Sean VandeWiele is ready to put his soccer experience and education to use for a fresh challenge.

The Fishers resident started July 24 as the director of athlete development at Sogility, a technology-driven soccer training facility in Westfield.

“I think the challenging part of this role is making sure athletes are being pushed to their full potential while still taking physical limitations into account,” VandeWiele said. “But I’m always up for a challenge.”

VandeWiele, who played soccer at Fishers High School and Defiance College in Ohio, is replacing Samantha Dewey, who will remain as part of the athlete development team but needed more time to focus on a new coaching position.

“Big shoes were left to be filled,” Sogility CEO Jimmy Carson stated. “But we think we found the person that can step into those shoes and move things forward. By having a soccer person at the heart of the athlete development program, we can ensure we continue to provide soccer-specific training.”

VandeWiele, a 2015 FHS graduate, was the boys freshman team coach at Warren Central High School in 2019. He then spent three years coaching at FHS: two seasons as the boys junior varsity coach from the summer of 2020 through the fall of 2021, and the summer and fall of 2022 as the boys varsity assistant coach.

VandeWiele said he will be stepping away from coaching to concentrate on his development role this season.

“The knowledge gained from receiving my degree in Exercise Science gives me insight into how the human body functions on a muscular and skeletal level which allows me to use science-based knowledge to help players develop,” he said. “It also allows me to continue to educate myself further on the human body and different movements I can implement in soccer-specific training.”

For more, visit sogility.net.