Our Team
“Player Toolbox is a premier player platform designed to deliver performance improvements. The content has been designed by a team of expert leaders, coaches and educators with a proven track level of working with players of all ages and abilities.”
The Founding Partners
Tony Strudwick
Content and Strategic Direction
Esteemed Performance coach with International recognition. Currently, Head of Performance at Football Association Wales. Remit includes managing performance service provision across all Wales Football National Teams. Tony completed his PhD with Liverpool John Moores University in 2006. He has a comprehensive background in managing teams in the UK and North America. Tony was recruited by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007 to lead and manage the first team performance services.
He then worked for the next 11 years with Manchester United winning The World Club Championship, Carling Cup (x2), Premier League (x4), UEFA Champions League, Charity Shield (x4) and F.A Cup. Tony was selected by the English Football Association to work with the England National team at FIFA World Cup 2014.
More recently, Tony was editor of “Soccer Science” by Human Kinetics, published July 2016. He is also currently employed as a consultant for the English Premier League tasked with delivering the physical lead on the Premier League Elite Coaches Apprenticeship Scheme.
As a Performance Director, he has guided a number of World Class soccer players including Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, David De Gea and Gareth Bale.
- Head of Performance:
Wales Mens National Team - Head of Performance:
Manchester United FC - Physical Performance Coach:
English Mens National Team - Head of Sports Science:
Blackburn Rover FC - Head of Sports Science:
West Ham FC
Sam Nellins
Sales and Partnerships
A proud Loughborough University Graduate (Leics, England) Sam settled in New Jersey in the early 90’s. Established Hills Soccer Programs with his business partner Chris Brown, and coached many of the top Club teams in New Jersey as well as NJ ODP and Mendham High School. In 1998 he was the Co – Founder of The New Jersey Soccer club, Players Development Academy (PDA), Sam has assumed many roles within the Club from building the business plan, to Director of Operations to Academy Director and now Technical Director of the Boys Program. He is part of the very experienced leadership group for the Club working with Club President Tom Anderson and the other Club Directors, it’s a family.
Sam has consulted with numerous football organizations and is highly regarded in the area of player development, with countless players graduating to collegiate and professional playing careers.
Sam’s Coaching education includes all USSF Licenses which culminated in the USSF Academy Directors Diploma. This education has helped Sam establish the PDA Boys Soccer curriculum and all associated materials the boys side of PDA operates under.
Still involved with everyday working of the boys program at PDA, Sam currently coaches the U19 MLS Next Academy boys team and creates programs for the Pro Trac players within the boys side of the club.
Chris Brown
Business Development
Chris has over thirty years of experience developing businesses in football, specializing in concept to reality projects, programming, structuring of organizations and strategic planning.
Currently the Executive Director of Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer, Chris has developed the Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer club to one of the leading clubs in North America. He also guided two successful teams in the ICC Futures Tournament in 2018 and 2020.
- Executive Director:
Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer - Owner: Simply Soccer
- Owner: UK Elite Soccer
Lee Hancock
Advisory Board Director
Lee Hancock, PhD, is a Sport Psychology Coach, Consultant and University Professor dedicated to improving the performance of athletes, students, parents and organizations. Lee earned his PhD from Arizona State University. His applied work, research and professional writing range from maximizing performance and learning of elite athletes to creating and implementing programs for youth sport organizations in order to maximize the youth sport experience.
- Professor: CSUDH
- Owner: DLH Performance
- Author: Potentialing your Child in Soccer, Coaching People in Sports, Talent? (due out January 2022)
Justin Marriott
Director of Sales
Justin brings more than 30 years of experience developing businesses in sports, ranging from building several companies, sales, camp & training programming, event management and consulting. Presently, the Chief Operations Director of JJSA Consulting, he currently leads and manages several projects including:
- Nike Vogelsinger Soccer Academy Director
- PDA Soccer Operations
- Onward (Travel Group) Business Development Manager
Previous roles & projects include:
- ICC Futures Tournament Director
- EDP Tournament Advisor
- Chevrolet Sports / UK Elite – N. American Roadshow Operations Director
- Project Consultant – GPS Soccer
- Owner – USA Sports Group
Alexis Vizarelis
Advisory Board Director
Alexis’s positive and engaging demeanor exudes confidence to all coaches and players that he teaches. Cameo role in the 80’s football series Dream Team, he has established himself as one of the leading teachers of goalkeeping in the United States.
- 20 years coaching experience in the State of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City Energy FC First Team Goalkeeping Coach
- Director of Goalkeeping for Oklahoma Energy Football Club
- Former NCAA Division One Assistant Coach at the University of Oklahoma
- Experience coaching Men’s and Women’s goalkeepers at the NAIA level
- Partner of Maximus Soccer LLC
Tony Strudwick
Content and Strategic Direction
Esteemed Performance coach with International recognition. Currently, Head of Performance at Football Association Wales. Remit includes managing performance service provision across all Wales Football National Teams. Tony completed his PhD with Liverpool John Moores University in 2006. He has a comprehensive background in managing teams in the UK and North America. Tony was recruited by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007 to lead and manage the first team performance services.
He then worked for the next 11 years with Manchester United winning The World Club Championship, Carling Cup (x2), Premier League (x4), UEFA Champions League, Charity Shield (x4) and F.A Cup. Tony was selected by the English Football Association to work with the England National team at FIFA World Cup 2014.
More recently, Tony was editor of “Soccer Science” by Human Kinetics, published July 2016. He is also currently employed as a consultant for the English Premier League tasked with delivering the physical lead on the Premier League Elite Coaches Apprenticeship Scheme.
As a Performance Director, he has guided a number of World Class soccer players including Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, David De Gea and Gareth Bale.
- Head of Performance:
Wales Mens National Team - Head of Performance:
Manchester United FC - Physical Performance Coach:
English Mens National Team - Head of Sports Science:
Blackburn Rover FC - Head of Sports Science:
West Ham FC
Chris Brown
Business Development
Chris has over thirty years of experience developing businesses in football, specializing in concept to reality projects, programming, structuring of organizations and strategic planning.
Currently the Executive Director of Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer, Chris has developed the Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer club to one of the leading clubs in North America. He also guided two successful teams in the ICC Futures Tournament in 2018 and 2020.
- Executive Director:
Phoenix Rising FC Youth Soccer - Owner: Simply Soccer
- Owner: UK Elite Soccer
Justin Marriott
Director of Sales
Justin brings more than 30 years of experience developing businesses in sports, ranging from building several companies, sales, camp & training programming, event management and consulting. Presently, the Chief Operations Director of JJSA Consulting, he currently leads and manages several projects including:
- Nike Vogelsinger Soccer Academy Director
- PDA Soccer Operations
- Onward (Travel Group) Business Development Manager
Previous roles & projects include:
- ICC Futures Tournament Director
- EDP Tournament Advisor
- Chevrolet Sports / UK Elite – N. American Roadshow Operations Director
- Project Consultant – GPS Soccer
- Owner – USA Sports Group
Sam Nellins
Sales and Partnerships
A proud Loughborough University Graduate (Leics, England) Sam settled in New Jersey in the early 90’s. Established Hills Soccer Programs with his business partner Chris Brown, and coached many of the top Club teams in New Jersey as well as NJ ODP and Mendham High School. In 1998 he was the Co – Founder of The New Jersey Soccer club, Players Development Academy (PDA), Sam has assumed many roles within the Club from building the business plan, to Director of Operations to Academy Director and now Technical Director of the Boys Program. He is part of the very experienced leadership group for the Club working with Club President Tom Anderson and the other Club Directors, it’s a family.
Sam has consulted with numerous football organizations and is highly regarded in the area of player development, with countless players graduating to collegiate and professional playing careers.
Sam’s Coaching education includes all USSF Licenses which culminated in the USSF Academy Directors Diploma. This education has helped Sam establish the PDA Boys Soccer curriculum and all associated materials the boys side of PDA operates under.
Still involved with everyday working of the boys program at PDA, Sam currently coaches the U19 MLS Next Academy boys team and creates programs for the Pro Trac players within the boys side of the club.
Lee Hancock
Advisory Board Director
Lee Hancock, PhD, is a Sport Psychology Coach, Consultant and University Professor dedicated to improving the performance of athletes, students, parents and organizations. Lee earned his PhD from Arizona State University. His applied work, research and professional writing range from maximizing performance and learning of elite athletes to creating and implementing programs for youth sport organizations in order to maximize the youth sport experience.
- Professor: CSUDH
- Owner: DLH Performance
- Author: Potentialing your Child in Soccer, Coaching People in Sports, Talent? (due out January 2022)
Alexis Vizarelis
Advisory Board Director
Alexis’s positive and engaging demeanor exudes confidence to all coaches and players that he teaches. Cameo role in the 80’s football series Dream Team, he has established himself as one of the leading teachers of goalkeeping in the United States.
- 20 years coaching experience in the State of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City Energy FC First Team Goalkeeping Coach
- Director of Goalkeeping for Oklahoma Energy Football Club
- Former NCAA Division One Assistant Coach at the University of Oklahoma
- Experience coaching Men’s and Women’s goalkeepers at the NAIA level
- Partner of Maximus Soccer LLC
