Wave Soccer Club Welcomes New Director of Coaching, Qassim Ilmi

Eagan, Minnesota --- Wave Soccer Club is excited to announce the accelerated evolution of its exceptional coaching staff. As the 2023 summer season is in full swing with 38 Competitive summer teams and a healthy Wave Academy program, Qassim Ilmi (or Coach Q) is eager to formally announce that he will take over as the Director of Coaching on July 1st, 2023.

“I have enjoyed getting to know the players and families in my role as Assistant DOC over the past six months and I look forward to continuing to cultivate strong relationships as I transition into the lead DOC position,” says Coach Q. “I have the utmost confidence that with the support of the board, coaches, players, and families who make up Wave SC, we can develop the club’s culture and command the respect that this great city deserves.”

Coach Q is originally from Kenya but has lived in Minnesota for most of his life. He has been coaching for over a decade, covering the full width of the soccer spectrum from youth club and high school teams to college and professional teams. At the youth level, Coach Q served as the DOC for Bloomington United and was the founder of Sporting Minnesota, who went on to compete at the USYS Regional Championships and US Club National Championships. He coached varsity girls’ soccer at Hill Murray and made the sectional finals as well as a state appearance. In his collegiate endeavors, Coach Q worked as the Assistant Women’s Coach at Hamline University and currently serves as the Men’s Head Coach at Anoka Ramsey College. Coach Q has worked as a coach and scout for Minnesota United and currently serves as the FC Dallas Upper Midwest scout.

“I like to win but I will never hold a player back from a good opportunity if they are truly deserving of the chance,” states Coach Q. “My experiences have helped me create a game model focused on technical excellence and tactical astuteness. I look forward to implementing my methodology at Wave SC by improving the intensity of the training sessions and utilizing alternative training methods to maximize the players’ touches on the ball and to challenge their decision-making skills. I want to create risk-takers with the goal of playing attractive soccer.”

Coach Q acknowledges that there have been a lot of changes at Wave SC in the past few years and he wants to provide more consistent guidance for the club moving forward. In his opinion, the city of Eagan is a powerhouse in the Minnesota soccer community, yet the youth clubs have not received the accolades that they deserve. “I’m here to create change that will actualize the potential that exists in Eagan,” says Coach Q. “I want our players to have a winning mentality no matter which team they are on and to enjoy the soccer experience as that is what they will remember at the end of the day.”

The road to success is torrential but Coach Q emphasizes that he is here to ride this wave with the support of the families. “I want everyone to know that I’m here for you. We are Wave Soccer Club and we’re in this together!”

If you have any questions, please contact the operations staff directly at operations@wavesoccer.org.