The exceptional coaching staff brings different styles and perspectives of the game to camp. Our coaches are selected for their ability to teach, demonstrate and relate to campers. Outstanding professional coaches from the United States and overseas, collegiate coaches and outstanding college players have been selected to train players and teams. All-American players provide the demonstrations of technique and tactics. Part of the reason for the popularity of our camp is the staff. On and off the field, quality supervision is offered for all campers.  The top high school players play with and against the Creighton players and camp staff in All-Star games that are scheduled each day.  The teaching staff is tremendous.

The Senior Staff consisting of NCAA , NAIA, and club coaches will be joined and assisted by current Creighton soccer players and players from other Division I colleges.

Johnny Torres

Johnny Torres
Camp Coordinator, Assistant Men's Coach-Creighton

Two-time National Player of the Year and Creighton Athletics Hall of Famer Johnny Torres is back for his fifth season on the Bluejay bench, following a decade-long professional soccer career.  Arguably the greatest soccer star in Creighton and Missouri Valley Conference history, Torres played for the Bluejays from 1994-97.

Twice in Torres’ first four seasons on the Bluejay bench, the Creighton men’s soccer staff has been honored as the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, earning the nod in 2008 and 2010.  His roles on the coaching staff include scouting, recruiting and training.  He also plays a major role in working with student-athletes on service projects in the Omaha area.

Torres himself has always been active in service throughout his collegiate and professional playing days.  He visited thousands of youth in the Omaha community in the 1990s, while he was tabbed the Children’s Miracle Network National “Hometown Hero” in 1996.   A native of Medellin, Colombia, he was honored by the Omaha City Council with “Johnny Torres Day” on Oct. 27, 1996, in recognition of earning U.S. Citizenship just days before, his community service and his soccer skills.

Torres was named to the MVC All-Centennial Team in 2006 and in 2011 he became the first men’s soccer player inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame.  In 1997 he won both the Hermann Trophy and the Missouri Athletic Club Award (prior to the combination of the awards), recognizing him as the National Player of the Year.  In 1996, he earned National Player of the Year honors from Soccer America after leading the Bluejays to their first College Cup appearance.  When his career ended, he was the Valley’s all-time scoring (128 points) and assists (36) leader.
   
He was the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 1998 MLS Draft by the New England Revolution.  He played for the Revolution for four seasons and also played for the Miami Fusion and Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, before continuing his career in the USL for the Minnesota Thunder and the Milwaukee Wave United, before moving to indoor soccer with the Milwaukee Wave.  In 2010 he returned to the professional ranks as a player, leading the Omaha Vipers of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) in goals scored.  In 2009 he played on the United States Adult Soccer Association Over 30 championship team– Nebraska 402 – which qualified and participated in the U.S. Open Cup in 2009.

Torres, 35, returned to the Creighton campus in the fall of 2007 to complete his undergraduate degree while serving as the Bluejays’ undergraduate manager.  After receiving the NCAA Degree Completion Award, he earned his degree in social work from Creighton in the spring of 2008.

The 2004 Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, two-time first-team All-American and three-time first-team all-region and all-conference selection has a 5-year-old son, Dominic.

Justin Hughes
Camp Goalkeeper Coach, Assistant Men's Coach-Creighton

Justin Hughes, a former collegiate and professional goalkeeper reunited with his college coach Elmar Bolowich in his first season on the Creighton coaching staff this past fall.  Hughes was a four-year letterwinner at North Carolina, playing under Bolowich from 2003-06.  Following a standout collegiate career, he was drafted by the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer and spent two seasons with the Rapids.

“Justin will be a very good addition to our staff,” said Bolowich. “His primary responsibility will be to work with our goalkeepers, as I feel that’s a special position that deserves special attention.  Having been a four-year collegiate goalkeeper and a professional keeper, he certainly brings in experience and expertise.  I know him well, having coached him for four years.  He has a tremendous work ethic and passion for the game and I’m very excited to have him join us here.”

Hughes spent the 2010 season as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer teams at Elon University in North Carolina, helping both squads post winning records. In 2011, he was an integral part of the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year award given to Creighton men's soccer.

The Wake Forest, N.C., native started all 43 matches he appeared in during his four seasons with the Tar Heels.  UNC advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons in Chapel Hill, with Hughes posting two of the top three goals against average marks in school history.  As a junior in 2005, he led the ACC with a 0.50 GAA, the second-best mark in school history at that point.  His junior season included seven shutouts, six of which he posted consecutively to tie a UNC record.  He was tabbed to the ACC All-Tournament Team in 2005 as well.  As a freshman in 2003, he was in goal for a shutout win over No. 1-ranked Maryland.

Prior to his senior season in 2006, he was named a MAC Hermann Trophy candidate, an honor bestowed upon the top player in collegiate soccer.  He finished his career at UNC ranked second in school history with a 0.79 career goals against average.  In addition to his play at UNC, he was also a member of the United States U-20 National Team pool, selected as one of 21 players to participate in the 2005 FIFA Youth World Championships in Holland.

Following his successful collegiate career, Hughes spent two seasons with the Colorado Rapids, helping the team to a 2007 Reserve Division title. He was also selected as the recipient of the 2008 Colorado Rapids Community Service Award after making 60 community appearances to schools, soccer clinics and camps. Hughes also spent one season playing for Real Maryland FC of the United Soccer Leagues.

Hughes, 26, was a Dean’s List honoree and member of the ACC All-Academic Team before graduating from North Carolina with a double major in exercise and sport science and geography.  Hughes is engaged to Nikki Garth, a Denver native and local Omaha attorney.

Staff has included:

Top coaches from Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA and NJCAA and nationally licensed coaches who were chosen to work at the Academy for their outstanding teaching ability and their vast experience in soccer.

Chris Kranjc - Head Coach at Hastings College

Matt Briggs - Head Coach at Bellevue College

TJ Buchholtz - Head Coach at Northwestern

Art Busha - Head Coach at Concordia

Oliver Twelvetrees - Head Coach at Barton College

Bret Simon - Head Coach at Stanford University

Mike Gabb - Goalkeeping trainer at Creighton

Daniel Galvis - Goalkeeping trainer at Bellevue

Paul Harvey - Creighton Assistant

Rick Carpenter - former National Coach of the Year

Tim Sartori - Former St. Louis star and now at Chaminade

Matt Wieland - Creighton All American and MLS draft pick

Ryan Lakin - Head Coach Illinois Wesleyan

Aaron Champenoy - Head Coach University of St. Thomas

Nathan Mason - Head Coach Iowa Central College

Wally Crittenden - University of Nebraska assistant

Barry Slagle - Colorado School of Mines

MLS Players- Richard Mulrooney, David Wagenfuhr, Nic Garcia, Jackie Jewsberry, Brian Kamler, Will Hesmer, Tony Schmitz, Tim Bohenkamp, Bret Rodriguez, Julian Nash, Michael Kraus, Andy Peterson, Ryan Junge and others