Today we’d like to introduce you to Kévin Lopes Teixeira.
Kévin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Nearly 10 years ago I moved to LA, I’m originally from Paris, not the fancy side, in a place called Trappes I started playing soccer in the street there, then my family moved in a tiny town called Annecy in the French Alps. I kept playing there and signed up in my first club soccer and ended up playing semi-pro in the third division before I tore my ankle, what’s forced me to stop playing for almost 10 months.
My dad got remarried to a woman from Venice beach, so instead of sitting in dark with my injury, I decided to move to LA (sept 2009) for what was supposed to be a story off of 3 months. I was staying in Venice Beach, at my stepmom motherhouse, a few blocks away from the boardwalk, every morning I’d walk there to get my breakfast. I would walk up and down and one of the first things I noticed, was that there were not one soccer court, I saw basketball, tennis, baseball, football, building but not even one person with a soccer baller.
I had to walk towards Santa Monica to finally see and meet a French man wearing a famous French club jersey, he kindly invited me to play since he was the man in charge of this pick up soccer games, but couldn’t due to my injury, but we kept in touch and became friends and I started helping him setting up the field, every morning I was there watching a lil frustrated. Until I finally was able to play again. This pickup game was getting more and more popular, and I started noticing that more and more people was starting to show up, one of them was the 2 times MVP Steve Nash, or the World Cup winner and Italian legend Alessandro Del Pierro…
From there, I got more involved in soccer over here, I had the chance due to some connection made at those games, to practice and to get back in a « professional shape » with LA Galaxy II. This is at that time that I mate my wife and mother of my child 7 years ago. We decided to travel the world since her degree allowed her to study all over the world, we went to Europe, Indonesia and West Africa. During this amazing journey, I have been able to always connect with people with soccer, it was my way to introduce my self, and it works I have been coaching and playing in every one of the cities that we visited, and I realize how soccer was way more than just a game.
When I return to LA, I become more involved in the LA soccer community, I started playing more Street Soccer for my team called BOLA, really common everywhere except in USA at that time, I passed my US coaching licences and started a Soccer development program in East LA, Called Classic Z.Z Fc after my hero Zinedine Zidane French Legendary player, the best. I created this program because I quickly understood that soccer was a huge business in the USA, and a lot of programs, coaches or clubs doesn’t approach the game, the culture, the values and the environment the right way, the only matter where the fees and not the development.
The idea of my program is based on the French way and has developed a strong reputation among players, parents, professional and athletes all around the world since France just won the World Cup 2018 the third final played by a French team out of 6 possible. Classic ZZ Fc is most likely a program developer of youth talent based on possession, ball control, soccer culture and mindset.
From this initiative, I’ve been approached by other clubs and programs all over the city, and today I’m coaching for Sand and surf soccer club based in Manhattan Beach, also for ADP10Football Academy in UCLA, and soon in Highschool around the west side of the city, and keep providing private training to who wants to bring his skills and mind to another level.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not easy because as I said it soccer is a business in this country so other coaches see you as a potential danger for there business. Plus yes I was pro back in France but nobody knew me here so I had to rebuild a name, and what a better to do so than by embarrassing player on a court.
Basically played a lot of picks up soccer games all around the city to get to know people and to show people how good I’am to bring legitimacy to program.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Classic Z.Z Fc – what should we know?
Developer of soccer talent.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Credit goes to the game itself, it teach and help me for everything, got me out of “streets”trouble, kept me in shape, teached me that, without hard work talent is nothing, how to act in society, to work with others for a common goal, to share, to win and lose, to passionate, to be organize, to be honest to my self, to listen and knowing my body, to have a sharp mind, to connect with people from all around the world, to learn language.
Football (soccer) is the sport the most popular in the world it brings people together.
Contact Info:
- Address: 9618 Exposition Blvd,
90034 Los Angeles - Phone: 3109620957
- Email: classiczzfc10@gmailcom
- Instagram: @kevlopes_classiczzf10
Image Credit:
#classiczzfc10
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