Staff Bios
Coach Popo
Coach Popo Salami is a highly passionate, skilled, and accomplished soccer coach with impressive qualifications and experience. He has C coaching licenses from Europe Finland. He has a proven track record with an incredible 9 years of coaching experience in nurturing and developing players technically, tactically, and psychologically. He has over 25 years of active soccer experience, further solidifying his comprehensive understanding of soccer.
Before he arrived in Oahu, Coach Popo Salami excelled as a head coach, making significant contributions to the development of various soccer teams. He served as a head coach for a girls’ team aged 15-18 for 3 years, where he won regional cup, including a development amateur women’s team in Finland. Additionally, he was the head coach for a boys’ team aged 12 for 3 years in the KuPs soccer club in Finland, including private coaching. In Oahu, and within a year at Hawaii Soccer Academy (HSA), he won the winter league U2012 (Select 1), finalist U2013 (Premier), and finalist U2015 (Select 1). Throughout these experiences, he consistently impacts success by emphasizing commitment, understanding players’ individual needs, and strategically developing teams in terms of techniques, tactics, and mental development.
Passionate about youth development, Coach Popo firmly believes that inspiring the next generation is paramount in creating well-balanced, skillful, and intelligent soccer players. His ultimate goal is to equip and develop players with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they require to succeed in the ever-changing and demanding world of soccer.
Before retiring from professional football due to injury, coach Popo Salami won many soccer awards, such as best player of the tournament, most valuable player, and highest goals scorer, among others. He also represented his university at the national level in Nigeria, where he obtained his first degree in chemical engineering. Furthermore, academically speaking, coach Popo Salami holds a doctorate degree in Biorefining and Bioeconomy, and his expertise extends to biochemical analysis and phytochemical-based nutrition, including over 7 years of extensive academic and professional experience in research, leadership, and project management at the University of Eastern Finland, Finland. On a personal level, Coach Popo actively engage in both indoor and outdoor activities, including insanity workouts, soccer, jogging, hiking, cycling, and long tennis.
Coach Miguel
With over 15 years of coaching experience, Coach Miguel Gonzalez brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to Oahu Academy. Originally from Mexico, Miguel is a product of club soccer and played throughout childhood in California. He has coached at the Premier level in Southern California and holds a USSF coaching license.
Miguel attended California State University, San Bernardino and later became a news journalist, covering MLS teams and international soccer giants like the Brazilian, Argentine, and Mexican national teams. He had the privilege of working with renowned coaches such as Sigi Schmid, Bruce Arena, Hugo Sanchez, and Emilio Butragueño, among others.
At Oahu Academy, Coach Miguel emphasizes respect, open dialogue with parents and athletes, and aims to instill confidence and continuous improvement in every player. He is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of soccer talent by constantly enhancing his own soccer knowledge.
Miguel is the proud father of Sebastien, an 11-year-old accomplished soccer player and Jiujitsu competitor. Sebastien is his pride and joy. Outside the soccer field, Miguel co-owns Catalyst Public Relations and Marketing with his wife, Melanie, a fitness athlete herself. They share a love for dogs, enjoying adventures and hikes with Sebastien and their two rescue dogs, Blue and Sonic.
Coach Miguel is also an accomplished Jiujitsu practitioner, holding a brown belt ranking and a North American Masters Championship from the IBJJF, currently ranked #3 in the world in his age division.He has completed over 10 full marathons, showcasing his dedication to fitness and endurance. Passionate about fitness and running, including triathlons, Coach Miguel considers himself fortunate to live a life dedicated to family, friends, and the beautiful game of soccer.
Coach Pete
Coach Pete’s soccer journey started when he was a kid, but his LOVE for soccer started when he signed up his children for soccer at the age of 5 years old. As a father and coach for his son and daughter, he enjoyed teaching them about being team players and working hard on and off the field. It was rewarding and a memorable part of his family’s lives that they will never forget.
Coach Pete started coaching in AYSO where his kids started playing soccer. He then moved with his kids to competitive leagues, HYSA and MISO. After falling in love with the sport of soccer all over again Coach Pete decided to be committed to learning more and being able to teach his kids more and earned his first USSF Coaching license and also became a certified referee.
Coach Pete has coached competitive boys teams for various clubs in the past, such as Crew Soccer Club, Galaxy, Riggers, Excell, Laulima, Shockers and NaKoa. Coach Pete also has served as a Head Coach with Pac5 Boys and most recently, for the past 7 years with Punahou girls soccer. Coach Pete has helped teams he has coached to multiple tournament championships and impressive finishes as well as made life-long connections with past players.
Coach Pete’s children are now in college and doing well. However, he still loves the game and is still engaged as a coach until this current day, since 2018.
Coach Pete especially enjoys teaching players the game of soccer and to LOVE the game of soccer. He teaches technical and tactical skills to be successful on the pitch. He especially enjoys working with players to play the game with less touches and to be effective in every position. Coach Pete also enjoys working with players to facilitate their decision-making processes. His experiences coaching has allowed him to work with players as they start young and also older kids who are still playing in club and for high school competition.
Coach Pete currently works as a first responder at a hospital that rebuilds lives together with individuals, families and patients to return home and to their communities. He assists patients with becoming as independent as possible and helping them return to doing the things they love. In his spare time he loves to travel, being in/near the ocean and fishing, or just relaxing and listening to music.
Coach Mariel
Coach Mariel is born and raised on Oahu, Hawai’i. She started playing soccer and competed in club soccer on Oahu while growing up. She attended Punahou School and had the experience of playing soccer for Punahou. Coach Mariel attended college at Pacific University where she continued to compete.
After graduating college, Coach Mariel started coaching in California for several years. When she had the opportunity to move back home and is currently coaching for Punahou School in the girls program.
Coach Mariel is an experienced coach with a passion for developing young talent and fostering a love for the game. She is known for a hands-on, player-focused approach, and emphasizes skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship. With her guidance, players not only improve their on-field performance but also develop valuable life skills.
Coach Sophia
Coach Sophia grew up in Southern California where she learned how to play soccer. She started playing club from 6 years old, and never looked back! Sophia played Division 1 soccer in college at UC San Diego. She then played semi pro in England for 1 year before moving to Hawaii to get my masters degree from HPU. Fortunately for Coach Sophia, she still had NCAA eligibility (from COVID) and she was able to play soccer at HPU while getting her masters degree. Sophia recently graduated and finished her soccer (playing) career.
Coach Sophia started out doing goalkeeper private sessions when she was in England and continued to do so when she moved to Hawai’i. This past year, Coach Sophia started coaching at Punahou as a goalkeeper coach in the girls program. She is most experienced in coaching older kids but is comfortable coaching kids of all ages.
There are three aspects to Coach Sophia’s coaching philosophy – all of which are parts of my soccer career that were the most important to her. 1: player confidence. This is the most important part of an athletes development (even more than physical skill and ability). Her goal is to improve athlete’s confidence every time they step on the field. 2: enjoying the game. Soccer is meant to be fun, not stressful. It’s an escape from the real world and serves as a release for our stressful and busy lives. Soccer should never cause stress, it should be the place to relieve it. And 3: goal setting. She makes it her number one priority to listen to the athlete’s goals. Whether they want to improve a certain piece of their game, make it to play in college one day, make their high school soccer team, or simply just get better at the sport, she want to focus on the athlete’s goals more than anything else. Coach Sophia aims to work together with the athlete to achieve their goals. Training is geared toward helping athlete’s reach their goals and become better both on and off the field.
Coach Sophia does her best to ensure there is a balance between having fun and working hard. She does her best to have fun when it’s time to have fun, but requires discipline when it’s time to work. Again, soccer should never be stressful, but it’s important to implement game-like training so that athlete’s can be most prepared before stepping on the field.
