Coaching Staff

Hans Westerhof, Head Coach

Hans Westerhof was named Chivas USA's second Head Coach on June 3, 2005, replacing Interim Head Coach Javier 'Zully' Ledesma.

The 56-year-old Westerhof - who boasts nearly two decades of experience as a first-division manager in Mexico and the Netherlands - retains his title as Director of Football to Club Deportivo Guadalajara and sister club Saprissa of Costa Rica, where since 2003 he has presided over nothing short of a footballing renaissance.

Born in Terborg, the Netherlands on November 24, 1948, Westerhof played professionally with BV Veendam and BVO Cambuur of the Dutch First Division (primarily as a right-sided midfielder), while also working part-time as a professor of Physical Education at the Dutch Central Institute of Sports Education (CIOS) from 1976-1988.

In 1986, Westerhof obtained his professional coaching license from the Royal Dutch Soccer Federation. Two years later, he assumed his first professional coaching position with FC Groningen of the Dutch First Division, thus beginning a 15-year career in Holland that would include head coaching stints with Groningen (1988-1992 and 1994-1996), PSV Eindhoven (1992-1994), the Dutch U-21 National Team (1996-1997), Willem II (2000-2003), and AFC Ajax Amsterdam, where Westerhof served as both Director of Youth Development (1997-2000) and Interim Head Coach (2000).

Hired to oversee Club Deportivo Guadalajara's soccer operations in March 2003, Westerhof moved to Mexico and spent seven months as the club's Director of Football, before temporarily leaving his post in October 2003 to take over as Guadalajara's Head Coach, replacing Eduardo 'Yayo' de la Torre midway through the Apertura 2003 season. Seven months later, Westerhof would lead Guadalajara to the Mexican league final, where Chivas lost to Pumas on penalty kicks after a 1-1 result on aggregate.

Following the Clausura 2004 season, Benjamín Galindo took over as Head Coach of Chivas, and Westerhof returned to his original position, where he has overseen all of the club's football affairs - from coaching staff to youth development - including the management of sister teams Chivas USA and Saprissa of Costa Rica.

During Westerhof's tenure with Club Guadalajara, Chivas has been runner-up in the Mexican First Division (Clausura 2004), while continuing its storybook run through the 2005 edition of the prestigious Copa Libertadores. Saprissa, meanwhile, was crowned champion of Costa Rica's 2003-04 season, and won the 2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup, earning a place in the 2005 FIFA World Club Championship in Japan.

Westerhof took over the reigns of Chivas USA from Interim Head Coach Javier 'Zully' Ledesma. Ledesma, in turn, replaced Chivas USA's first head coach and current Director of Sport Thomas Rongen.

Hans, who speaks Dutch, German, Spanish and English, is married to Janette Westerhof. Together they have two children: daughter Remske, 25, and son Wout, 23.

Javier 'Zully' Ledesma, Assistant Coach

Javier Ledesma was Chivas Guadalajara's starting goalkeeper in the 1980's, when the popular club won its ninth league title in a memorable final against Cruz Azul at the end of the 1986-87 season.

During his career as a professional footballer, Ledesma also played for Mexican First Division teams Morelia and the 'Black Lions' of the University of Guadalajara.

Now retired, 'Zully' has been a radio and television commentator, in addition to having been head coach with Chivas' youth teams and an assistant with Chivas La Piedad, Guadalajara's Primera 'A' (second-tier) club (formerly known as 'Tapatío').

Ledesma debuted in 1979 with the Chivas Rayadas del Guadalajara under Uruguayan coach Carlos "the Tank" Miloc and remained as a member of Mexico's most popular club until 1985, before passing to the then-called 'Ates' of Morelia in 1986.

But that same year, Ledesma returned to Club Guadalajara and won league championship at the end of the the 1986-87 season.

In 1993, 'Zully' was transferred to the University of Guadalajara, where he played for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, before retiring from professional football.

Javier Ledesma is uncle to Nomar Garciaparra, star shortstop in Major League Baseball, who in addition to playing football during his formative years in Los Angeles, is husband to Mia Hamm.

On September 23, 2004 Ledesma was officially presented as Chivas USA's Assistant Coach, joining Thomas Rongen's coaching staff.

Ledesma was born in the 'Santa Tere' neighborhood of Guadalajara, Jalisco, on September 19, 1958.

Ledesma is married to Elba Guadalaupe Pérez. They have three children: Brenda Verónica, Arturo Javier and Iván Alejandro.

Martin Vasquez, Assistant Coach

Born on December 24, 1963 in Jalisco, Mexico, former MLS and Mexican First Division player Martín Vásquez is the only footballer to have played for the national teams of the United States and Mexico.

The 41-year-old Vásquez joined Chivas USA on January 2, 2005 after one season as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he worked under Sigi Schmid and Steve Sampson, the Galaxy's two head coaches during the 2004 season.

Vásquez' coaching experience includes two seasons as assistant with the San Diego Spirit (2001-2002) of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association, and two years as assistant at Cal Poly - Pomona (1999-2000).

The native of Yahualica, Jalisco, moved to the Los Angeles area at the age of 12 and began his playing career in local leagues in Southern California.

After three seasons as a collegiate player at Cal State - Los Angeles (1980-1983), he returned to his homeland to make his professional debut with the Second Division team of Mexican club Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara.

Following a five-year stint as a professional indoor and outdoor player in the U.S. during the mid-1980s, the defender-midfielder debuted in Mexico's First Division with Universidad de Guadalajara (1988-1990), before moving on to Puebla (1990-91), Veracruz (1991-92) and Atlas (1992- 1996).

In 1991 and 1992, he played 10 games with the Mexican national team under coaches César Luis Menotti and Manuel Lapuente. In 1996, he returned to the United States, where he gained U.S. citizenship and played for the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996-1997) and the San Jose Clash (1998).

Chivas USA Head Coach Thomas Rongen coached Vásquez on the Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay Mutiny team of 1996.

In 1996 and 1997, Vásquez played seven matches, all as a starter, in the midfield of Steve Sampson's U.S. national team.

Vásquez resides in West Covina, California with his wife Denise and their three children Michael, Erika and Emily.

Kevin Esparza, Team Administrator and Assistant Coach

Alfonso Flores, Athletic Trainer

Alfonso Flores started his professional career in Major League Baseball, beginning a four-year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 1995, shortly after completing his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Sports Medicine at California State University - Northridge.

His experience with the Dodgers includes two years with the team's affiliate in the South Atlantic League in Savannah, Georgia (1996 and 1997), where he oversaw the physical wellbeing of such players as Eric Gagne and Adrián Beltré.

Internationally, Flores worked with the Sinon Bulls of Taiwan from 1998-1999 and spent time in the Dominican Republic with the Dodgers' academy there during the 1995-1999 Winter Seasons. He also served as Head Trainer for the Taiwanese national baseball team that competed in the 1999 Asia Cup.

Flores has also plied his trade with the Mexican Baseball Academy, headquartered in Monterrey, where he worked in 1997. Four years later, during the 2001 season, he returned to the Dominican Winter League as a trainer for the Pollos of San Francisco de Macorí.

From 2000-2001, he worked for the Anaheim Angels' minor-league affiliate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before returning to Latin America in 2002 to serve with the Sultanes of Monterrery, Mexico (2002-2004).

Flores' futbol experience includes a stint as a trainer for the men's soccer team at Northridge University, where he also assisted the school's track and field athletes and women's volleyball team.

Born in Los Angeles on August 20, 1969, to a father from Jalisco and a mother from California, Flores is single and currently resides in the South Bay.

Raul Guerrero, Equipment Manager

Raúl Guerrero has been a passionate Chivas fan "Ever since I was four years old, when my dad used to take me to see Chivas games at the Estadio Jalisco."

Upon being named equipment manager of Chivas USA on November 22, 2004, Raúl knew he was home again.

Born on April 23, 1957 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guerrero has been connected to soccer his whole life.

He worked with the Los Angeles Galaxy during the 1996 and 1997 MLS seasons as assistant to the team's equipment manager, in addition to working in day-of-game operations and volunteering with the coaching staff.

Guerrero served as head coach at Marshall High School and Lincoln High School. He was both player and assistant coach at East LA College and was head coach of the Coast Soccer League team Club AFGA Futboleros.

In his days as a soccer player, Guerrero played goalkeeper, but he also took the field as a defender with the Varones # 1 high school in Guadalajara before moving to California in 1975.

He also played for the soccer teams of Lincoln High School and East LA College. Guerrero tried out for UCLA, but an ankle injury prevented him from continuing. He played with Ayense in the California League and in the Greater Pasadena Soccer League as player and head coach.

Guerrero graduated from Glendale College as an assistant surgical technologist and has attended UCLA's pre-medicine program.

He resides in Pasadena with his wife Josefina Alonso and their two sons, Carlos Raúl, 24, and Víctor Andrew, 19.

Marcelo Martins - Strength and Conditioning

Following his Physical Education undergraduate work in his home country of Brazil, Marcelo earned a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology from Ithaca College (NY) in 2002. With 10 years of service working with athlete groups ranging from elite youth to professionals, he brings a wealth of experience within the Performance Training industry to the APLA team.

In 1999, Marcelo conducted fitness testing for "Academia Cia do Corpo" in Brazil while focusing on athlete body composition, posture analysis and motor pattern evaluations. Marcelo also oversaw the Strength and Conditioning efforts of the Pittsburgh Pirates' A-level team in Hickory, NC. With a life-long passion and playing in experience in "futbol", he has trained soccer athletes and teams at the elite club level, at "Universidade dos Esportes" (Brasilia, Brazil) and at Cornell University.

As a successful athlete in his own right, Marcelo has been involved with sports throughout his life playing professional soccer for Nacional (Manaus), wining a Bronze medalin the "Campeonato Brasileiro" National Rowing Competition and being a competitive swimmer. Recreationally, he enjoys playing beachside "footvolley".