CFA Cleveland

This fall, Cleveland Football Academy is incredibly proud to see the leadership of our U18 Boys recognized across Northeast Ohio, with so many of our players serving as captains for their high school teams:

⚽ Nico – Mayfield
⚽ Brock – Cleveland Heights
⚽ Kyle – University School
⚽ Colin – Mentor
⚽ Emanuel & Johannes – Shaker Heights
⚽ Duncan – Gilmour Academy

Being named captain is about far more than ability—it reflects character, work ethic, commitment, and the respect earned from teammates and coaches.

These young men embody the PHIDO principles every day, demonstrating leadership both on and off the pitch. We are incredibly proud of the players they have become and know they will continue to lead by example throughout the season.

PHIDO Beyond Football. Future leaders. Proudly CFA. 💙⚽

A special CFA shoutout to Rory and Hadley! 💜💗

When Rory was looking for extra training this summer, CFA alum Hadley stepped in to help. Hadley just graduated from the club and will be starting her freshman year at Mount Union. We love seeing our older players pour into the next generation. Once CFA, always CFA! ⚽️

Welcome to Cleveland Football Academy, Fernando Lisboa! 🇧🇷🔵🟢⚽

We are excited to welcome Fernando Lisboa to the Cleveland Football Academy coaching staff.

A native of Piracicaba, Brazil, Fernando currently serves as the Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at Case Western Reserve University. Prior to joining Case Western Reserve, he helped lead the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor to an American Southwest Conference regular season championship and previously spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Dallas Baptist University.

Fernando graduated from Hastings College with a degree in Sports and Recreational Management and earned his Master of Science in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist University.

As a player, Fernando was a Third Team NAIA All-American, Great Plains Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and helped lead Hastings College to the 2019 NAIA National Championship.

He holds a USSF C License and a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper Level 1 Diploma, bringing a wealth of experience in player development and goalkeeper training to our academy.

We’re thrilled to welcome Fernando to the CFA family and look forward to the impact he’ll have on our players both on and off the field.

Welcome to Cleveland Football Academy, Coach Lisboa! ⚽

What a year it has been for our girls program! Proud of each and every one of our athletes and coaches that represent our club!

A few of our CFA girls attended the JCU soccer camp last week. A special shoutout to Daphne and Kourtney who won awards for sportsmanship, skill, competition, helping others,  and general behavior. We are proud of their representation of the CFA club culture given that they were 2 of 3 winners out of about 30 kids their age.

This weekend, 5 of our teams travel to the Chicago area to compete at the 2026 National Cup Midwest Regional.

Proud of the work these teams have put in this spring. Best of luck out on the field — we’ll be following every result.

📍 Waukegan Sports Park & Libertyville Township Soccer Complex | June 19–22


US Club Soccer

90°+ heat. No subs. Cincinnati United Premier. Didn’t matter. Our 2009 Boys answered with a point-blank save and a game-winning goal inside the final few minutes to finish the season undefeated. These boys earned every bit of it. This is exactly why they train the way they do — those quarter drills pay off.

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” — Phil Jackson

We are excited to announce the hiring of Dominic Grobler to the Cleveland Football Academy coaching staff.

Dominic is currently an Assistant Coach with the Women’s & Men’s Soccer programs at John Carroll University and is also a former player for the university.

A native of Johannesburg, Dominic developed his game within the renowned Kaizer Chiefs Development Academy, one of South Africa’s premier professional youth development academies.

In his current role at John Carroll, Dominic works directly with goalkeepers from both the men’s and women’s soccer programs. He is also completing his Master’s degree in Sports Psychology, bringing valuable expertise in both player development and performance mindset.

Dominic’s background as a high-level player, collegiate coach, and training in sports psychology makes him an outstanding addition to our staff. His experience in professional academy development aligns perfectly with our mission of providing players with a first-class training environment and pathway for growth.

Please join us in welcoming Dominic to the CFA family. We are excited about the impact he will have on our players and look forward to seeing him on the field this season.

Welcome to CFA, Dominic!