Tri-Cities Soccer Association :: The Official Site

Drago Jaha

Drago Jaha is developing and leads the newly formed TCSA Premier Soccer Club program. His experience as a soccer player at the highest levels and his experience coaching and developing the highest level youth players makes him the right person to lead the next program for TCSA.

In addition to being committed to soccer excellence, Drago prefers to ‘develop’ players over several years versus ‘select’ players that others have developed. He strongly believes in the development of the whole person and in training players to perform at their highest level in a team environment while providing an educational and fun learning environment.

Drago was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia where his soccer career began at age 17. During the past two decades, he has come to be known as “Mr. Soccer.” He has experienced world class competition first hand and is a fan wherever he travels.

European Soccer Experience

Competitive play began with his appointment to the Red Star Belgrade Soccer Team in 1975. This led to Drago being selected to play for the Yugoslavian National Team where he displayed his remarkable soccer abilities.

This exposure propelled him into his international professional soccer career with France and Germany. Playing in Europe for German, Belgium, French, Yugoslavian and English coached teams added to his understanding of various coaching techniques and philosophies.

European Cup Competition: Drago attacking the ball

United States Soccer Experience

By 1980, Drago was ready to test the competition in the United States. Drago soon signed a contract to play with the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League (NASL). Displaying the strengths he learned in Europe, Drago became a skilled and tenacious competitor in America and all over Europe. Other American soccer credits include the San Diego Sockers, Tulsa Tornadoes and Columbus Capitals of the NASL, and the Detroit Rockets of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).

Mia Hamm with Drago Jaha

Making the Switch

The next logical step in Drago’s professional soccer career is the leap from the playing fields to the sidelines and the business of coaching. With 20 years of experience and his unique European style of play, Drago spent the 1997 season as Head coach of the Columbus Invaders in the NPSL. In 1998, Drago began coaching and teaching youth soccer in the Lake Forest area while establishing the Chicago United Soccer Club. He currently lives in the North Shore area where he was Director of Coaching and President of Lake Forest United Soccer Club until June 2008. In 2008 he joined Tri-Cities Soccer to start the Tri-Cities Premier Program.

Vlatko Minic

Vlatko Minic was an assistant coach for four seasons at UW-Parkside, where he helped guide the program to a 40-7-7 record, as well as two Conference Championships and two NCAA appearances. In high school he earned three First Team All-Conference nominations and took his skills to Madison where he went on to be a part of the building block that saw the Badgers win the National Championship in 1995. His professional playing career included stints with the Milwaukee Rampage and the Pittsburgh Stingers. In 2004, Vlatko Co-Founded the Red Star SC and is currently coaching there today.  In 2010, the Red Star SC club merged with United FC (WI) combining two winning clubs into one.

In 2009, Coach Vlatko began training and coaching Tri-Cities Premier Soccer teams during the indoor and outdoor seasons.  In 2010, he became the head of the TCSA Premier High School Program drawing over 150 kids to the tryouts in the first year.

 2010 TCSA Premier High School Tryouts

Ivan Radic

Youth and Professional Coaching Experience

2009 - 2010:  Head coach/trainer for AC Schwaben

2009 - 2010:  Head coach/trainer for Lemont Raiders

2004 - 2006:  Head coach for Professional Women's Soccer Club - FC Cacak- Serbia.

2002 - 2004:  Assistant head coach for Professional Women's Soccer Club - FC Cacak- Serbia.

2000 - 2002:  Head coach for FC Udarnik - Serbia.

Playing Experience 

1991 - 1994: FC United Serbs - Chicago 
1988 - 1991: FC Morava - Yugoslavia
1986 - 1988: FC Borac - Yugoslavia
1984 - 1986:  FC Smederevo - Yugoslavia
1982 - 1984:  FC Borac – Yugoslavia
1980 - 1982: U-18 National Team player for Serbia
1980 - 1982:  FC Red Star - Yugoslavia
(First draft pick for top team in Yugoslavia at the age of 16)

1977 - 1980:  FC Udarnik - Yugoslavia

Coaching Accomplishments

2009 AC Lemont Raiders, In one year, two out of three teams finished in first place. Two teams made a record goal differential of 62-6 , and the other team 54- 8. Won two tournaments with these two teams in Illinois and Indiana.

2010 AC Schwaben , Won Soccer City tournament with a record goal differential (52-0).

Named one of the best Women’s League Coaches in Serbia.

Playing Accomplishments

MVP European Leagues 1990 and MVP United Italian Soccer Club - Chicago 2000

First draft- top pick- FC Red Star Yugoslavia (one of the best clubs in the world at the time ), at the age of 16