What Boys Need from Coaches
In this session, Rob Kodama and three young men he coached—each of whom is or has been a college athlete—will engage in an honest and personal conversation about what boys truly need as they grow. Through their lived experiences as athletes, students, and now young men, they will explore the emotional, social, and developmental needs of boys, and how coaches can play a transformative role.
Coaches often become mentors, guides, and, for many boys, second or third parents. They serve as role models who shape identity, build confidence, and support boys through both challenge and triumph. Rob and his former players will share real stories and practical insights on how coaches can protect the emotional lives of boys while building their resilience and preparing them for future success.
Rob Kodama is a Gurian Master Trainer who spent 28 years at Crespi Carmelite High School as a teacher, Head Soccer Coach, and Director of Admissions, Marketing, and International Programming. He helped develop and taught the senior-level Men’s Studies course Becoming A Man, focused on male development and character formation. Rob has been coaching and running soccer camps since 1991 for boys and girls throughout Southern California.
Rob now serves as the Director of Sales and Business Development at Vidigami, a community-based media management platform built specifically for schools. It provides a secure, organized way to collect, manage, and share photos and videos—preserving the stories that matter most to students, families, and school communities (www.vidigami.com).
The Panel:
Jeff “Oak” Okerman brings a powerful story of resilience and lived experience shaped through soccer. Born in Tarzana and raised in Northridge, Jeff was a four-year varsity soccer letterman at Crespi Carmelite High School before going on to play Division I soccer at Cal State Northridge. His soccer journey was defined by adversity. Jeff tore his ACL on the first day of practice his junior year, pushed through rehab, returned—then suffered a second ACL tear in his first game back during summer league. Instead of stepping away from the sport he loved, he fought through recovery again and returned to become a First Team All-League player as a senior, ultimately earning a five-year collegiate soccer career at CSUN.
Today, Jeff is a husband, father, and respected Physical Therapist at Riviera Sports Physical Therapy, where he works closely with athletes facing the same physical and emotional hurdles he once fought through himself. He holds a B.S. in Kinesiology (Exercise Science) and Master’s in Physical Therapy from CSUN, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Temple University. Jeff joins this panel to share how soccer, injury, perseverance, and strong mentors shaped him—and how boys grow when coaches help them turn adversity into strength.
Eli Zamora offers a powerful perspective on perseverance, identity, and the coach-athlete relationship—because he lived the turning point himself. Entering his sophomore year at Crespi Carmelite High School, Eli was ready to quit soccer altogether due to burnout. Instead, with the right support and a renewed sense of purpose, he transformed himself into the centerpiece of the program. Over his final two years at Crespi, Eli earned multiple accolades, including Rookie of the Year, First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-Region, MVP Defense, and MVP Overall. His growth on and off the field led him to Cal State Monterey Bay, where he became a four-year standout. He closed his collegiate career with All-Conference honors as a senior.
After college, Eli continued his soccer journey in semi-professional leagues including the NPSL and PDL, and served as an Assistant Coach at Heidelberg University, helping lead the program to its first conference championship in school history. Most recently, he signed a professional contract with the San Diego Sockers, continuing his playing career while living in Los Angeles. Outside of soccer, Eli has built a successful decade-long career in the advertising industry. Eli joins this panel to share how a boy on the verge of quitting became a leader, a college captain, and a professional athlete—and how coaches can recognize burnout, reignite confidence, and help young men rediscover passion and purpose.
Ethan Kodama brings a powerful perspective on resilience and the emotional journey boys face when adversity strikes. Just before his senior season at Crespi Carmelite High School, Ethan tore his UCL — an injury that prevented him from pitching but didn’t keep him off the field. Remaining in his role as the team’s centerfielder, he delivered one of the most memorable seasons in program history, earning First Team All-CIF honors and delivering the game-tying hit in the CIF Championship.
Ethan has gone on to continue his baseball career at the University of California, Berkeley, where he medically redshirted his first year while completing his rehab. His experience gives him deep insight into the pressures boys feel when their identity, performance, and expectations suddenly shift — and how steady coaching, belief, and support help young men navigate uncertainty. Ethan joins this panel to share the real story behind playing through limitation, rebuilding after injury, and finding strength when circumstances change.