SOCCER MENTORING
Helping Athletes Get to Their Next Level Since 2021
SOCCER MENTORING
Former pros helping young players maximize their potential.
How We Help
There are four components to a soccer player’s level of play: technical, physical, tactical, and mental. We help our mentees develop the their tactical and mental skills.
The truth is the players who are the fastest, the strongest, or have the best touch are not always the ones that make it to the next level. If they don’t play with confidence, handle setbacks with resilience, and be a leader they will get passed by.
We work with our mentees to overcome those obstacles and become the best version of themselves – on the field and off – that they can be.
Meet Your Mentors
Beyond Goals Mentoring was started in 2021 by Michael Parkhurst and Greg Garza. After successful club careers across Europe, Mexico, and in the MLS as well as with the USMNT, they both saw incredibly talented players struggle to advance in their own journeys and careers.
They found the difference in those who succeeded - both on and off the pitch - was found in a player’s mentality and their decision-making abilities – the two hardest parts of the game to teach to younger players. Key skills that are not commonly nurtured in club and team environments.
Upon retiring, Michael and Greg set out to close this gap in the game and pass on the knowledge and skills that they had learned from their own experiences as pro-athletes to the next generation.
What We Do
We work with players, ages 8 and up, to help them build the mental side of their game as well as elevating their soccer IQ. The tools we use to accomplish that vary player by player so that they get the most value.
Each player has their own specific needs, circumstances, strengths and areas for growth. We work with our mentees to set individualized goals and strategies to further their development in the game and in themselves.
Our focus is to help our mentees develop their confidence, resiliency, maturity, and knowledge of the game.
We do this through four main offerings:
Our Services
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1:1 Mentoring
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Team Sessions
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Video Analysis
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BGTV
Get to Know Us
Michael Parkhurst
Native of Rhode Island. Attended IMG Academy and Wake Forest Univ.
Career Highlights:
15 year Professional : 10 years in MLS and 5 in Europe
MLS Rookie of the Year
MLS Defender of the Year
MLS Best XI
6X MLS All-Star
MLS Cup Champions - 2018 Atlanta United
MLS Humanitarian of the Year and MLS Fair Play Award.
USMNT: 25 caps
Team USA 2008 Olympics in Beijing
Following retirement in 2019, Michael joined Rippleworx, a human performance platform, as their US VP of Sports. In 2021 he also became co-founder of Rhode Island FC, which will debut in the USL Championship in 2023.
Michael is married with 2 children, both of whom play youth sports. He currently resides in Columbus, OH.
Greg Garza
Native of Grapevine, Texas. Greg moved to Brazil at the age of 12 to play for São Paulo FC. Attended USA U17 Residency Program before becoming pro at a young age.
Career Highlights:
12 Year Professional: 3 years in Portugal | 5 years in Mexico | 4 years in MLS
U-17 World Cup - USA U17 (South Korea)
LIGA MX Champion - 2012 Club Tijuana (Mexico)
MLS All-Star
MLS Cup Champion Champion - 2018 Atlanta United
Atlanta Community Ambassador
USMNT: 10 caps
Following retirement, Greg is still heavily involved with the community of Atlanta, serving as an ambassador for Special Olympics, Soccer in the Streets, and many other organizations helping shape our leaders of tomorrow.
Greg has 3 boys, of all ages, who are all involved in soccer. He is also trilingual: English, Spanish, Portuguese
A Message from Us
I have a passion for helping athletes become better. I believe in a holistic approach to improvement and betterment and will thus aim to help my mentees both on and off the field.
Too many times in my career I witnessed talented young players lose their way and end up out of professional soccer way too soon. There is also a tremendous amount of pressure on younger athletes these days with decisions regarding soccer academies, college, Homegrown contracts, agents, life as a young professional, and more.
Most clubs cannot or do not provide enough support for these athletes and their families. With my experience and knowledge I can help provide guidance, answer questions, and keep young players grounded on their individual soccer journey.
— Michael Parkhurst
Throughout my career, I have overcome many obstacles and gained unlimited amounts of knowledge, wisdom, and experiences to give back to the game that has given so much to me. I believe creating these same opportunities on a professional and mental level for the youth of our nation is my calling.
The sky's the limit for everyone, whether playing in a collegiate environment, making it professionally, or even playing for your nation or in a Champions League one day. But, only with the correct tools are we able to achieve these goals, and sustain ourselves with an attitude and passion that drives us each and every day.
Having children of my own and being a family man, my ultimate goal is to support and guide the youth of today's world. I am extremely excited to share my journey, experiences, and life lessons, but more importantly, to help in whatever capacity I can to build confidence, give professionalism tips, and show what it takes to help you achieve your goals!
— Greg Garza
What People Are Saying
“Just wanted to reach out and thank you for mentoring G. This has already been so great for him. He has become aware of himself and his development in a way I've never seen before. His confidence level is soaring and his play tends to shoot up to another level when he's feeling that way. So thank you thank you. It's been awesome to see him light up like that.”
— Lee (Soccer Dad)
“My son works with Coach Greg and I’ve seen really positive changes in his confidence, positive mental outlook and positional understanding. Coach Greg is always professional, engaging and genuinely interested in my sons success. You can tell that it’s not just business, and that he is truly passionate about helping to cultivate the next generation of soccer players. He’s always available, always checking in and always trying to make sure my son reaches his full potential. We love BGM and would highly recommend!”
— Lala (Soccer Mom)
“The Beyond Goals Mentoring program has had such a positive impact for our son. Having someone outside of his coach, teammates and family members has enabled our son to have open and honest conversations with the mentors”
— Evan (Soccer Dad)
“Thank you for working with our daughter. It is great to see her approaching games differently with some tangible action items for pre-game and post-game.
The self talk and reminders definitely help her to move more off the ball both offensive and defensive and anticipate quicker.”
— Brian (Soccer Dad)
Let’s Get Started
Choose the type of meeting you want, then schedule your session(s). Just provide us with some background information, and that’s it.
For the greatest impact and bang for your buck, check out our Multi-Session Package!
*When you purchase the package, you’ll receive a code and link to book each session.