(Tallahassee, FL – March 7, 2024) – Today, TLH Reckoning has announced monumental hires for their technical staff, Staci Wilson, Ismael Cotto and Sascha Filippi.
Similar to FSU and FAMU athletics, TLH Reckoning was able to attract some of the most talented coaches from across the country. The club’s player-centered mission and vision, the unwavering commitment to the girls and women, the technical staff roles within TLH Reckoning became highly sought after with strong interest from domestic and international professional coaches.
Staci Wilson – W League Coach
Coach Wilson will lead the efforts for the TLH Reckoning pre-professional team competing in the W League. Coach Wilson will also support the TLH Reckoning reserves team competing in the USL Academy.
“I am thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with TLH Reckoning, a club that transcends boundaries and embraces the rich legacy of elite talent in Tallahassee,” said Staci Wilson, TLH Reckoning W League Coach, “The organization promises to be a beacon for aspiring female soccer players, and to provide a robust environment for personal and professional growth. I am honored to be a part of this remarkable adventure, unlocking unlimited potential on and off the field.”
Wilson, a gold-medal winning Olympian for the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) is also one of the few who has her jersey retired at the first women’s soccer dynasty, University of North Carolina (UNC). Wilson has excelled at coaching women and men, capturing Championships along the way. Additionally, she is one of the most sought-after strength and conditioning/performance coaches in the country.
“There couldn’t be a better role model for our girls and women than Coach Wilson,” said TLH Reckoning Founder, Ashlee Fontes. “She has achieved things in her career that the other 99% of us only dream of, yet, one would never know because of her humble, compassionate and service-centered approach. She has excelled as a player, a coach, and as a human. I’m elated to have someone of her exceptional caliber to lead our incredible girls and women and to bring new light to our Tallahassee community as a whole.”
Ismael “Izzy” Cotto – Sporting Director
Coach Izzy Cotto will lead the Technical development programming for the best of the best players in Tallahassee who dream of and who are aspiring to play at the collegiate and professional ranks in a full-time year round capacity. Coach Cotto will support Coach Wilson with coaching the TLH Reckoning W League team and he will lead the TLH Reckoning Reserves team.
“Soccer has been an integral part of my life since before I can remember. It’s forged me into the person I am today. It’s given me a refuge from the world when I needed it, it’s been a source of joyful tears, it’s broken my heart, it’s taught me how to lead and when to follow,” said Cotto. “The game has given me more than anyone deserves. It has truly served me well. Now coaching, when most people think or talk about coaching, they can go on about a million different things. To me it’s much simpler than that, coaching is service. Service to your players, service to your team, service to your club, and service to the game we love. That’s what I look forward to bringing to Tallahassee. Tallahassee is a historic soccer city but the community has been underserved for too long and it’s time for a reckoning.”
“Coach Izzy embodies the culture we want to continue to create for our players,” said Fontes. “He brings passion and discipline. He brings heart, value and ethics. He brings an incredible desire to do right for our dreamers – to help them reach their goals through his decades of proven experience as a player and coach.”
Coach Izzy Cotto Player Testimonials
Bridget Patch (Former Professional Soccer Player and Virginia Tech ’20)
“Izzy was the motivator and coach that helped me through my collegiate soccer career at Virginia Tech. He challenged me through his sessions but always made it known that I was capable of excelling at everything he threw my way. He was the coach that would drop whatever he was doing to meet me at the field and would stay with me for as long as it took for us both to be satisfied with my performance. Izzy invests in his work and his players and he is just as passionate about the game as the players he works with. He was a huge contributor to my professional success and I know he will be for many players to come.”
Jilly Shimkin (University of Texas, All-Big 12 Conference, USYNT U14-U20)
“Working with Izzy has shaped me into the person and player I am today. He taught me about the game in a way that most people don’t see or understand. He helped me to establish a genuine love of training. Izzy always pushed me. Not to be “the” best but to be my best. It didn’t matter what the occasion, a game, a team training environment, or in a private session. He never let me settle for anything less than I was capable of. To this day, he is responsible for some of the best and most enjoyable sessions I have ever been involved in.”
Caitlin Cosme (Duke ’22, 2022 NWSL 10th Overall Pick)
“Izzy epitomizes remarkable qualities both as an individual and as a coach. He demonstrates a profound commitment not only to the success of his team but also to the individual growth of each and every player under his guidance. Possessing an unparalleled depth of soccer knowledge, Izzy’s meticulous attention to detail permeates every aspect of his coaching instruction. He played a significant role in shaping my growth and achievements as a soccer player and is not only a remarkable coach but also an exceptional educator.”
Sascha Filippi – Futsal Director & GK Coach
Hailing as the current assistant coach for the United States Women’s and Men’s Futsal National Teams, Coach Sascha Filippi brings an unrivaled wealth of deep international experience as a player development coach. Coach Filippi will assist Coach Cotto in all development efforts for players in and around Tallahassee in a year round, full-time capacity.
“It’s an honor and I’m proud to be a member of the Tallahassee Reckoning. It’s not just a professional soccer structure who will only work on developing the future pro of this country , but a club who wants to represent the community and is part of the community,” said Sascha Filippi Futsal Director and GK Coach. “For these reasons I say yes to Mrs. Fontes to join that amazing project. I hope that sharing my experience and my knowledge will help all the players to reach their GOALS. Really excited to start that new adventure. And thank you one more time Mrs. Fontes for the trust and the opportunity to join that amazing project. LET’S GO RECKONING!”
“We are beyond ourselves to welcome Coach Sascha to Tallahassee and the TLH Reckoning family,” said Fontes. “Coach Sascha is an incredible resource of international knowledge of player development on both the women’s and men’s side. His expertise is matched with his undying eternal commitment to do what is in the best interest of the player regardless of circumstance.”
Wilson, Cotto, and Filippi bring a next level of expertise to Tallahassee’s local players and community spanning from youth to professional, domestic to international. All are unique individuals, but all share the same belief in culture, the Tallahassee community and the local players.
“I can’t begin to explain the investment that we are making in our local players. Our kids, our young adults – for them and because of them,” Fontes said. “From day one, we said every girl deserves to dream and that is still true. In addition to myself and our incredible support staff, we are now adding an arsenal of exceptional experts not to show our kids/young adults how to dream, but to teach them how to achieve them. We hope the entire community feels the same way and will show up for our local girls and women.”
TLH Reckoning W League home opener is at 7:00pm EST on May 8 at Gene Cox Stadium. Founding Memberships and Season Ticket Memberships are available now for a limited time at www.tlhreckoning.com/season-ticket-memberships/. Players, coaches, parents and clubs interested in enhancing their development should email development@TLHreckoning.com. Media inquiries can be sent to media@TLHreckoning.com.
Leading with an impact-driven, player-centered, community-fueled mission, TLH Reckoning is funded by sponsorships, donations and memberships. For more information on how to join the journey and make a difference, email info@TLHreckoning.com and donate to the TLH Reckoning Foundation (501c3) here. All contributions go to the development programming costs for the players. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and sign up for our newsletter to stay informed and to get involved. All information can be found at www.tlhreckoning.com.
