I’ve spent 3+ years on the sidelines with Tony as the parent assistant coach for our boys’ team.  As such, I’ve lived through the highest highs and the lowest lows, having the opportunity to hear Tony’s often legendary halftime speeches up close on our best days and on our worst days.  I think the thing that separates Tony from the pack is that he approaches each & every game with the same passion, focus & intensity whether the opponent is weaker than us, stronger than us, or evenly matched.  This is the difference between a professional coach and an amateur coach – Tony gets the players to focus and play with intensity at all times, not just when the stakes are high.  He truly wants to get the best out of each player in order to maximize the result at all levels of competition.  I’ve seen first-hand his motivational techniques with the team as a whole and each player individually.  Other testimonials have referred to his style as “tough love” – I don’t see it that way.  I think he motivates each player differently, depending on what they respond to.  Some players need to be praised before they can receive feedback, some players need to be yelled at early & often, other players need to be challenged.  Sometimes he’s in their face, sometimes he speaks to them quietly off to the side – the point is that every kid responds differently and Tony adapts his style based on what works for that kid.  Our team has grown over the years from a soft collection of whiny suburban kids getting knocked down and looking for a foul from the ref into a tough, gritty, tight-knit team who can go toe-to-toe with any city team.  Tony has challenged them, individually and collectively, to step up and play soccer like men.  They have responded to that challenge, even though they may have folded under another coach and asked to be moved down to a lower level.  The net result of Tony’s leadership is that every single kid on our travel team roster has made their respective high school team, and most of them have emerged as solid starters.  My own kid’s quote recently, when comparing his high school coach to his travel coach – ‘Tony knows how to motivate me’.  
~Thomas Counts

Tony Hepburn has been instrumental in our daughter's knowledge and love of the game of soccer. He has been a nurturing and sensitive coach as well as a great teacher. Tony's soccer expertise has helped our daughter become a better soccer player

~Janet Meyers

Tony Hepburn is an exceptional soccer coach.  Besides possessing a great knowledge of the sport, Tony is a student of the game who literally transformed my son into a formidable player.  Tony brilliantly teaches the fundamentals of the game in a manner that is easy to understand by his players, therefore achieving a high amount of adoption by his players.  He is the ideal coach in that he is firm when he has to be yet understanding at the right time as well.  He instills discipline and confidence in his players, attributes that are important to take a player to the highest level.  I would recommend Tony to anybody interested in achieving a high level of play and success in the sport of soccer.  

~Michele Zayed

Families with multiple players offer many words of praise!
With 4 children playing soccer, many simultaneously for almost the last 20 years, when we say that Tony Hepburn is a cut above the rest of all other coaches– we know!! Somehow he balances a sort of “tough love” approach which really works. He does mean business, but he has figured out you don’t have to be mean to get the business done. Tony is able to enhance their soccer skill set, teach them the tactical side of the game, and condition his players both mentally and physically. But many coaches can do that. Where Tony excels is his ability to connect with his players. He has laid the groundwork for what is needed to play soccer at a highly competitive level, but because his players both love and respect him as a result of the unique coach/player relationship he establishes, their performance is enhanced all the more out on the field. Our daughter has certainly further developed under his coaching, and if you ask her, she will tell you that Tony has been her best coach ever. Sure Tony can be intense and yell at times, but you want that in a coach otherwise he is not passionate enough about the game. But unlike most other coaches, he is not defined by that style of coaching. According to our daughter, Tony is inspiring, motivating, caring and funny - these traits supersede all others and that’s where Tony’s magic comes in!!

~Kiki and Rob Engelking

There are a lot of soccer coaches that really know the skills and tactics of soccer, and are/were great players.  However, Tony is a natural teacher.  He not only possesses great soccer knowledge and skill, but he knows how to transfer that knowledge to teaching others.  Kids really like him and respect him, so they want to learn from him.  It's a pretty easy concept, but only a few people know how to pull it off.  Tony is definitely the best coach my kids have had in a combined 15+ years of soccer!  Having fun with a sport at an advanced level is hard to find.  He does it.

~Liz and Terry Harris

Tony occasionally coached my daughters - U10 & U8 - during tournament games & practice sessions. He is an excellent Coach ensuring the girls focused on technical skills,  conditioning & positioning. I always looked forward to games & practice sessions he had with our girls.
We also sent our girls to AYHP Futsul sessions & they were a great hit. Our girls learned great foot skills that they immediately applied in games! AYHP training sessions continue to be popular in our household & I highly recommend the program.
~Tom Okuku