Rudo Goalkeeping Academy turns up the Heat in Coachella Valley

Top level training for up-and-coming players making a mark on the state and national level.   USE THE PROMO CODE almasin30 for a discount on your first subscription   I've been a fan of Rudo Goalkeeping Academy for quite some time.  Seeing the development of players from Coach Rudo Diaz's Soccer Academy has been nothing short of inspirational and noteworthy.  The quality of the coaches and community support is what separates this academy from the others.   Coach Rudo is also a USSF-licensed coach.  Some of his other credentials include: Goalkeeper Coaching Diploma - Level 3 COD Women's GK coach, who provides private and group training.  He is also a U.S. Marine veteran.  I love the fact that Coach Rudo is giving back to the community in which he played as a youth.  This full circle moment is what inspires him and thus makes his program great. Coach Rudo is taking on players at all levels as well as training some of the top talent in the valley. His main focus is on taking these players to the next level.   Here are some of Coach Rudo's top players:   1. Taylor Boyles - 2027 - High School: Shadow Hills    2. Evi Pozas - 2031 - Club Team: CAVA San Diego, Empire Surf G11 NL   3. Mila Rangel - 2031 - Club Team: Desert Empire Surf G10   Evaluations:   1. Taylor Boyles - 2027 - High School: Shadow Hills    She is a second-Team all-league selection in the Desert Empire League for the 2024-25 season.  Also noted as a player to watch in 2025/2026.  Taylor has a combined 32 varsity games played with a total of 1150 minutes.  She has helped her team to a 2026 DEL league Championship.  Taylor plays club soccer for So [program_tooltip program_id='287754' first='Cal' last='Elite'] G09 DPL.    2. Evi Pozas - 2031 - Club Team: CAVA San Diego, Empire Surf G11 NL    She competed in the winter Junior Championships in 2026, where her team finished as runners-up.  Her nickname is “Nahuelita” and she has gained recognition for her performance in various youth level competitions.  Evi has also trained with the Mexican National U-13 Team.  She has started to make waves in the Coachella Valley Soccer League and youth sports community.  She is a goalkeeper to keep and eye out for.    Evi's Soccer Social Media:   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DNwheoT3JNu/?hl=en">https://www.instagram.com/p/DNwheoT3JNu/?hl=en</a>   3. Mila Rangel - 2031 - Club Team: Desert Empire Surf G10    She is recognized as the first goalkeeper officially registered for the RUDO Keeper Wars U14 girls bracket.  At the Winter Junior Championships on January 17, she recorded impressive saves (including 22 and 23 saves in single games), while playing as a guest player for Desert Surf G12.  She maintains a 4.0 GPA.    Mila's Soccer Social Media:   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUfG2ibEWpP">https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUfG2ibEWpP</a>   In order to get more information about Coach Rudo and his academy, I asked him a few questions and her are his responses.   Question #1 - What inspired you to start your goalkeeper academy?   "My main inspiration for becoming a goalkeeper coach comes from my own experience growing up. I was a goalkeeper, yet I never received specialized training—I was simply expected to perform at a high level without being given the tools to succeed. As I got older, I began noticing the same pattern with younger players. Kids were stepping into the goal and being held to high expectations, but no one was truly training them or guiding their development.   So I started working with a few keepers at a time, just trying to give them what I never had. Little by little, more players wanted to join, more parents reached out, and what began as helping a handful of kids slowly grew into something much bigger. It wasn't planned — it grew out of necessity, passion, and the desire to make sure the next generation of goalkeepers wouldn't have to figure it out alone."   Question #2 - When was the academy started?  And who helped you at the beginning?   "I started the academy in early 2019. The very first day I made the decision, I posted on Facebook inviting people to come train — and nobody showed up. Not a single person. It took two or three more attempts before anyone finally came out and began to trust the process.   What started as an empty field slowly turned into a growing community, but those first days taught me patience, humility, and perseverance. Through it all, my wife has been the one constant by my side. She has supported me since day one and has been a huge pillar in my coaching journey. When no one else was there yet, she was. That support made it possible to keep going until others began to believe too."   Question #3 - What were some of the challenges encountered during the beginning stages?   "One of the biggest challenges I faced in the beginning was the culture within the local soccer community. At the time, people simply weren't accustomed to having a dedicated goalkeeper coach. The idea of position-specific training for keepers was new, and not everyone immediately understood its value.   When I first started inviting players to come train, some teams were hesitant and, in certain cases, even made it difficult for their goalkeepers to attend specialized sessions. It wasn't always easy to explain that this training wasn't meant to pull players away, but to help them grow and ultimately make their teams stronger.   Over time, as results started to show and goalkeepers improved, perspectives slowly began to change. But those early days required persistence, patience, and a lot of belief in the vision."   Question #4 - How were those challenges overcome?  What were some of the changes made or new strategies used to move forward?   Those challenges were overcome through consistency and honesty in my approach to training. I never made big promises about the future or guaranteed results. Instead, I focused on what I could control — showing up, putting in the work, and being genuine with every goalkeeper who stepped onto the field.   My priority was to create a safe environment where kids could train, have fun, learn, and truly develop. I wanted them to feel proud of being goalkeepers, to understand that their position mattered, and to give them a sense of belonging. It was never just about saves or wins; it was about building confidence, identity, and a community where they felt supported and valued."   Question #5 - What is one or two of the most memorable events thus far with the academy or with players?   "One of the greatest memories I have as a coach happened during a family vacation. I received a call from a goalkeeper's mom telling me that her 9-year-old daughter had missed training and wanted to know when I was coming back.   It may seem like a small moment, but it meant a lot to me. It reminded me that what I was building mattered to the kids and their families. Knowing that a young goalkeeper was eager to return to training and was looking forward to my return made me feel valued and important in their lives. It was one of those moments that reassured me I was on the right path and that the work we were doing was making a real impact beyond the field.   Another great memory I have is training a high school girl who wanted to be a goalkeeper. She went through a very tough time during her senior year because she didn't even get the opportunity to play in goal, yet she never stopped training. She kept showing up, kept working, and kept believing in herself even when things didn't go her way.   Later on, when I was hired at the local junior college, I reached out and invited her to come play. She told me she would only do it because I was there and she trusted the environment we had built. She ended up playing for two seasons and eventually became part of the first championship team in that program's history.   Moments like that stay with me forever — not just because of the title, but because it showed what perseverance, trust, and continued development can lead to when someone simply refuses to give up."   Question #6 - What is one or two of the goals or mission of the program/academy?   "My goal has always been to support their development and help them elevate their game to the level they aspire to reach — whether that's club, high school, college, or even professional soccer. Every session, every drill, and every conversation is done with love and passion.   For me, it's never just about the next match or the next season; it's about giving them the tools, confidence, and belief to chase whatever level they dream of playing at, and reminding them that their journey matters."   Question #7 - How can players sign-up or get more information about the academy?   "Players and parents can sign up to our train by text us at (562) 450-7019 or by DM us to our social media pages at:   instagram RudoGoalkeepeingAcademy and Coach Rudo on Facebook."   Question #8 - What are some of the events coming up for the program/academy?   "We host a Keeper Wars competition every year around February or March, inviting goalkeepers and goalkeeper academies from different areas to come together and showcase their skills. What began as a small event has grown year after year into something the community truly looks forward to.   We started this tradition four years ago, and this coming February 7th and 8th we will be hosting our 5th tournament, which will also be our largest one yet, with the highest number of competitors to date. It's become more than just a competition — it's a celebration of goalkeeper culture, development, and the community that continues to grow around the position."   Lastly, is there anything you want to let the audience know about you or your program?   "What I want people to know about my goalkeeper academy is that it was built out of necessity, passion, and community. I started it because I grew up as a goalkeeper without ever receiving specialized training, yet I was still expected to perform at a high level. When I became an adult, I noticed the same thing happening to young players — they were stepping into one of the most demanding positions on the field without guidance. I wanted to change that.   Our academy is more than technical drills and diving saves. We focus on development, confidence, and identity. We create a safe and positive environment where goalkeepers can learn, compete, and feel proud of their position. Whether a player's dream is to make their club team, start in high school, play in college, or even reach the professional level, our role is to give them the tools and belief to chase that path.   We are deeply rooted in our local community, and everything we do is driven by love for the game and respect for the goalkeeper position. Over the years, what started with just a few kids on an empty field has grown into a strong goalkeeper culture and an annual Keeper Wars competition that brings together athletes and academies from different regions.   At the end of the day, our academy isn't just about producing better goalkeepers — it's about building confident young people, teaching resilience, and creating a sense of belonging. Development is our priority, community is our foundation, and passion is what keeps us moving forward."   Coach Rudo   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/02/Coach-Rudo.jpg?w=512" alt="" class="wp-image-349995" /></figure>

Top level training for up-and-coming players making a mark on the state and national level.