Chargers Soccer Club announces new Director of Lakewood Ranch - Juan De Brigard

Date – April 6, 2024

The Chargers Soccer Club is excited to announce Juan De Brigard as the new Director of our Lakewood Ranch campus, effective April 8, 2024. Juan will be taking over for Antonio Saviano and assume his role as director. Juan has a strong background in club leadership, coaching, and commitment to players.

“I am honored and very excited to start as the new Director of Lakewood Ranch Chargers. The challenge of joining the leadership staff of one the most traditional and respected Youth Soccer Clubs in the country is of enormous importance for me. I am committed to putting my experience, my knowledge, and my strong work ethic at the service of all the families and players of the LWR Chargers. The LWR Chargers will continue working to achieve soccer excellence and to be an active and cooperative part of the Chargers organization.”  – Juan De Brigard

Juan is a well-known and respected club director in the Tampa Bay area. He has been the club director for the Florida Hawks soccer program for the last 9 years.  Juan has more than 30 years of coaching experience including professionally in Colombia and actively a coach for the USF women’s team since 2010. Juan's soccer education has an impressive and diverse international background. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from the world-famous German Sport University in Cologne. He later obtained his professional soccer-coaching license from the German Soccer Federation. Juan has held a UEFA license for 30 years, which allows him to coach any professional team in the world. 

Juan has also demonstrated his generosity through soccer.  He is the Founder & President of Soccer Goes to School, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that teaches soccer at no cost in low-income elementary schools. Since 2008 this program has served more than 2,500 students through healthy soccer activities.

The Chargers Soccer Club is sad to see our current Director of Lakewood Ranch, Antonio Saviano, part ways with the Chargers Soccer Club. Antonio has decided to step down from his director roll to enjoy time with his family. We want to thank Antonio for his dedication and commitment to growing the Lakewood Ranch campus into the amazing program it is today. 

Antonio will continue to be part of our Lakewood Ranch campus and work with Juan through May 31, as Juan transitions into his new role with the Chargers SC. With this collaborative transition period, our goal is to make this as smooth as possible for our club members and players. Starting April 8^th Juan will be on the fields getting to know the players and families of Lakewood Ranch. 

Thank you, 

Chargers Soccer Club