Current Coaches
Ron Apollon
LDGA DIRECTOR
Ron Apollon is the Co-Founder and Director of LDGA. He holds a USSF “A”
license as well as a National Youth license. From 1997 to 2021, Ron was the
Head GK coach for the GA ODP program. He currently oversees the GK
training program at one of biggest clubs in the country, NASA Tophat, and is
the Boys and Girls Assistant/GK Coach at Fellowship Christian School. During
his career, Ron has coached at various levels, including stints at GA State
University, GA Perimeter College, and Oglethorpe University. Ron also held
coaching roles at the semi pro level as the Assistant Coach for the Atlanta
Silverbacks Women team, and was the head coach for the Atlanta Panthers
women Pro Am team.
Jackie DeNova
Jackie is a senior member of LDGA having been on staff since 2009. She is currently a staff coach for the GPS Lexington soccer program. Jackie is a very experienced coach who has served as the South Carolina ODP Director of Goalkeeping, as well as GK Coach in the collegiate arena at Coker College, USC Aiken, Cape Fear Community College, and SC State University. During her playing career, she transferred from the University of Mississippi to William Carey University in Hattiesburg MS where she went on to have an impressive playing career. Jackie was a two-time All-American goalkeeper, a member of the Nissan All-Region Team, and the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) All-Conference Team. She holds a USSF National “C”
Rade Tanaskovic
LDGA Assistant Director
Rade Tanaskovic has been with LDGA for over a decade and is currently the Assistant
Director. He is responsible for the creation of the LDGA Elite program at the annual summer camps. He recently joined the UGA the Georgia soccer coaching staff in spring 2024 and works primarily with the goalkeepers. In his first season, Tanaskovic oversaw one of the greatest goalkeeper seasons in program history by Jordan Brown, who was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Fourth Team and Second Team All-SEC. Brown played every minute of the season, tallying 120 saves, the second-most in program history, while also ranking second all-time in saves per match (5.71) and save percentage (.845). She set a new career high with 14 saves at No. 1 Florida State, helping the Bulldogs tie the Seminoles, 1-1, for the first result against a top-ranked team in program history.
Tanaskovic joined Georgia after spending the last five seasons as the goalkeepers coach for the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL. During his time in Chicago, the club reached the postseason four times, including appearances in the 2019 and 2021 NWSL Championship and a runner-up finish in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. Last season, Red Stars keeper Alyssa Naeher ranked third in the league with 80 saves.
In addition to his work with the Red Stars, Tanaskovic has worked with the U.S. Soccer
Federation for multiple years, recently helping the U.S. Women’s National Team win
Concacaf W Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup titles. He has also served as goalkeepers
coach for U.S. U-23 National Team, worked at youth training centers in Atlanta and
Cincinnati, and served as the ODP South Region Goalkeeping Director. He has earned
NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1 and 2 diplomas and holds a U.S. Soccer Federation C license. Prior to Chicago, Tanaskovic served two seasons as goalkeeper coach at Iowa, where his team recorded 14 shutouts and 17 wins as the program returned to the Big Ten Tournament. Before Iowa, he spent two seasons at Louisville as their keepers coach, tallying 15 wins and helping Taylor Bucklin earn All-ACC honors. He also coached for two seasons at Columbus State, guiding the team to two conference tournament titles and the NCAA DII Elite Eight in 2014. His collegiate coaching career began with the Emmanuel College men’s program in 2012. He also worked with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the USL W-League.
Tanaskovic played collegiately at North Georgia, earning All-Peach Belt Conference honors in his final three seasons. He left UNG ranked seventh all-time in conference history with a 0.91 career goals against average, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education. Prior to North Georgia, he coached at FC Red Star (formerly ZFK LASK) in his native Serbia, serving as an assistant and goalkeeper coach from 2004-07.
Mary Mancin
Mary Mancin is a former LDGA camper who has been on the LDGA coaching staff for the past 5 years. She is currently the Assistant Coach for the Virginia Military Institute’s women’s soccer team after spending the past two years at Southeastern Louisiana University as the goalkeeper’s coach. Previously, she was the on the coaching staff at the University of Tennessee at Martin. She is in her second season at Southeastern Louisiana University as the goalkeeper’s coach after spending a season on the University of Tennessee at Martin staff. She was also promoted to the coaching at her Alma Matter, Columbus State University, where she set a school record with nine shutouts during the 2011 season. Mary has been part of the ODP GK Coaching staff in both GA and TN, as well as on the Region 3 ODP staff. She currently holds a United States Soccer Federation “C” License
Dan Pietro
Dan is currently the Program Director for the Paulding County Boys and Girls Club- BGCMA where he provides overall programmatic direction for the Paulding County Boys & Girls Club. Dan was an Assistant Director of LDGA for 9 years and was very instrumental in helping create the Elite program at the LDGA camps. In addition to his position at LDGA, Dan worked at the NASA Tophat Soccer Club where he was the Director of Goalkeepers and coached in the Boys ECNL and RPL programs. Dan was also on the Georgia Olympic Development GK coaching staff.
Garth Pollonais
Garth Pollonais brings a powerful blend of elite playing experience, top‑tier coaching education, and long‑term player development leadership to LDGA. Holding a USSF A License and the NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma, he has spent 25 years coaching across the college and youth ranks, shaping players at every level.
A former professional, Pollonais competed for clubs such as the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Charleston Battery, and Raleigh Flyers, and represented Trinidad & Tobago on the international stage. His excellence carried into his coaching career, earning him induction into the Erskine College Hall of Fame.
His leadership résumé includes serving as USDA Academy Director and Director of Player Development for Texans SC Houston, Academy Director at Concorde Fire, Director of Coaching at Clearwater Chargers, and Head Coach for both the Men’s and Women’s programs at Erskine College. He holds a BA in Psychology from Erskine and is a proud husband to Kim and father to Alexis.
For the past three years, Pollonais has also led the LDGA Striker Program, elevating attacking development with his expertise and passion.