Josh Chasan: Helping players think, grow and love the game
When a player is going through a difficult stretch, Josh Chasan wants him to understand two things: where he can improve, and that he will have opportunities to respond.
For the Eastside FC coach, encouragement and honest feedback belong together. He aims to recognize what players do well, speak clearly about what needs work, and help them take their next step.
“I do my best to reinforce the positive and not just focus on the negative,” Josh says.
That approach guides his work with Eastside’s BU10 Red and BU16 ECNL RL teams. Across those ages, he hopes players leave his teams with greater maturity and a lasting connection to soccer.
“I want them to leave with a deep passion for the game,” he says.
A journey that started at Eastside
Josh grew up on Mercer Island and joined Eastside FC at around age 10, after beginning in recreational soccer. One of his favorite memories comes from a summer tournament final: scoring twice, helping his team win, and being swept into a celebration with his teammates afterward.
Years later, he would return to the club as a coach. In between, soccer took him far beyond the Pacific Northwest.
After high school, Josh spent about four months volunteering near Cape Town, South Africa, where his father is from. He worked in a school and organized pickup soccer after class. The experience deepened his appreciation for the educational opportunities available to him and helped him decide what he wanted to pursue.
He had already enjoyed coaching a youth team for his senior project. In South Africa, that interest became a direction for his future. At the University of Redlands, he entered a program that allowed him to design his own course of study, which he built around coaching soccer.
He then went on to play for a year in Brazil before returning there to coach. After that, he moved to Spain, where he was in Madrid for 3 years before moving to Bilbao in the north, "an incredible city," Josh says, where "virtually the entire town is behind their club - Athletic Bilbao. And the pintxos are good too."
Learning the game through different perspectives
Josh’s playing and coaching experiences that brought him through Brazil, Spain, and the United States, along with his coaching education through the Scottish Football Association, have shaped how he sees the game.
In Brazil, he was drawn to individual creativity. In Spain, he developed a deeper appreciation for tactical analysis and understanding how a team works together. He brings both influences into his coaching: helping players understand the game while leaving room for their own ideas, particularly in attack.
“I try not to have things be too structured when it comes to the attacking third,” he says.
For Josh, some of soccer’s most memorable moments come when players have the freedom to express themselves. His aim is to make space for that creativity as they develop their understanding of the game.
Encouragement, clarity, and another opportunity
Josh describes himself as a positive coach, but he also believes players deserve direct feedback. When someone is struggling, he wants to acknowledge it, explain what he thinks could help, and continue providing opportunities to play.
He recently saw that approach come together for a player who had been starting on the bench. The player continued getting minutes, then made the most of an opportunity to start. His teammates applauded his contribution afterward.
The moment reflected two things Josh values: a player responding to an opportunity, and a team celebrating that response together.
That team culture is something he particularly appreciates about his U16 group. He describes players who consistently come to training, listen, apply what they learn, and challenge him to keep finding more to teach them.
“They’re respectful. They build each other up,” he says.
"Josh's commitment to his development and his players has been outstanding. While working toward his UEFA A License, he has continued to invest countless hours into supporting his boys team. He has help guide the BU16 RL team through a highly successful summer and a strong start to the RL season. His dedication, passion, and desire to continually improve make him a tremendous asset to our club," said Claire Knock, Director of ECNL RL.
Josh also asks parents to give players room to play and learn, leaving coaching instructions to the coaching staff. He sees that space as an important part of their development.
Still learning, on and off the field
Josh holds a UEFA B coaching license and is pursuing his UEFA A qualification through the Scottish Football Association. His recent coaching experience also includes USL League Two roles with Ballard FC and West Seattle.
Away from soccer, he loves cooking: grilling meats + fish, making slow braises, preparing breakfast, and finding good fresh bread. A player recently brought him cod from a fishing trip to Alaska, which was "a great gift" because Josh loves home-cooked meals.
He also has an entrepreneurial side. Josh and his brother own Head Scratcher Games, a small business that sells Hinsters, high-quality paper cards featuring helpful hints to help people learn, teach, and play cribbage. Learn more at their website: www.cribbagehinsters.com.
Asked what he is still learning as a coach, his answer is immediate.
“Everything, everything. I’m never going to stop learning."
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