Julian Hughes
Former Bohemian FC U19s and NCAA player. Trains kids with the precision of a technical coach and the warmth that makes a 6-year-old want to come back.
How you train with Julian
You don't book Julian one-on-one. Your child is coached by Julian inside Footie Elite's small-group training — a maximum of 6 players per coach, grouped by age and level, with confidence, friends, and fun first.
About Julian
Julian came up through Ireland's Bohemian FC academy, ending his youth career at the U19 level in the First Division — the highest tier of Irish youth football below the senior squad. From there he took the NCAA pathway in the US, playing collegiate soccer before transitioning into coaching.
That dual background — European technical-first development plus the North American collegiate system — is rare in Montreal coaches. It's also exactly what Quebec teens targeting CEGEP, U Sports, or NCAA need: someone who has actually walked the pathway and knows what each level looks like from the inside.
With our youngest players (4-9), Julian focuses on first-touch development and what he calls "quiet confidence" — the kind of self-trust that lets a 6-year-old try a move because they want to, not because the coach told them to. Parents across our training areas specifically request Julian's sessions for shy or new-to-soccer kids — he has a knack for finding the version of each kid that wants to play.
With older players (10-17) chasing competitive pathways, the work shifts to position-specific technique, ball mastery under pressure, and the small tactical details that separate "makes the team" from "sits on the bench."
The best youth coaches don't make kids better at soccer — they make kids who happen to want to be better at soccer. Confidence and friendship come first; the technical work follows.
Coaching specialties
- →Technical training (first touch, weak foot, finishing)
- →Youth development (2-13+)
- →International experience (Ireland + NCAA)
Career highlights
First Division Ireland (Bohemian FC U19s) · NCAA Experience
Age groups
- →Little Kickers (4-6)
- →Foundation Builder (7-9)
- →Growth & Development (10-12)
Meet the other founder-coaches
Former FC National Sofia U19s, current AS Laval (Ligue 1 QC). Elite academy standards and sharp tactical detail that help kids read the game.
Brazilian-developed, McGill Varsity, current CSMRO (Ligue 1 QC). Joga bonito energy plus patient coaching that builds confidence and technique.