Biography
A native of Hull, England, Technical Director Tom Shields is widely regarded as one of the most progressive young coaches and directors in the country.
Holding both a Masters Degree in Sport Psychology and a Bachelors Degree in Sports Coaching, alongside experience as a University Professor in Sports Coaching and Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds Metropolitan (Beckett) University, Tom’s academic and coaching history is significant. He has authored countless published articles on coaching practice and has appeared as a guest in dozens of coaching and leadership podcasts and webinars. Additionally he has been a keynote speaker at industry leading conferences and symposiums (including the United Soccer Coaches Convention, US Club Soccer’s P1 symposium and the United States Olympic Committee AGM).
Our current USL League 2 Men’s Head Coach and 2025 USL2 Coach of the Year, he’s a four-time US Club Soccer National Champion, former NCAA Division I Men’s (Rutgers University) and Women’s (CCSU) Assistant, US Club Soccer Boys Id2 National Staff Coach and ECNL Boys National Selection Game coaching selection. A former Head Coach of Hull City Ladies and the University of Hull, Women’s Super League Assistant (Leeds Carnegie) and former Development Centre and Community Coach at Hull City, Leeds United and Bradford City, the experiences prior to STA that Tom can draw upon to share with our membership are significant.
Tom is one of the country’s youngest recipients of the prestigious US Soccer Academy Directors License and USSF A Youth License, while also holding the USSF National Youth License, NSCAA Premier Diploma and NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma along with a number of FA and LMA certifications. He now also teaches on US Soccer’s Club Technical Leadership pathway.
Since his arrival, he has overseen the commitment process of close to 500 of our players to colleges throughout the NCAA ranks, including a number to “Power Four” Division I schools and has additionally worked with dozens of others that have gone on to earn youth national team representation and professional contracts across the United States including a handful of current stars playing in Major League Soccer. From a program perspective, he has seen the Girls Academy qualify for Champions Cup play and the Boys ECNL earn Super Cup qualification, while regularly appearing within Top 100 youth club rankings based on the performance of our teams nationally,
Lastly, in addition to supporting the progression and development of all the players and teams within STA, he is also responsible for managing all of the internal coach education and development initiatives our staff receive and has positioned STA as a benchmark for others to follow with regards to this element of our programming.