Name: Hugh Seyfarth

Place of Birth: Oakwood, OH

Tell us about your life away from the field:

I’ve been married to my wife Stacey for 18 years and we have two daughters, Madison (15) and Ella (13). When not on the soccer fields, I am watching (and driving to) my kids’ activities— Madison is a competitive dancer, and Ella plays soccer, basketball, and runs Cross Country.

When did you start coaching?

I coached a bit while in college, but my first official coaching job was in 1994 as the goalkeeper coach for Centerville High School— I graduated from Centerville High School in 1990.

When did you join the club?

I joined the club in 2018 as a staff coach for Cincinnati Development Academy/Cincinnati Development Academy Premiere. I joined CUSC as the Goalkeeper Director in 2019.

What's your best memory on and off the field at the club?

So many to choose from...Probably when I took over CULM G 2013 America, spring of 2022. I believe they were U9 at the time playing 7v7. At that point in my career, I had never coached 7v7, the first time I saw a build-out line was 2 years earlier and I’d never coached anyone under the age of 13 with most of my career coaching men and women at the college level. I loved it! I felt I was truly teaching the game of soccer, and I had some excellent students to work with. To see the growth and development over such a short window was amazing.

Away from the field, I’ve developed some great friendships with many CUSC Coaches. Coach Freddie: a shout out to you, Doc!

What is your role at the club currently?

I am CUSC’s Director of Coaching.

This role changed recently- congratulations by the way! How has the transition been and can you tell us a little about your previous staff roles for those who aren't aware?
I’ve mentioned a few...Cincinnati Development Academy, CUSC/CUP Girls GK Director, CU North Girls Director and CU Technical Director. Before all that, i was a college soccer coach for 24 years (Miami University, Earlham College, and Florida Southern College). I also taught at the college-level for 12 years— Operations Management, Sports Management/Marketing and Sports Ethics. I believe all experiences have prepared me for my current role as the Director of Coaching. My position was created because we asked our coaches and directors what they needed from the club to be more successful, and the response was more development and support for coaches. The transition to Director of Coaching was something I enjoy— learning and observing. To borrow Blake Decker’s phase...I’m the curious observer.

Starting in January of this year, in addition to my responsibilities to CU, I’ve been very intentional to attend and observe the CUP environment and get to know those coaches and directors.

What is your favorite thing about your current role?
If I’m observing a CUSC match or session I'm in the right spot! My job transcends communities...CU North, CU Northwest, CU Southeast, CUP Boys and Girls. This fall I watched our Development League U8 players train on Monday, on Tuesday I attended CUSE sessions (U11-U13) and then on Thursday I observed MLS Next sessions U16 and U19. And what I see for the most part is our coaches knowing who (insert Age) they are coaching, before what (soccer) they are coaching. From U8 to U19 we have ever evolving developmental characteristics: Social, Emotional, Language, Cognitive and Physical characteristics. We have some amazing coaches within the club, and those coaches know who is in front of them on Mondays 5.30-7:00 PM at Hope Church. My mission is to teach all our coaches to know who is in front of them and what they need to do to develop those players into good players and great people. All of this is part of the overall Coach Education and Development Plan— with this year’s focus on Foundations and Structure.

We understand that you have been working recently behind the scenes on an exciting project with the rest of the technical team? Care to tell us more or shall we just 'watch this space' and wait for the spring?

Yes...I love to talk about soccer! Over the last 24 months we’ve been developing the CUSC Way of Playing. We started in the fall of 2022 with the development of CUSC Key Player Qualities. These are observable qualities that define and describe talent and allow for a common language between coaches and players. This summer and fall we worked very hard to clarify and simplify the CUSC KPQs to be more approachable for all our coaches to use when assessing and describing players during teambuilding, club passing opportunities, and player evaluation and feedback.

The revised CUSC KPQs (and will be in use for the next two years before we review again): Competitive Characteristics, Game Awareness and Decision-making, Technical Efficiency, Soccer Athleticisms, and Individuality.

Talk to us about some of the newer staff working at CUSC and how (if at all) they differ from the coaches you have worked with or seen over the years?

The newer coaches bring a lot of fresh energy and different experiences to the staff. Many of them have come through varied playing and coaching backgrounds, which adds new ideas to our discussions. What really stands out is their openness— they’re eager to learn, collaborate, and build strong relationships with players. It’s a great balance with our experienced coaches, and together it creates a really dynamic environment for the club.

CUSC has evolved in many ways over the years as you know, but how do the current network of communities serve the larger mission today?Our coaches across all communities work together as one club— CUSC. It’s not about CUP or CU anymore; it’s about being united around the same mission: helping kids grow as players and as people. We share ideas, support each other, and keep the same standards so families feel that connection no matter where they play. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to develop character, build confidence, and create a passion for soccer.

Each edition we focus on a CUPGOAL, and this time around it is CHARACTER. How does that translate to the youth soccer world for you? 

The topic of Character and Character Development fascinates me. I just finished David Brooks’ The Road to Character, which was a tutorial on how a person’s character can change, grow and develop over time and experience. Participation in sport helps develop a child’s character by teaching responsibility, resilience, coachability, and respect. Through wins and losses, players learn accountability and perseverance, while teamwork fosters empathy and communication.

Sports also instill integrity and fair play, emphasizing that how you compete matters as much as the outcome. The discipline required for training and managing emotions under pressure builds self-control and a strong work ethic. These experiences create a foundation of values that extend far beyond the field.

If there is anything else you feel that would be relevant to telling the story about CUSC?

At Cincinnati United SC, our commitment goes beyond developing players— we are equally dedicated to the growth and development of our coaches. When we invest in a coach, we create an exponential impact. Consider this: a coach who embraces continuous education that the club supports financially and earns their U.S. Soccer B License might lead two teams. That single coach can positively influence the lives of up to 36 players. Developing and supporting coaches isn’t just an investment—it’s a multiplier for player development, team culture, and the overall success of our club.



Thanks to Hugh for for helping with our 'Staff Spotlight' feature and we are grateful to have him leading, guiding and his words 'curiously observing' our great coaching staff to aid them in their development!

We look forward to sharing more information on another CUSC staff member in the next edition. Please reach out to content@cincinnnatiunitedsc.com if you have a nomination!