TECHNICAL TEAM

Duncan Wilde has been a major figure in Canadian soccer for more than three decades. Arriving in Canada from his native England in 1988, he immediately made an impact in the soccer world.

In 1989, Wilde launched Premier Soccer Academy, the first academy to be registered in Ontario. As Premier Soccer Academy flourished, enjoying success after success under Wilde’s leadership, his reputation and influence continued to grow in parallel.

By 2003, Wilde was appointed Head Coach of the professional side Hamilton Thunder, leading them to the CPSL Western Conference Championship in his first season at the helm.

In the following year 2004, Wilde was appointed as the Head Coach of the Toronto Lynx competing in USL Pro, the top North American professional soccer league at the time.

In support of the Lynx, the Oakville Blue Devils were also established by Wilde in 2005 and went on to win the CPSL National Championship in their lone season.

Wilde’s love for the sport was cultivated from an early age in the Greater Manchester area from which he hails. After having the opportunity to represent his country playing for England Schoolboys, Wilde continued his youth career in the Manchester United Academy, eventually playing for Manchester United Reserves. His career included playing for Shrewsbury Town, Burnley, Manchester United and Everton.

When his playing days came to an end, it was coaching that proved to be the spark for the next chapter of Wilde’s career. After joining the Lynx in 2004, Wilde enjoyed many successful years with the Lynx organization including establishing and eventually owning, with his good friend and partner Billy Steele, the Toronto Lynx Academy. In all, Wilde’s career with the Lynx included serving as Head Coach of the Toronto Lynx USL Pro side from 2004 to 2007, Head Coach of the Toronto Lynx USL/PDL team, and Academy Director of the Toronto Lynx Academy.

The Lynx youth academy was extremely successful under the guidance of Wilde and Steele, playing in the Super Y League in the United States from 2007 to 2014. In that span they went to seven Super Y League North American Finals, four Super20 North American Finals, while sending hundreds of players on to college scholarships, professional careers and national team success.

In 2015, Wilde and Steele re-established Oakville Blue Devils FC with a men’s team competing in League1 Ontario and immediately won the 2015 League1 Championship in their first year, as well as becoming 2015 Inter-Provincial Champions.

Success has followed success for Wilde, Steele and the Blue Devils with the men’s team winning the 2017 League1 Ontario Championship, making the club the first-ever League1 club in history to earn a berth in the Canadian Championship. The Blue Devils Academy was established in 2017, with the Blue Devils League1 women’s team making its debut the following year. The men’s, women’s and reserve teams all won the regular season championship in 2019, and the Academy has grown into one of the best in Canada. For his part, Wilde was named League1 Ontario Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2019 while still serving as the Head Coach of the Blue Devils Academy.

William McCallum 'Billy' Steele was born in Kirkmuirhill, Lanark on the 16th of June 1955. He was a tidy, dapper midfielder who played for Norwich City at a young age and was capped for Scotland Youth several times, but had his footballing career cruelly taken from him through injury just as he was getting established in the side.

Having moved down to the Nuneaton area during his school years, the Canaries spotted him in junior football and signed him as an apprentice in 1971 aged just sixteen. Two years later he signed professional forms. His first team début was a baptism of fire - the 1973 East Anglian Derby against Ipswich Town at Carrow Road. It was in the earliest days of John Bond's reign as City manager, and keen to shake things up, he threw young Billy into the mix after good performances for the Reserves team. It almost worked - the small framed Scotsman hit the bar in the first half, giving Ted MacDougall the chance to hit home the rebound for a one
goal lead. Unfortunately Ipswich Town hit back after the break to win 2-1.

Billy played again three days later in the 1-1 Manchester City, but it was a difficult period at Carrow Road for a young professional to make his mark. His early professional career was marked by ups and downs. Eventually City fans started to see more and more signs of Steele's talents. The midfielder never had a hair out of place when he lined up at the start of a match, but always put in an industrious shift, and slowly his efforts were more appreciated.

The 1976-77 campaign was his real breakthrough season. Billy took his place alongside the exalted Martin Peters and the marvelous Colin Suggett, and increasingly played his part with neat touches and awareness. He missed a few games with niggling injuries but still managed 36 appearances in all competitions, scoring in the away defeats at Birmingham City and then at Everton. But in the very next game at Villa Park, tragedy struck. Billy Steele twisted his knee in a fall.

The incident ended his career as a professional player. The coming months saw four unsuccessful operations plus other numerous attempts at surgery to fix his injury. In the end he devastatingly had to call time on his career, aged just 24, with Norwich hosting a testimonial game with Norwich city playing England with guest players Bobby Moore, Jimmy Greaves and a no show George Best.

Following his playing career, Billy eventually moved to Canada in 2001, and in 2004 returned to the game as Assistant Coach with the Toronto Lynx Soccer Club. His son Aaron was a schoolboy player at Norwich in 2001, but also emigrated to Canada.

Alongside his good friend and coaching partner Duncan Wilde, Billy helped to steer the Lynx to many years of success in USL Pro, USL/PDL and helping to establish the Toronto Lynx Academy.

In 2015, Billy and Duncan re-established the Blue Devils as a League1 Ontario men’s team, enjoying incredible success including the 2015 League1 Championship in their first year, as well as becoming 2015 Inter-Provincial Champions.

Success has followed success for Billy, Duncan and the Blue Devils with the men’s team winning the 2017 League1 Ontario Championship, making the club the first-ever League1 club in history to earn a berth in the Canadian Championship. The Blue Devils Academy was established in 2017, with the Blue Devils League1 women’s team making its debut the following year. The men’s, women’s and reserve teams all won the regular season championship in 2019, and the Academy has grown into one of the best in Canada.

Each year, Billy still travels with Academy teams and returns to his beloved Norwich to play matches and experience a proper football Sunday at Carrow Road.

"When the Sun Comes Out in Norwich"
Sung by Billy Steele
Words and Music by Peter Monk © 2012

Brett Mosen has over 35 years of coaching experience ranging from Grassroots to the Professional level. Brett has been with the Blue Devils since 2014 and is currently the Club’s Technical Director.

Brett started his professional coaching career in 1995 when appointed Head Coach for the Nashville Metros in the United Soccer League’s A League. Other Head Coaching appointments within the USL included the Atlanta Silverbacks, Lincoln Brigade, Southwest Florida Manatees, Hamilton FC, K-W United and Hampton Roads Mariners (Assistant Coach). Brett also has extensive experience coaching women’s programs including Head Coach appointments for the Toronto Lady Lynx and K-W United competing in the United Soccer League’s W League. Brett also served six years as Head Coach for the Women’s program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Before moving to Canada Brett spent 16 years coaching in the United States enjoying positions such as State of Tennessee Director of Coaching, Olympic Development Program Regional Coach, USSF State Coaching Instructor for Tennessee, Nebraska, Virginia, Texas and Georgia.

Brett has also been a Coerver Coaching Licensee since 1994. The Coerver teaching method is recognized as the ‘Worlds #1 Skills Teaching Method’ and supported by FIFA and many leading clubs and associations around the globe.

Brett is passionate about player development and has enjoyed watching many of his players go on to play at the international, professional and collegiate levels. Some have also gone on to coach at a senior level including National and MLS professional teams.

Brett’s coaching credentials include the following:

Canadian National A License
United States Soccer federation National A License
UEFA B Coaching License
National Soccer Coaches Association of America Advanced National Diploma
National Soccer Coaches Association of America Director of Coaching Diploma

Brett’s energy, passion and leadership are one of the cornerstones of the Blue Devils program. Widely respected as one of the best technical minds in the game, Brett is focused on ensuring the Blue Devils is one of the best development programs for young Canadian players in the country.

Blue Devils FC Head Goalkeeper Coach Glenn McNamara’s playing and coaching career has spanned more than four decades and two continents.

In the early 1980s, Glenn played with York University where he was named first team CIAU All Canadian. Following his graduation in the late eighties, Glenn was signed with Clube Desportivo Nacional da Madeira in Portugal. This team won promotion to Primeira Liga in Portugal to play against the likes of Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, and Benfica. Nacional is famously known as the club where a young Cristiano Ronaldo began his youth career. Glenn played first team games over the course of three seasons with Nacional. Coached by Paolo Atori, who went on to coach Benfica, Glenn played with famous players such as William who also played center back for Benfica.

Following his pro career in Portugal, Glenn moved back to Canada where he played with the likes of Dynamo Latino (formerly Toronto Blizzard), and the North York Rockets, two professional clubs in Canada of the 1980s.

When his playing career ended, Glenn turned to coaching, helping to shape young goalkeepers. He has has coached with Duncan and Billy for more than 15 years, starting with the Toronto Lynx and then subsequently joining the Blue Devils to help launch the club. Glenn is the Club's Head Goalkeeper Coach and primarily works with the first-team keepers for League1 Ontario men’s and women’s teams, while also lending his expertise to the Academy players and helping to mentor the Blue Devils Academy coaches.

As a former Scholarship Director for the Toronto Lynx, Glenn has helped to place hundreds of youth players into scholarship programs in the USA and Canada. Many of his former goalkeepers today are playing around the world in professional leagues.

To his friends, Glenn is known as Mr. Fish, as he imports seafood products for Aquastar Canada.

Glenn has four children, all of whom played with the Toronto Lynx/ Blue Devils FC, including previous Club Captains Taylor McNamara and his younger brother Konner McNamara, both League1 Champions who led the Blue Devils to the first-ever berth in history for a League1 Ontario team in the Canadian Championship.

Carli Tingstad is the Head Coach for the Blue Devils League1 Women’s team. Carli also serves as the Head Coach of the Brock University Varsity Women’s team. She joins the Blue Devils after serving as an assistant coach for seven seasons with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) women's soccer team, which competes in the Canada West conference, under head coach Craig Smith.

A former centre-back, Carli brings a wealth of coaching certifications, most notably a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) A License she completed with the Scottish Football Association.

She was the head coach of the Thompson Okanagan Football Club from 2015-20, which competed in the BC Soccer Premier League, the highest caliber of youth club soccer in the province of BC and the staff coach with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Okanagan Academy Centre from 2013-19.

Carli holds a Masters of High-Performance Sport Coaching from the University of Stirling in Scotland, a Bachelor of Physical Education and Coaching from Douglas College and a Diploma of Human Kinetics from Okanagan College.

Born in Jamaica, Dino Lopez grew up in Mississauga and now currently resides in Oakville. Dino enjoyed a successful eight-year professional playing career that included the Toronto Blizzard and Montreal Impact. He also represented Canada on the national team.

Following his playing career, Dino embarked on a coaching career, working with both male and female players of all ages for more than two decades. He holds a USSF A License and B License, and is a former Coach and Technical Director at Oakville SC. Dino developed and coached in the Toronto FC Juniors and Pre-Academy Program (U6 to U13). Following his time launching Toronto FC Juniors, he worked as an Assistant TFC Academy coach for U15 and Senior Academy, and then serving as TFC Head Coach U19 and TFC Assistant Academy Director.

Dino believes in training that leaves players smiling and sweaty. Hard work and enjoyment need to go hand in hand. He holds a strong belief in age-appropriate player development that prioritizes game realism and promotes technical/tactical problem-solving based on the constraints of time, space and personal attributes. Dino will be serving as a Program Advisor for the Blue Devils.

Andrew Seuradge is well known around the soccer community as one of the top coaches in the game. After recently resigning from the Sheridan College men's soccer program which he led at the helm for 15 years with an outstanding record in the OCAA. Andrew lead the Sheridan men's soccer program to its first ever National Gold Medal. Seuradge has also led the program to a National bronze medal, numerous Provincial medals and was named OCAA Coach of the Year.

Andrew comes with experience coaching at the youth and L1 Ontario first team level. He has managed some of the top players that play at University's/College's in Canada/ U.S.A and players that represent National programs and MLS.

Mauricio Flores

Soccer is the most played sport in the world with over 4 billion followers, and Mauricio Flores had the great fortune of being born, raised, and educated in a country where soccer is deeply ingrained in the culture. Originally from Mexico, Mauricio has accomplished much in the sport he loves, including playing professionally for 11 years. That experience has given him first-hand insight into, as well as a profound respect for, the beautiful game.

After his professional career came to an end, coaching came naturally for Mauricio. He now holds a USSF National A licence and has spent the last 16 years of his life learning, breathing, and living soccer in some of the most renowned soccer clubs across the globe. This has given him a unique perspective, and has been a driving force in his continual development as a mentor and a coach.

As Mauricio says, “Soccer is my life and passion! My goal is to pass along all my years of acquired knowledge to help guide young players who have aspirations to pursue a future career in soccer, as well as to provide a safe place for players to nurture their love of the game. I hope with all my heart that we can create a great soccer culture for all the new generations to come - uniting people through the beautiful game of soccer.”

Melissa Bigg has had a distinguished career as both a player and coach.

As a player, Melissa played in NCAA Division I for the University of Cincinnati, where she played all 65 games as a midfielder in her four years and was named captain in her senior season. She graduated in June of 2010 with a Bachelor's of Science in Health Promotion Exercise and Fitness and also holds a master's degree in Business Administration from Tiffin University. Melissa also has experience playing in the W-League for the Toronto Lynx, West Virginia Illusion, and London Gryphons, and winning a Canadian Club National Championship in 2005. During her playing career, Melissa attended the U18 Canada National Team Camp.

As a coach, Melissa Canada Soccer A Diploma Candidate. She served as the Head Coach for Tiffin University, where she also worked as an assistant coach for three seasons before taking over the head coaching duties. Prior to her time with Tiffin, Melissa worked as a certified ACE personal trainer in a Cincinnati sports club. Melissa has also served as a League1 Ontario Premier Assistant Coach and League1 Ontario Reserve Head Coach. She is the U16 Provincial Xcel Program Assistant Coach, an OUA University Assistant Coach, and an NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy Graduate

Natalie Bukovec leads the women’s program for Blue Devils FC. She is the Head Coach of the Blue Devils League1 Women’s team and is a driving force behind the Blue Devils Girls Academy.

With the explosion of the women’s game in Canada and around the world, Natalie’s focus and drive is helping to propel the Blue Devils women’s program to new heights by shaping the development and careers of a new generation of young players.

Bukovec was named the Head Coach of the Ryerson University Rams women's soccer program in December of 2018 after having served as interim head coach for the 2018 season. Prior to her stint as interim head coach, she served as an assistant coach at Ryerson for two seasons.

Bukovec played five seasons at McMaster University from 2010-15 and received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, specializing in Social Psychology, and a Certificate in Leadership and Organization. She has also recently completed a certificate in Human Resources Management and is now working towards obtaining a Master’s in Coaching and Sport Performance.

After her university career, Bukovec played in semi-professional leagues in North America such as League 1 and W-League and was a member of the Croatian women's national team player pool.

Bukovec's coaching career began in 2015 as an assistant coach at McMaster before joining Ryerson's team in 2016. She hold a Canadian National B License.

In 2018, Bukovec was one of five female coaches selected across Ontario to be a part of the Ontario Female Mentorship Program run by the Canadian Soccer Association.

Outside of her roles with the Blue Devils and Ryerson University, Bukovec also works with the Ontario Provincial Projects with the 2005 girls age group as an assistant.

Natalie’s passion for the game and for developing Canada’s next generation of young female players is an inspiration to everyone at the Blue Devils who has the opportunity to work alongside her and play under her guidance.

Blue Devils FC Head Goalkeeper Coach Glenn McNamara’s playing and coaching career has spanned more than four decades and two continents.

In the early 1980s, Glenn played with York University where he was named first team CIAU All Canadian. Following his graduation in the late eighties, Glenn was signed with Clube Desportivo Nacional da Madeira in Portugal. This team won promotion to Primeira Liga in Portugal to play against the likes of Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, and Benfica. Nacional is famously known as the club where a young Cristiano Ronaldo began his youth career. Glenn played first team games over the course of three seasons with Nacional. Coached by Paolo Atori, who went on to coach Benfica, Glenn played with famous players such as William who also played center back for Benfica.

Following his pro career in Portugal, Glenn moved back to Canada where he played with the likes of Dynamo Latino (formerly Toronto Blizzard), and the North York Rockets, two professional clubs in Canada of the 1980s.

When his playing career ended, Glenn turned to coaching, helping to shape young goalkeepers. He has has coached with Duncan and Billy for more than 15 years, starting with the Toronto Lynx and then subsequently joining the Blue Devils to help launch the club. Glenn is the Club's Head Goalkeeper Coach and primarily works with the first-team keepers for League1 Ontario men’s and women’s teams, while also lending his expertise to the Academy players and helping to mentor the Blue Devils Academy coaches.

As a former Scholarship Director for the Toronto Lynx, Glenn has helped to place hundreds of youth players into scholarship programs in the USA and Canada. Many of his former goalkeepers today are playing around the world in professional leagues.

To his friends, Glenn is known as Mr. Fish, as he imports seafood products for Aquastar Canada.

Glenn has four children, all of whom played with the Toronto Lynx/ Blue Devils FC, including previous Club Captains Taylor McNamara and his younger brother Konner McNamara, both League1 Champions who led the Blue Devils to the first-ever berth in history for a League1 Ontario team in the Canadian Championship.

Lucas Birnstingl is an Head Academy Goalkeeper Coach with the Blue Devils Academy and has also played for the Blue Devils League1 Ontario men’s team. Lucas brings a wealth of experience both as a player and as a coach.

His early playing career as a youth included playing with the National Champion Oakville Blue Stars and with the Toronto FC Academy, while also playing in the Provincial program. He progressed into a senior career that included playing in the Scottish Premier League at Dundee FC, Kilmarnock, and Hamilton Accies. While in Scotland, he also played for Queens Park FC, Clyde, Airdrie and Montrose.

Upon returning to Canada, Lucas had two short stints at other League1 Ontario clubs before assuming the starting goalkeeper duties for the Blue Devils. He also began pouring more of his time and energy into coaching and helping to develop young players. Lucas has served as a Goalkeeper Coach for Ginga Soccer Academy, Flamborough Dundas Soccer Club, Mt Hamilton Youth Soccer Club, East Hamilton, and Toronto Skillz. He is a committed and professional coach for the Blue Devils who loves the game and enjoys watching the young goalkeepers in his charge continue to grow and develop.

Mark Heathcote is a key Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Blue Devils Academy and the Blue Devils League1 Ontario team. He has been in the fitness industry for over 30 years (injury free the whole time). He has participated in local and provincial body building competitions (pics available upon request lol). Mark has been trained under the John Cardillo personal training system. Over the course of his career, he has worked with many competitive athletes physically, mentally and with their dietary needs.

Mark joined the Blue Devils Senior Coaching Staff in 2017. He works with the players in the Senior Academy group running sport-specific fitness sessions. He has helped Blue Devils athletes set individual goals with weight loss, strength gain and endurance. Mark is also instrumental with pre-game, in-game and post-game fitness preparation and monitoring.

Mark is an outstanding and important member of the Blue Devils team and utilizes his tremendous knowledge and passion for strength and conditioning to Blue Devils players of all ages.