Staff

Pellumb Luka Shaqiri

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1.800.742.3076

President, Lead Program Developer & Academy Director

A message from the President:

As a retired Professional soccer player, I found myself wanting to teach the very sport I could no longer play competitively. So I became a soccer coach and devoted my life to teaching young and old players how to master their skills. When I made the move to North America. It quickly became obvious that there was a serious need for a soccer Academy devoted to producing results.

[photo: Luka & Current FIFA President Michel Platini]

I started Eurostar Football Academy as a far reaching project that not only involved my input but a variety of professional coaches, sources and studies. 12 years later it has become one of the most successful elite Academy in North America. Eurostar alumni, are current college students and professional players, please view our academy news for more info on our alumni. I am very proud of the staff at Eurostar, we have accomplished much together in the last 12 years and the sky is the limit in terms of the ammount of players we are developing.

Experience Highlights

• Current Head Coach of London City Professional Soccer Team
• 10 years of International Experience as a Professional Player, travelling all over Europe, Asia and North America
• Professional player with Partizani FC, played in 2 Euro Cups
• Management and coaching experience with a multi million dollar football club Partizani
• Technical Football Director and Coach (Partizani FC)
• International experience as a national football coach and manager
• Youth Albanian National Football Coach & International Manager
• Published Soccer Coach

Eris Tafaj

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Staff Coach

This left wing superstar really shines no matter who he plays with or against. Eris is an exemplery coach as his ability to demonstrate the drills and activities is so perfect it really inspires his students. This staff member has had his share of success in Soccer. Eris comes from a family of Soccer professionals, both his father and brother played professionally. Eris got a full 4 year scholarship at Oklahoma University, and was able to keep up his grades by studying in busses and planes to games. Eris also played professionally in Canada with London City and has recently retired as a soccer player to focus on coaching.

Isa Bulku

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Staff Coach

Isa played professionally with Tirana FC and then Partizani FC before moving to Canada. In Canada Isa has played with several professional teams. Isa is such an imaginative forward; his quickness and technical ability are his greatest traits. As a coach Isa brings this imagination and mixes it with his incredible, explosive and not to mention funny personality to create a coaching style that has yet to be challenged.

Nathalie Gagnon Wease

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Athletic Therapist

Nathalie is a bilingual and dynamic orthopedic injury specialist who quickly gets soccer players back to the sport they love. As a certified member of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), Nathalie has been treating high performance athletes as well as active individuals for over thirteen years.  She has a wealth of experience working with athletes from as many different sports backgrounds. Nathalie played a vital role as the former Head Athletic Therapist for the University of Ottawa Gee Gees.  She was a critical member of the sports medicine team and her dedication helped many athletes and teams attain their goals, including the football team`s victory at the Vanier Cup in 2000. Most recently having been involved with the CSA and soccer team selection training camps and traveling to China and Thailand with the women`s soccer delegation for the World Universiades.  Nathalie was also responsible for planning and implementing all medical and emergency treatment requirements for every sports venue when Canada hosted the `Jeux de la Francophonie` in 2001.

Peter Riccobon

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Goalkeeper Coach - OSA Goal Keeper Certification Diploma: Levels Child, Youth & Senior.

He has over 25 years Goal Keeper experience and played on both district and regional teams. He has a passion for training our youth that surly makes him stand out amongst other goal keeper trainers. His philosophy in Goalkeeping is that it is a specialized position therefore it needs specialized training. The basic premise of Goalkeeping is to keep the ball from crossing the goal line. In order to achieve this the Goalkeeper must be skilled and confident in many areas of goalkeeping. Goalkeeping is not just about stopping shots it is about dominating the area, standing up tall and challenging the striker to beat you. It is organizing the defenders around you therefore reducing the number of times your heroics are needed. As Goalkeepers we must work on areas such as footwork, speed, angle play, diving crosses, punching, corner kicks, timing, reflexes and so much more. Goalkeeping is about establishing a "dominant presence" on the field that instills confidence in your teammates and limits the confidence of your opponents. 

Other Coaches

Anthony Sokalski           This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Rick Santos              This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sean Alden               This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Amarildo Shaqiri

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Phone: 1-800-742-3076

Camp Registration & Academy Operations

Amarildo has been leading Eurostar Operations since 1998. In that time Amarildo has also completed his Bachelors at the University of Western Ontario in Administration and Finance (BACS Program). Amarildo works tirelessly in an administrative capacity to help young athletes meet and exceed their soccer dreams.

Jeni Duro

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Phone: 1-800-742-3076

Event Manager

Jeni was the first ever staff member to recieve the University of Western Ontario Award of Excellence for her work as a supervisor in the Biology Department. Jeni is in charge of Eurostar Camp events.