My journey with the Salvetti family started in the summer of 2015. I met Bri's mother, Ann, the owner of the Little Movement Daycare, at Redwood HS while I was training for an upcoming trial in Europe. Ann told me her 11-year-old daughter loved soccer and was looking for private training. Two days later, Bri became my first trainee.

Bri was shy but a determined young girl that was clear about her goals and aspirations. She wanted to play for Marin FC's blue team, make the ODP team, dominate in high school for Redwood, and compete collegiately at the D1 level. I was blown away by her clarity, so I was eager to share my wisdom with her.

With that in mind, we developed a long-term development plan and continued to chip away at everything on the list. At the time, I only spent a week in Marin each month as I was between contracts and training full-time in LA. Ann and her husband Sandro, a recently retired police officer, were diligent about scheduling sessions when I was in town and ensured she had things to work on in my absence. They did a fantastic job providing regular updates about her performances via video.

In the early days, we spent a substantial amount of time developing a better relationship with the ball and improving her mechanics in front of the goal to become a solid striker. Bri's steady growth during that time can be attributed to her dedication to training, being a student of the game, and the group effort to help her stay on course.

Once I finally moved to Marin, Bri and I spent countless hours on the field refining her craft. Bri pushed me to become a better coach by steadily improving and forcing me to come up with training sessions and exercises that were realistic and related to game-specific scenarios. I, in turn, pushed her by introducing her to situations and preparing her for what I knew she would encounter down the line at the highest levels of the game.

As the years passed, the Salvetti's and I grew closer. My relationship with Bri continued to blossom as I became more of a fixture in her life. Bri continued doing well and was heading down the right path. The only goal left to achieve was playing at the D1 level.

The recruitment process was challenging for the family, as it generally is for everyone. I had the opportunity to travel with the Salvetti's to one of Bri's final College ID camps in San Diego. Many tears were shed on that three-day trip because her performances were inconsistent, and her prospects did not look good for a moment. However, we had a significant breakthrough in her development during the second to last day there. She dusted herself off and put her best foot forward, leaving the camp on a good note. She left SD with a newfound mental fortitude that would serve her well for the remainder of the camp and the rest of her life.

Bri put everything together in the final few opportunities in front of the coaches, and she was recruited to play D1 for St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA. Bri's success comes down to her hard work, her family's unwavering support, and a little guidance from me here and there throughout the years. As I sit and write this, I'm filled with immense gratitude and pride to be a part of her journey and watch her dreams come true.

Back in 2015, when Tristan Bowen and Briana started training, he told me, "the journey is the destination," and he was correct. Tristan has been an amazing mentor on and off the field for the last eight years of our daughter Briana's life. His guidance and technical training has made Briana an exceptional player. His guidance has gone far beyond the field. He's shown Briana healthy lifestyle choices, provided advice about eating habits to perform at the highest level, and offered guidance about navigating team dynamics.
We are grateful for everything Tristan has done for our daughter, and we know he played an integral part in her now playing D1 Soccer at a collegiate level. He has always been so much more than a trainer to our family. He is family.
Ann Salvetti
Mother of Briana Salvetti (D1 Player for Saint Mary's College, The Gaels)

Bri Salvetti