Dillon Vedral

Owner & Head Trainer

Dillon Vedral is a highly respected soccer coach, trainer, and mentor, known for his ability to develop players at all levels—from aspiring youth athletes to NCAA standouts and professional players. As the owner and head trainer of Vedral Soccer Academy, Coach Dillon has dedicated his career to shaping the next generation of elite soccer talent. His impact extends beyond the local scene, as he has played a key role in the growth of numerous athletes who have reached NCAA programs, professional leagues, and even youth national teams.

Playing Career

Born in Dallas, TX, and raised in Cedar Hill, Dillon’s soccer journey began in his hometown, where he played locally before transitioning into competitive club soccer. His passion and talent led him to the University of Central Arkansas, where he competed at the NCAA Division I level and later captained the team for two seasons. During his collegiate career, he earned multiple individual and team accolades, demonstrating his leadership both on and off the field.

After his time at UCA, Dillon continued his playing career in domestic leagues such as the Premier Development League (PDL) and Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL). He also trained internationally, gaining valuable experience with clubs in Belgium and Germany, further expanding his understanding of the game at a global level.

Coaching Career

Transitioning into coaching, Dillon began his journey with FC Dallas Youth, where he spent six years as a head coach, developing players across various age groups. His deep understanding of the game, combined with his ability to refine technical and tactical skills, made him a sought-after coach in the region.

Driven by a vision to create a high-level training environment for players of all ages and skill levels, Dillon founded Vedral Soccer Academy. Through VSA, he has been able to work with youth athletes, college players, and professionals, offering specialized training that focuses on technical precision, soccer IQ, and game-day confidence. He continues to train professional players during their offseason, ensuring they maintain peak performance year-round.

Coaching at the Highest Levels – Kings League & TST

Beyond his work at VSA, Dillon has been recognized on the international stage, serving as the USA head coach for the Kings League 7v7 World Cup, a globally renowned small-sided competition featuring top players from around the world. He has also been a head coach at TST (The Soccer Tournament), a high-stakes, highly competitive 7v7 tournament that attracts elite talent from professional leagues, ex-international stars, and top amateur teams.

Legacy & Impact

Coach Dillon’s influence in the soccer community is undeniable. His dedication to player development has helped numerous athletes achieve their goals, from earning college scholarships to signing professional contracts. His coaching philosophy revolves around hard work, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of the game, ensuring that every player he trains leaves better than they arrived.

With Vedral Soccer Academy continuing to grow, Dillon remains committed to helping players reach their full potential, shaping future generations of soccer talent, and leaving a lasting mark on the sport.

Ivan Cifuentes

Coach Ivan was born and raised in Albacete, Spain. He played youth soccer for Albacete Balompie, and Valencia CF. In 2016, he made his professional debut in Second division in Spain playing for Albacete Balompie. He also played for Valencia CF reserve team playing playoffs to play in Second division and getting some trainings with Valencia CF first team. After playing for different teams in Spain professional divisions he decided to move to USA to work for La Liga Academy in New York as Head Coach and player of the first team. He now resides in DFW coaching for Vedral Soccer Academy. He is the head trainer of the Precision Preparatory school in Carrollton and continues to grow as a leader and coach on a daily basis. 

Preston Duppstadt

Coach Preston grew up in Mansfield, TX having played for multiple clubs throughout the metroplex (Texas Spurs, Dallas Texans, Solar, FC Dallas, ODP). Fun fact, he played for Coach Dillon’s FC Dallas Youth team. Coach Preston has participated in many top tournaments such as Gothia Cup (Sweden), Dana Cup (Denmark), and Dallas Cup. He has also spent time in Germany training with teams in the Regionalliga, the 4th tier of the professional German Leagues. He graduated from Lake Ridge High School where he was a varsity starter 3 years with all-district awards and honors every year as well as being team captain. He then played college soccer for a year at East Texas Baptist before returning home due to COVID lockdown and is now attending college near home while coaching for Vedral Soccer Academy. Over the years, Coach Preston has participated as an integral part of the Vedral Soccer Academy from weekly training sessions to our camps across the country.

Bryan Ukeje

Coach Bryan began his soccer career playing for Mansfield Samba FC then joined Dallas Texans under coach Ben Williams. He played a number of roles including CB, CDM, and RB. Bryan’s senior year he joined Texas Spurs and mainly played CB under Ed Puskarich. 1st Team All-Region Defender for 5A and Defensive MVP in the district for High School. He then committed to D2 West Texas A&M University and played for 1 year. Coach Bryan continues to be a very influential coach to so many youth players over the years that have trained at Vedral Soccer Academy.

Matt Frank

Coach Matt has been in the soccer community for a number of years as both a player and a coach. He is now working for a local club team that his daughters play for to keep active while raising his three daughters. Matt is both an incredible role model and soccer coach that we are fortunate to have at our home-school sessions in Richardson along with our local camps.

Erik Macias

Erik Macias is currently a professional indoor player in the MASL. He has lead his pro teams as captain for the last number of years. Erik also currently plays for the U.S. Futsal National Team where he has won an international tournament (Umag Nations Cup). He began his professional career with the Dallas Sidekicks. Erik graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology while being a collegiate athlete where he was a starter all 4 years, earning All-Region Team and 1st Team All Conference. For 3 years, Erik was the Assistant Coach for Paul Quinn’s College Men and Women’s Soccer Team. Erik also played Varsity Soccer all 4 years of his High School career and was voted team MVP and named First Team All-District both his Junior and Senior years. When playing outdoor, Erik plays with the DKSC Men’s team where he competes in the UPSL and the Open Cup. Erik Macias also played for Coach Dillon’s Dallas United team. He was one of the Captains for Dallas United squad during TST (Million Dollar Tourney).

Karen Martinez

Coach Karen was born in Dallas, TX. She grew up playing soccer with boys at a young age then transitioning into club soccer for a local girls club team. After a successful few years of club soccer she went on to join the NTX ODP region group and has played at a high level of soccer throughout the years. She currently plays collegiately for Texas A&M International University. Coach Karen is passionate about the game, loves Barcelona FC, and is eager to help youth players towards reaching their dreams.

STEVEN DANG

Coach Steven grew up in Dallas, Texas played for FC Dallas, Dallas Texans Academy, Ayses Fc, Andromeda Academy. Played as a striker, winger, CDM, outside Back, and Central Defender. Played Varsity for Plano West High school for Jimmy Dowell. Went to University of Mary Hardin Baylor and played for 4 years and was in the starting line-up as a freshman CB and won many awards throughout all four years. From First Team All American Southwest Conference, American Southwest Conference Champions x2, American Southwest Conference Champion All-Tournament Defensive Player and MVP, United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Second Team, United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American. Was selected to join the USA Division 3 National Team Brazil Tour with matches against Top U-22 Club teams in Jundiai, Valinhos, Sao Paulo, Rio De Janeiro. After finishing college career, moved out to Vietnam to play Professional in the top league for 6 years for teams like Hoang Anh Gia Lai Fc, Nam Dinh FC, Becamex Binh Duong Fc, and SHB Da Nang FC. Since I was 8 years old, I have been putting in the extra work and training to achieve what I have and that experience is what I want to share with the young players. Coaching and training the youth is something I love to do and I want to bring out the best in each player so they can go on achieving more. Of course I want them to grow strong not just for soccer, but for life in order to build a strong foundation in their mental toughness, work ethic, and commitment.

Chris Nguyen

Coach Chris was born and raised in Garland, Texas and has been playing since he was 4. He has played for many clubs in the Dallas Area (Dallas Texans, DKSC, etc). Coach Chris enjoys working sessions and camps to further the development of our players. He is eager to get the most out of his player in the sessions and inspire players to be their best on and off the field. You will find Coach Chris on the field during skills sessions or at our Pickup & Prizes event on Sundays.