Bio

Tom Shields joined the Blue Devil coaching staff in 2014. Shields is a graduate of Leeds Metropolitan University, England, the United Kingdom's centre for coaching excellence. Tom holds a Bachelor’s Degree in sports coaching and a Master’s Degree in sport and exercise psychology.

In addition he has obtained his NSCAA Advanced National and National Diplomas, both with distinguished passes and his USSF National Youth License. He also holds FA and FA Youth Module certifications.

Shields has been in the United States since 2011 working as a Director of Coaching Education for SoccerPlus FC and Glastonbury Hartwell before joining his current club Sporting CT as their Academy Director. In addition he now also works as part of the Connecticut YPDP program and is a contributing author to the SportInMind website.

While Tom was in England, he acted as a professor on the Coaching Program he graduated from, along with a number of other Sports Science related modules at Leeds Metropolitan. He also worked as a Foundation Phase coach at Bradford City and with the Development Programs at Leeds United and Hull City.

Shields captained both his high school and college teams after playing as a junior for the Cottingham Rangers and Hull City Schoolboys.