Puppione joined FC Virginia after eight years at CUP/Cincinnati United in Ohio. There he was the Girls Director of Coaching and was also the Technical Director for the Cincinnati Development Academy. He has been an assistant coach and scout with the US Soccer Youth National Team system for the last three years. Currently, he is on the board with the Washington DC/Baltimore based non-profit charity Leveling the Playing Field, which helps bring athletic participation to underprivileged children across the United States.
Puppione brings a lot of experience and success in the youth game to the DMV area. Most recently, the CUP girls program finished with a national championship (U17), national runner-up (U15), and third place (U16) finish at the USYS National Championships last summer. During his time in Ohio, his club helped develop multiple youth national team players and current USWNT player Rose Lavelle, along with being nationally known for sending players to the college game. Puppione did this all while helping put together the Cincinnati Development Academy for the inaugural season of the US Soccer Girls DA.
Along with his club duties, Puppione has been an assistant coach with multiple birth years for US Soccer. He is currently working with the under 14 Girls National Team. He also has been a US Soccer Training Center coach and Youth National Team scout for the last three years.
Puppione has multiple coaching licenses, including his USSF “A” License, National Youth License, and NSCAA/United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma. He has also visited professional clubs, including Borussia Dortmund in Germany, to further his education. Puppione is a coaching education instructor for Maryland (and previously in Ohio), been featured in coaching publications, and produced some coaching journals/books. He holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from the University of Alabama. Puppione’s wife, Manya, is the Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at the University of Maryland.
