International Soccer Academy was established in the United States in 2020 to provide a groundbreaking pathway for talented North American players. By 2021, we expanded to the prestigious Academy of Schalke 04, the Knappenschmiede followed by a second Team at the Bundesliga Club, Hertha Berlin, and a third team at Sportwerk in Germany. Our expansion plan will see teams at other renowned Clubs in the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, La Liga, and Liga Portugal. Following a unique methodology in each of our centers, we want to give American players the opportunity to play and train in Europe with a view to developing their skills, and showcasing their talent to generate professional opportunities.
All our players go through a rigorous scouting process – both live and virtual to be placed in one of these European rosters. All aspects of our Integrated Academy teams, including matches, staff, education, cultural exchange, and facilities, exceed the expectations of our players. We combine best-in-class European methodology and coaching with the sought-after American physicality and athleticism through expert UEFA A Licensed coaches.
The demand for well-rounded American players is at an all-time high in the world and our individualized development programs and exposure opportunities lead players to top professional organizations and prestigious universities. Playing highly competitive weekly matches in Europe allows players to reach their maximum potential and enhance individual and collective performance. We build smart, physically prepared, and mentally strong players capable of succeeding at the highest level. However, just as important to us is taking care of our players after they complete our program. The success of our players is a responsibility we take seriously and we always continue mentoring our players. We believe it is our responsibility to continue assisting our players – whether it’s a second year at International Soccer Academy, arranging trials in professional clubs and signing contracts, or returning home and playing collegiate soccer.
About Our Founders
Eddie Loewen
Former German professional soccer player, Eddie Loewen has made it his mission post-retirement to connect talented American players with Europe’s top academies. Eddie is also a renowned coach with a UEFA A License as well as a USSF B. Born and raised in Germany, Eddie played for several German professional clubs and also represented the German National Team as captain in Beach Soccer. Eddie then moved to the United States and focus on his biggest passion – coaching. He has been Head Coach of the German and Indian National Beach Soccer Teams as well as co-authoring the FIFA Beach Soccer Coach Manuel.
As a co-founder of the International Soccer Academy, Eddie’s role is to make sure the best talent is recruited from North America and placed in a suitable Club in Europe. Eddie is also involved in the trial processes for our Integrated Academy team players. He not only sets up the trials but also accompanies our players and spearheads the negotiation process as their representative. He also mentors all our current players and alumni.
Apart from International Soccer Academy. Eddie is also the founder and CEO of Global Soccer Development, where he has given over 2,000 American youth players the chance to train in Europe.
Eddie resides in Tampa, Florida with his family.
About Our Pro Partnerships
FC Schalke 04
The famed Knappenschmiede has produced 2014 World Cup winners Benedikt Höwedes, Julian Draxler, Manuel Neuer, and Mesut Özil. Home-grown Schalke talents have started in the Champions League as well as world-class matches around the globe. Through its optimal youth development, the Knappenschmiede’s aim is for its youth talents to continuously make the step into the club’s first-team squad.
Hertha Berlin
Hertha Berlin is the epitome of a modern football club; international, diverse, and focused on the future of the game and developing talented players into professionals.
The Bundesliga club has consistently provided opportunities on their first team to youth players. Hertha Berlin academy players have made appearances in over 450 League matches — with at least one academy player playing the entire 90-minute match, each game. In addition, 55 youth players have made their professional debut since 2001, a number most clubs are unable to achieve.
About Our Team
Isabela Ramesh
Director of International Sales and Marketing.
Isabela was previously employed by our partner club Hertha Berlin where she was Advisor to the CEO, Fredi Bobic.
Accepted at NYU Law School, Isabela’s passion for the beautiful game led her to leave the USA to explore working in Germany and the Bundesliga. At International Soccer Academy, Isabela will focus on overseeing the day-to-day soccer operations, including Business Development and Marketing, Player Development, and Experience, as well as PR and Media. Isabela lives between Spain and Germany – in close proximity to our Integrated Academy Teams.
Kai Brock
Program Director Schalke 04 Integrated Academy
Kai is a UEFA A Licenced Coach who has worked for the Royal Blues for over 18 years. The native German who was born and raised in the NRW Region of Germany started his coaching career as the Assistant Coach for the German National U11s and U12s Team in Bochum before taking over the Schalke 04 Youth Academy Under 12s and 13s. At International Soccer Academy, Kai oversees the Football Operations for our Schalke Team, organizing matches, serving as the main contact person for the Coaches as well as co-founder Eddie Loewen to fine-tune player development, and help with the trial processes. In addition to working with our Integrated Academy, Kai is also the Coordinator of Football Methodology at Schalke 04 and manages their partnership with the Football Club Social Alliance.
Kerim Baba
Head Coach Schalke 04 Integrated Academy
Coach Kerim is a former professional soccer player as well as a UEFA A Licensed Coach. Born in Germany, he played Youth Soccer at the highest level for clubs like SG Wattenscheid 09 and VfL Bochum. Coach Kerim kicked off his career as Assistant Coach at TSG Herdecke where he was Assistant Coach to legendary Coach Peter Wrongowitz who has also coached Borussia Dortmund. after which he moved to Australia where he took over the U19s of the Sydney Olympic FC as Manager. During his time at Sydney Olympic FC, he also worked closely with the Sporting Director to ensure an established football program and pathway as well as training the First Team on specifics. The native German stayed with the Sydney Olympic FC for over five years and moved back to Schalke 04 to take over our Integrated Academy Team.
Tobias Lederer
Assistant Coach Schalke 04 Integrated Academy
Coach Tobias is a former soccer player as well as a UEFA B Licensed Coach. He competed at the highest level of German Youth Soccer before pursuing coaching at a very young age. Coach Tobi was only 21 years old when he took over his first team, Eintracht Dortmund as Coach. Tobias then moved to China in 2018 to take over the U19s of the Chinese Club, Hebei FC. After gaining valuable experience abroad, the German native returned to Schalke 04 where he has remained until today.
Marlone Jackson
Resident Advisor Schalke 04 Integrated Academy
Hailing from Texas, our Resident Advisor, Marlone Jackson, is a former Pro Basketball player who was a collegiate impact player before moving to Europe to pursue Basketball. He played for several clubs in France and Germany before he signed with the International Soccer Academy. Given his experience as an American athlete in Germany, Marlone is a perfect fit for this role which holds many responsibilities, including facilitating residency activities and helping resolve conflicts between players. Marlone says, “It (being a former US Pro Athlete in Germany) really does help me understand the guys. I didn’t have someone to tell me what to expect, but they do!”
The Resident Advisor also helps to ensure that players follow all campus rules as well as take part in the rich cultural experiences that Germany has to offer.
Tobias Kurbjuweit
Head Coach Hertha Berlin Integrated Academy
Coach Tobias is a former professional soccer player as well as a UEFA A Licensed Coach. He played for several German clubs, including FC St. Pauli, Mainz 05, and FC Union Berlin. Coach Tobias kicked off his career as Assistant Coach at Hertha Berlin for the U17s, the U19s as well as the Second Team after which he took over the U19s at Hamburg SV as Head Coach.
He coached in Hamburg for over 5 years before moving back to Berlin to take over our Integrated Academy Team.
Cauê Rodrigues
Assistant Coach Hertha Berlin Integrated Academy
In addition to speaking four languages fluently, Coach Cauê is a UEFA B Licensed Coach and a Certified Yoga Instructor. Cauê was with the German Club Hamburger SV, before joining Hertha Berlin to join the Coaching Staff for our U17s. Cauê was born and raised in Brazil and moved to Germany to pursue a Degree in Sports Science. After successfully completing his degree in Hamburg, Coach Rodrigues attained his coaching license and has coached several Youth Academies in Germany ever since. Cauê lives in our Residency in Berlin, where he is able to support Marc with our 20-player group.
Marc Dyck
Resident Advisor Hertha Berlin Integrated Academy
Marc serves as the Team Manager / Resident Advisor at the Hertha Berlin. The Frankfurt native was previously a Physical Education Teacher at Middle and High School. As the Team Manager, Marc is the link between the coach, club, and team. He coordinates cultural activities, games, training camps, away trips, and hotel stays. He is also responsible for the players’ well-being, and due to his experience in teaching, Marc often tutors our players and gives them German lessons.
About Our Speakers
Dan Abrahams
Dan Abrahams is a sport psychologist, author, columnist for SoccerToday and highly popular speaker who specializes in soccer. He has worked with numerous professional soccer players and teams, including English Premier League as well as Formula 1 teams, to help improve their mental game and performance. He is known for his passion to de-mystify sport psychology and for creating simple-to-use performance techniques. He is the author of four best-selling sport psychology books and the founder of the Dan Abrahams Soccer Academy and The Sport Psych Show podcast.
According to Dan, the most important game an elite athlete will ever play is the one in their mind.
“The ability to stay focused, to stay motivated, and to stay confident is what separates the good from the great.” – Dan Abrahams.
Gareth Bale, Real Madrid & Wales National Football Team says, “Soccer Tough by world-renowned sports psychologist Dan Abrahams changed my life! The book explains how we all have the ability to perform when pressure is at its highest – you just need to unlock it!”
In addition to private coaching for elite soccer players all over Europe, Dan is the Team Psychologist for Feyenoord Rotterdam, which is currently number one in the Dutch League, Eredivisie. Dan currently works on the topic of frustration resilience as well as the importance of mental preparation with our Integrated Academy Teams in Germany.
You can learn more about Dan’s work and his accolades here.
Dr. John Ashley Null
Dr. John Ashley Null is a renowned theologian and scholar, teaching around the world, researching in Europe, and simultaneously serving as the five-time Olympic Chaplain. His work has brought him in contact with thousands of athletes – from those who have won big, to those who have failed epically. And his advice remains the same: Winning a medal will never change your life. Dr. John Ashley Null is a native Texan, who graduated with a Masters’s Degree from Yale University in 1985 and proceeded to complete his Doctorate at the University of Cambridge in England.
Dr. Null primarily researched the human need for constant affirmation, which is especially magnified in athletics when an individual’s giftedness gets confused with their worth. In an effort to self-preserve from the potential pain of loss or failure, many athletes dampen their emotional centers. With emotions at bay, the ability to relate, emote, empathize, and celebrate all become diminished as well. Rather than experiencing victory as fulfillment, it is only remembered as a relief. His work is to help reconnect athletes to their purpose, potential, and worthiness by helping them develop healthy relationships with themselves and others.
His book “Real Joy” walks athletes through the formation of a mindset that will ensure their hearts don’t burn out before their talents do. In 2021, after the Tokyo Olympics which will long be remembered as a turning point in elite sports where the mental health of athletes became an essential concern for all, Dr. Null established the “Emotional Wellbeing” Program at Hertha Berlin.
The project was founded on the principle that a person is not defined by their accomplishments, but by their relationships. However, relationships are what make accomplishments possible. After all, the first thing Olympic Gold Medalists do when they realize they have won is instinctively look to the stands to make eye contact with someone they love. Because no matter how wonderful the thrill of victory is at the very special moment, if there is no one with whom to share the joy, even a victory as great as that is empty. Dr. Null is currently leading the Emotional Wellbeing Program for the Hertha Berlin Integrated Academy.
In 2022, the Fulbright Association awarded Dr. Null the Mulert Award for this groundbreaking program. You can read more about the Mulert Award in the German Fulbright Alumni Association here.
My door is always open for him and for any players that he recommends for Trials at RWE. I am always happy to see Eddie, because he is a very modest, and passionable coach, who understands the games and the level of the German Pro Youth Academies.
Head Coach U16, Rot Weiss Essen
It is a great pleasure for us to support Eddie Loewen’s project. We have had only good experiences. During this long time of working together, we have a real “sport-friendship“.
Youth Academy Director (U9-U23), Fortuna Duesseldorf (2.Bundesliga Club)
