D.C. United have appointed Nolan Sheldon, the current D.C. United academy director, as assistant coach under head coach Ben Olsen. Sheldon will serve in a dual capacity continuing his role as academy director until the club hires a successor.
“Nolan’s rapid ascent from within the organization is testament to his fantastic work ethic and the culture we have here at D.C. United,” Dave Kasper, general manager and VP of soccer operations, said. “In seven years, he has developed numerous young players and knows this club extremely well. I’m excited for Nolan to begin working with Ben and the rest of the staff and am fully confident in his abilities as a coach at the top level of North American soccer. Ben is among the top developers of young talent in this league, and Nolan will add another bright mind to his staff. ”
Sheldon, 32, joined D.C. United in 2010 after spending three years as a staff coach for IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Starting as an assistant coach for the D.C. United Under-16 Development Academy team during the 2010-2011 season, Sheldon was quickly named the U-18 Development Academy head coach in 2012. After he completed three seasons as U-18 coach, in the summer of 2014, he was named Academy Director. In his role, Sheldon oversaw the Academy program, including coach and player development. During his time as director, over 50 players with ties to the academy have been placed in NCAA Division 1 programs. Sheldon has also been at the helm of the Academy for the Homegrown signings of Michael Seaton, Jalen Robinson, Collin Martin and most recently, Chris Durkin.
"Nolan is bright, analytical, well-organized and highly motivated; he knows the culture of this organization and what D.C. United stands for,” Olsen said. “He’s going to provide the first team with a wealth of soccer knowledge and an understanding of how we want the game to be played. He’s proven over the last couple of years here that he's earned the opportunity to be a part of our coaching staff."
Originally from Moatsville, WV, Sheldon has been all over the East Coast for his playing and coaching career. He played for IMG Soccer Academy as a youth, attended and played college soccer at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina, and competed in the Premier Development League (PDL) with the Bradenton Academics. After his playing career, Sheldon began coaching and obtained his USSF A coaching license in 2009. He also became one of the few American coaches to receive the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) in 2014, which was led by the French Football Federation’s (FFF) youth national team staff and is the French prerequisite course to becoming an Academy Director.
