Coaching Directors Bio's

Growing up in San Juan Capistrano, CA, Ginn played American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) from age 4 to 17, and was three times placed on the Orange County All-Star team. At San Clemente High School, Ginn was named captain of the freshmen / sophomore and junior varsity teams his first three years. His senior year, he transferred to Dana Hills High School where he played goalkeeper and helped the team to its first California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) appearance and semi-final match. Ginn went on to play for Utah Valley State College as a goalkeeper. Ginn started three years at UVSC and contributed to three regional titles, two regional tournament championships, and two quarter-final appearances at the national club championships. 

Ginn’s coaching career began with Celtic Storm Soccer Club in Orem, Utah.  He coached for seven years where his '87 girls’ team made a quarter-finals appearance and two semi-final appearances in Utah's State Cup. Ginn was also the head coach for the girls’ soccer program at Timpanogos High School in Orem. In his third season at Timpanogos the team made its first ever state playoff appearance. He left Timpanogos to become the assistant coach for men’s and women’s soccer at William Penn University.  Coach Jeff Ginn then moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa where he spent four seasons as the assistant coach at Iowa Western Community College where he and the head coach, Ammon Bennett, started the program. In the short history of Reiver soccer, Ginn played an important part in developing two nationally recognized programs.  The women, with an overall record of 70-9-6, have been ranked as high as 2nd (NJCAA Polls), and the men, with an overall record of 51-23-5, have been ranked as high as 15^th (NJCAA polls). The Lady Rievers attended two NJCAA national championship tournaments where they were runner ups both years. During the time in Council Bluffs (2004-2008), Ginn instructed United States Soccer Federation (USSF) coaches’ licensing courses and, with community support, has been instrumental in forming the Council Bluffs Futbol Club (CBFC), a competitive soccer club.  He was the Coaching Director of CBFC and coached the ’93 Girls and ’90 Girls. Ginn currently holds his USSF "C" License and is the Technical Director of Infinity Soccer Club where he is the head coach of all the U-9, U10 & U11 boys and girls teams. Ginn will also be instructing and implementing the Infinity Soccer Academy for 4-8 year olds this year.

Sherri Dever—Director of Coaching

Sherri Dever is a life-long resident of Cache Valley and grew up playing soccer here.  She played as a young child and was selected to compete on several Utah All-Star teams as a center mid-fielder in her teenage years.  Sherri helped develop a girls soccer program at Sky View High School while attending there as a student, and played on the first team Sky View had. (They actually brought home the first state trophy for Sky View!)  Sherri went on to play collegiately at USU for the women’s club team.  She continued to play competitively even while pregnant with her children.  Sherri has played on several hispanic and men’s competitive teams over the years.  She has developed her love of the game into a life-long hobby and career. She enjoys developing and training players. 

Sherri served on the District 7 Board of Directors from 1998 – 2007 as the boys competition director.  She has coached for 21 years at the youth level as an independent coach, during which time the CV Lightning / Valencia boys teams competed consistently in the UYSA State Premier division for 6 years.  The Valencia 97’ Premier state girls team competed in the semi-finals at the Utah State Cup in 2008.  Sherri served as Mountain Crest High School’s boys assistant coach from 2002 – 2008.  She coaches for the Utah Olympic Development Program, and is the Director of Coaching for Infinity Soccer Club.  She has served as coach for the Infinity U-11 Premier Girls, U-11 Select Girls, U-13 Select Girls, and is also the head coach for the U-11 Premier U-17 and U-18 Infinity State Boys Premier teams.  Sherri holds a USSF national “B” coaching license, the National Youth License and the NSCAA State Goal Keeper License and is a certified grade 8 referee.

Marla Nelson- Director of Goal Keeping

Former Utah Soccer Alliance head coach and California State Fullerton graduate, Marla Nelson will be starting her second season as Utah State's soccer graduate assistant.

"Coach Nelson brings unique combination of Division I playing, coaching and teaching background to our program" Cairns said. "Our goalkeepers will really benefit from learning from a player who has played the goalkeeper position at the collegiate level."

Nelson has been coaching soccer since 2000 when she was the assistant coach for the Fullerton Rangers Youth Soccer Club-Blue Magic. She has also coached for Lone Peak High School boy's and girl's teams, Utah Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program and UK International Soccer Camps. Her duties included teaching the fundamentals of soccer, assisting the head coach and goalkeeping. She also lead the Utah Soccer Alliance team to three tournament championships in 2008.

Nelson was the starting goalkeeper for California State Fullerton in 1997, 1999 and 2000, and team captain in 2000. She also earned Big West Conference Scholar Athlete honors in 2000 and 2001, and received the Titan Scholar-Athlete Award from 1998-2001. Nelson also played for the State Select Soccer Team in 2004.

Nelson received a bachelor's degree in English from California State Fullerton and is working on her graduate degree at Utah State in secondary education with an emphasis in reading and literacy.

Nelson graduated in 1996 from Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, Calif., where her team was the Pacific League Champions from 1994-1996. Nelson brings an added element that many clubs don't commonly have. Our Goal Keepers will get high level training from Marla. The results will be evident as our Goal Keepers become more technically sound and confident in the box.