OMAHA, Neb (January 6, 2020) – Union Omaha’s head coach, Jay Mims, announces members of the coaching staff for Union Omaha’s inaugural season, which will begin in March 2020.
Joel DeLass, Assistant Coach
DeLass joins Union Omaha after serving as First Assistant Coach with USL League One’s Lansing Ignite FC in 2019, where he helped guide the team to a 2nd place finish in the league and a semi-final home playoff appearance. Under DeLass’s tutelage, Lansing Ignite FC was one of the most prolific scoring teams in the league and secure a league -12- 6 -10 record.
DeLass has been coaching since 2009, serving as an assistant coach for various teams and programs, including Western Michigan Christian High School, Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids, Michigan), Chicago Sockers FC and his alma mater – Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he played professionally in the USL Championship (formerly USL Pro) from 2010-2014. He earned All-League honors during the 2012 season and also served as team captain for the Dayton Dutch Lions from -2012-2014.
In 2016, DeLass served as the Head Coach for the Northwest Nazarene University men’s soccer program, developing 15 All-Conference players and two NSCAA All-Region players leading them to a 20-25-8 record.
Daniel Galvis, Goalkeeper Coach
Galvis joins Union Omaha after serving as Goalkeeper Coach for the Men’s Soccer team since 2013 and the Women’s Soccer team in 2019 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in 2019 and.
Before joining UNO, Galvis served for one season as a volunteer assistant coach at Creighton University and prior to that, Galvis spent six seasons as the goalkeeper coach at Bellevue University. During his time with the Bruins, Galvis coached two-time all-conference and all-Region goalkeeper Romain Couture, who was also a 2007 NAIA All-American, recording 1.18 goals against average, while collecting five shutouts. He also mentored all-league goalkeeper Sebastian Narvaez, who ended his Bellevue career with school records for career wins (44), saves (263), shutouts (19), and second in goals against average (1.17).
Galvis graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems in 2006, where he was the goalkeeper for the Bruins from 2004-2005. He helped them achieve a 18-3 record, the MCAC Tournament Championship. a school record for wins (18) and shutouts (10), and a No. 17 final national ranking.
Vicente Luis, Equipment Manager
Luis joins Union Omaha after serving as Team Manager for the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Men’s Soccer team from fall of 2016 to fall of 2019, and for Real Salt Lake Academy from 2018 – 2019.
Luis brings seven years of coaching experience from local schools and youth soccer clubs such as Leones Negros Omaha, Omaha Nitro FC, Magellan SC, Marrs Middle School, Omaha Bryan High School and Omaha South High School.
Luis graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from UNO, where he was also the president of the UNO Club Soccer from 2013 – 2014.
Born in Oceanside, Calif., Luis grew up in Omaha, Neb., where he played for several youth soccer clubs as well as Varsity Soccer for the Omaha South High Packers and for St. Peter Clever Cristo Rey, where he was the team captain from 2010-2011.
“I am thrilled to be able to announce our inaugural technical staff for the 2020 season. Our Union Omaha staff is a group of individuals who are hardworking, diverse, intelligent, loyal and who will take great pride in representing our city. They all have their own unique skill sets and qualities, but the one common theme is they all believe in Omaha,” said Mims.
