JAMES GALANIS
HEAD COACH 



James Galanis is an Australian native who made his professional soccer debut at the tender age of 15. He worked under various high-level coaches including world soccer legend Ferenc Puskas and he played in Australia’s National Competition for three years, spending the majority of his career competing in the Victorian Second Division.

Through his experience in the Second Division, Galanis became a thinker of the sport and laid a strong foundation for his tactical perspective of the game. He faced opponents such as national teams from Germany, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Italy, England, Chile, Uruguay and many others.

At age 27, Galanis arrived in the United States where he began evaluating soccer as a profession. He recognized his ability to create an ideal environment as a natural teacher of the game, and after working at Smart Soccer and MLS Camps, he decided to become a more serious coach.

Galanis founded Universal Soccer Academy which he based on a personal dream to build an academy focused on high-level and professional development through both classes and training, with training consisting of technical skills, tactical awareness, physical power, mental toughness and character.

Today, Universal Soccer Academy is one of the premier soccer academies in the country, and it produces hundreds of high-level soccer players. U.S. Women’s National Team stars, Carli Lloyd, Heather Mitts, and Hope Solo are some of the most prestige students to come through the academy. Amber Brooks (University of North Carolina and U-20 U.S. Women’s National Team) and Ryan Finley (Duke and U-20 U.S. Men’s National Team and European bound) lead the program’s youth ranks at this moment.

As Director and Program Designer for Universal Argentina, which in 2000 began operation in Cordoba, Galanis designed a training regimen tailored to producing elite Argentinean players. The academy is renowned for producing players who have gone on to represent Argentinean national teams. Galanis was also appointed Club Director for Medford Striker Soccer Club while he was building Universal Soccer. Medford has an amazing history having won 22 State Cup Championships. Since that appointment, Galanis transformed Medford Strikers into a club that boht accepts only serious soccer players and gains recognition for the dynamic and educated football they play.

Growing up in Australia, Galanis also studied Karate for over 15 years. He was nationally ranked and credits karate for teaching him the mental toughness to never give up and to fight to the end. “Today,” says the coach. “All my soccer students are indirectly benefiting from my Karate experiences as they are outworking their opponents, knowing that backing down is not an option.” 


RUSS STROUD  
ASSISTANT COACH/ GOALKEEPER COACH 

Russ Stroud serves as Goalkeeping Coach for the Atlanta Beat. He joins the staff as an Ivy League graduate with experience training both youth and college keepers.

For the last three years, Stroud has worked alongside Head Coach Rob King at Kennesaw State University. In two of those three seasons, the Owls won regular season titles in the Atlantic-Sun Conference. In 2007, the Owls claimed the A-Sun Conference Championship and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Stroud’s work with the KSU keepers received national recognition in 2006. The keepers earned a fifth overall ranking in both goals against average (0.36) and save percentage (.906) plus a seventh overall raking for most shutouts (12). Stroud began his fourth season with the Owls in August.

In addition to his time with KSU, Stroud has worked with the Georgia Olympic Development Program (GA ODP) for the last five years as a goalkeeper coach and evaluator.

Stroud is a graduate of Yale University where he played in goal for the Bulldogs and worked with Head Women’s Soccer Coach Rudy Meredith. He is a Georgia native who started for the ’82 GA ODP team and spent his club career with Atlanta Fire United (formerly West Gwinnett Soccer Club) and the Silverbacks Soccer Club (formerly Untied Quest).

Off the field, Stroud serves as a Big Brother in Atlanta’s Big Brothers Big Sisters program and volunteers with the Yale Alumni Schools Committee as an applicant interviewer.