Alex’s playing experience began in England where street soccer was the game of choice. Alex tells of dribbling a soccer ball around the furniture in his home for countless hours as a child. His professional experiences as a player began in 1975 having his first trials as a Goalkeeper. His playing career continued until 1999 starting in England and ending in Omaha, Nebraska.
Alex has been coaching for 17 years, 14 of which have been here in the US. During this time Alex has taken many coaching education courses to better his knowledge of the game. Alex holds the U.S.S.F “A” license, the National Youth, as well as the English F.A license. Alex has coached teams to 11 Nebraska State Cup Championships and 15 league titles. He has coached 32 tournament wins, and one National 3v3 title. Alex started the Arsenal program in Omaha Nebraska in 1996 with six teams. The program today has 43 teams and a total of 600 players. Alex became the full time Director of Coaching for the Millard Star Soccer Association in 1997. At that point there were 1,100 players playing. Today the total is 2,700 players ranging from U5 to U18. Alex was awarded the Nebraska State Boys Coach of the Year in 1999 and was a nominee for the 2002 Positive Coaching Alliance Award.
Alex has also been involved with the Olympic Development Program as a Clinician, and became the Head Boys Gender Coach for Nebraska in 2004. The Nebraska Coaching Education Program known as C.E.P is another organization that Alex is associated with. His responsibilities focus on the education of coaches within the state of Nebraska. Alex has been a Camp Coordinator and the Director in Nebraska for 8 years. Total campers per summer are estimated at around 500. In 2004 Alex attended several professional Clubs in England to further his coaching education. The clubs were Fulham, Coventry City, Derby County, and Crystal Palace. Then in 2006 Alex was a guest at Spurs and Charlton.
Jason became the Assistant Director of Arsenal in 2002. Prior to this appointment Jason received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in May of 2000 and was actively working in his chosen field. Jason also remained active as an Arsenal coach of two boys' teams and one girl's team as well as participating as a player from 1994-2000, while in pursuit of his degree. He played on two men's amateur teams during this time, one winning indoor Regionals, and advancing to Nationals (Polish Rifles) in 1996, and the other team again advancing to the outdoor amateur Regional Tournament in 1998-1999 (Lincoln Red Stripes).
Jason not only began to further his own personal education in soccer after completing his Architectural Degree, he also trained players for The University of Nebraska at Lincoln during summer camps, Millard West High School, as well as continuing to train various teams for Arsenal. Jason has now attained his USSF Youth Module Coaching License, the USSF "C" Coaching License, NSCAA Goalkeeping License Level One, NSCAA National Diploma, and has completed the first week of the UEFA level 2 licensing course in London, England. He has also served as an ODP Assistant Coach and an ODP Goalkeeper Trainer for all age groups. Furthering his own education continues to be of major importance as Jason has attended the World Class Coaching Seminar, and the NSCAA National Conventions. Jason currently coaches Arsenal 95-96 Girls, he is involved with training in all areas of player/coach development through camps, teams, and Arsenal School of Excellence.
Alex joined the Arsenal staff as the Director of Coaching for the Boys program in 2003. He brings an extensive background of playing and coaching to the program which is unprecedented by most.
Alex's playing experience accomplishments are numerous beginning in 1989 when Alex played club soccer for the Mission Viejo Pateadores and the North Huntington Beach FC Clubs. While a member of the Huntington Beach FC Club, Alex was a member of the U19 National Championship (Maguire Cup) Team, Region IV Champions, and the California South State Cup Champions in 1990-1991.
Alex's College playing career spans five years between Orange Coast College in CA and Baker University in Kansas and includes being a member of the 1991 CA State Championship team. During his college career, Alex was named All Conference 1 st Team for four years, All Midwest Region 1 st Team, an NAIA All American, and was the Captain of his team his senior year at Baker University. As a member of the Nebraska State Select Team in 1998, Alex earned rights to the title of Midwest Region Champions and placed 2 nd at the National Tournament.
Alex continued his playing career after college in the semi professional and professional ranks of soccer playing for The New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers, the Sioux City Breeze and ending his professional career with the Omaha Flames in 1998.
Coaching has been a part of Alex's life since 1992. He has coached at the high school, ODP, College, and Club levels of soccer both for males and females. He has attained 6 State Cup Championship Titles, was a 4 time State Cup runner up. His Viva Juventus, and Arsenal United teams were both Regional semi-finalists. Alex is currently coaching the Arsenal U16 Boys United team as well as fulfilling his duties as Director of Coaching for the Boys for Arsenal.
Becky Sanow
Asst. Director of Girls
Director of GoalKeepers
Becky Sanow (formerly Hornbacher), comes to the Arsenal Soccer Club after resigning from her position as Head Soccer Coach at Iowa State University as the winningest soccer coach in their school’s history. On September 28, 2007, she became the winningest head coach at Iowa State with a 3-0 victory over Oklahoma State University. Becky led the Cyclones in 2005 to the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first ever post-season appearance and the state’s first ever NCAA Tournament qualifier. Iowa State also finished the season tied for 2nd in the Big 12 Conference. Her award included being named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year (voted on by her peers) in just her fourth season at Iowa State. Becky spent 11 seasons competing as a player, assistant coach, or head coach in one of the nation’s premier soccer leagues, the Big 12 Conference. She was a part of two Big 12 Conference regular season championship squads, as a player for the 1996 Nebraska team and as a graduate assistant for Baylor in 1998.
Sanow brought extensive coaching and playing experience before she became Head Coach at Iowa State University. From 1998-2001, she worked as an assistant coach in the collegiate ranks. She began her coaching career at Baylor University as a graduate assistant in 1998. In her first season with Baylor, the team won the regular season Big 12 Conference regular season championship. The team earned their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament that season as well. She assumed interim head coaching duties during the spring of 1999 and was hired as an assistant coach the following season. She continued with the Bears as an assistant coach during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Hornbacher spent the 2001 season as an Assistant Coach for the University of Hartford in which they earned a post-season berth in the NCAA Tournament.
While at Baylor, Sanow played a significant role in recruiting and working with student-athletes both on and off the field. She organized the Baylor Kick-Off Program, which provided opportunities for student-athletes to interact with children in the community. Sanow also served on the Women’s Athletic Cabinet and was the co-director of summer soccer programs and camps.
Sanow has extended her coaching talents beyond the college soccer scene. She serves on the Region II Olympic Development Program Staff as well as the ODP staff for Iowa. She has been involved in clinics and symposiums for many club organizations in conjunction with the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA). She also served as an assistant coach for the Region II ODP U-14 Regional Team. Hornbacher has served as a clinician for the National Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Coaching Convention and has also served as a clinician at various coaching clinics and symposiums. She also serves as a clinician for the Nebraska Coaches Association.Sanow has had tremendous success as a player as well. She began her college career at University of Virginia. In two seasons as a goalkeeper at Virginia, she registered 0.78 goals against average and recorded a school-record 11 shutouts during the 1994 season.
After two seasons at Virginia, Sanow transferred to the University of Nebraska, where she became one of the top goalkeepers to have ever played in the Big 12 Conference. In 1996, she was named Soccer Buzz Magazine Central Region Defensive Player of the Year in addition to receiving NSCAA/Umbro third team All-America and All Central First Team Honors. Sanow was a two time second team All Big 12 Conference selection for the Huskers and set a school record for wins (23) and shutouts in a season in 1996.
The WUSA’s New York Power selected Hornbacher in the professional league’s inaugural draft in December of 2000. Sanow was later traded to the Boston Breakers, where she played the 2001 season in goal.
Sanow is accredited with a Premier Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and owns a “B” License from the United States Soccer Federation. Sanow graduated from University of Nebraska with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology and Spanish minors in 1997. She earned a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from Baylor University in 2000. Becky was recently married on April 5, 2008 to John Sanow. The couple resides in Omaha.
Playing Experience
*Newman University--NAIA All-American Defender
*All American Recognition four seasons at Newman University
*All Region IV Accolades for defensive play at Newman University
*Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player
Coaching Experience
*Creighton University Men's Soccer Volunteer Assistant Coach
Education
*Newman University-Management; Graduated Summa Cum Laude
