Carlos Pedraza joined the VCU men’s soccer staff as an assistant coach in May 2024.
A Caracas, Venezuela, native, Pedraza brings 13 years of coaching experience to the Rams, fueled by a passion for helping young athletes excel both on and off the field.
Prior to VCU, Pedraza spent seven years at Montverde Academy in Orlando, Fla., home to one of the nation’s top soccer development programs at Soccer Institute of Montverde Academy (SIMA).
At Montverde, he worked closely with some of the country’s most talented players, many of whom advanced to compete in the NCAA, USL, MLS, and major European leagues such as Spain’s La Liga and France’s Ligue 1. In 2018, he guided the SIMA Águilas in the USL2 league, leading the team to a first-place finish in the Southeast Conference and a run to the semifinals.
Beyond team coaching, Pedraza created the SIMA Individual Position Optimization (IPO) program, providing position-specific training that maximized technical and tactical player development. In his final year at Montverde, he served as the Director of the SIMA Pre-Academy, where he implemented the SIMA 360 methodology—a holistic approach that develops youth athletes as individuals, students, and players.
Pedraza also contributed to Orlando City’s Development Academy (now MLS Next), coaching the U15 team. His responsibilities included national recruitment, video analysis, team-building activities, and individualized player development—key factors in maintaining one of the country’s most respected youth programs.
