coaching youth teams. He currently plays in competitive men’s leagues in Philadelphia. A big soccer fan, he enjoys teaching the sport of soccer to all levels.
Rob graduated from The College of New Jersey and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia with a degree in Microbiology/Immunology. He has been employed as a research scientist in a Big Pharma corporation where he participates in developing new drugs. In his spare time he enjoys backpacking, scuba diving, and traveling to new places.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or need anything don’t hesitate to contact us…
Mailing address:
Surefire Soccer
5001 1st Ave. SE, Ste 105 #254
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Fax:
(877) 745-9725
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