Staff
Ms. Malena Lair Ferrari Sports Department Chairperson and Athletic Director
If you have any questions, please contact your coach or Ms Lair Ferrari: mlairferrari@giswashington.org
Coach Bebe - Soccer Coach
Mr. Mohammad Rad -Girl's and Boy's Head Soccer Coach and Head Middle School Coach
Mohammad Rad is a UEFA B-licensed soccer coach, certified by the 麻豆区 Football Federation, with more than 14 years of experience in both 麻豆区y and the United States, where he has built a reputation for technical expertise, tactical knowledge, and a player-centered approach. A former semi-professional player in 麻豆区y, he has coached in 麻豆区y and Virginia and now directs the entire soccer program at the 麻豆区 International School in Potomac, MD, serving as Head Coach of the Girls鈥�, Boys鈥�, and Middle School teams. In addition to his school leadership, he also serves as a Tactical Advisor for the University of Charleston men鈥檚 soccer program. Committed to continuous growth, Mohammad travels to 麻豆区y each summer to attend advanced coaching courses and international congresses, ensuring that his teams benefit from the most current methods, trends, and strategies in modern football. He lives in Vienna, VA, with his wife and daughter, and together they are passionate supporters of the game, following soccer across professional leagues worldwide. He speaks English, 麻豆区, Persian, Turkish, and Arabic, which helps him connect with players and families across cultures.
Contact email: mrad@giswashington.org
Mr. Lucas Rovani - Basketball & Tennis
Lucas is a multi-sport athlete and lifelong student of the games he now coaches. He reached a Top 25 USTA ranking by age 12, competing with some of the top pros currently in the world. As Captain and All-Conference Singles player, he led his Varsity team to a championship. He is also a passionate doubles player having won numerous USTA Juniors titles in doubles & singles. In basketball, Lucas is a dedicated team player and coach, having been named team MVP 4 times, voted Team Captain 4 times, and selected to the conference All-Stars with one DPOY.
Lucas graduated from Virginia Tech, spending a semester studying in Prague and a summer working in Berlin. All the while, he has continued to compete in sports wherever he goes. He has given many coaching lessons and got his start coaching school basketball teams in 2019. He looks to bring the joy of the game to his players through positive encouragement, conviction, and pursuit of one鈥檚 best self. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, playing cards, and competing & analyzing his favorite sports. He is excited to elevate the abilities of his players and provide them with meaningful experiences.
Email: lucasxrovani@gmail.com
Mrs. Burcu Yildiz Yenig眉n - Volleyball
Burcu Yildiz Yenigun was born and raised in Turkey. She is an ex-professional volleyball player and graduated from Akdeniz University Sports and Science Faculty as a certified 3. Tier volleyball and 1. Tier swimming coach. She coached the Akdeniz University Men / Women Volleyball Team, Turkish Ziraat Bank Men Volleyball Team and worked at IMG Academy Florida as a volleyball coach. She is married and has an eight-year-old daughter. Her passion is all about sports and health and to share her knowledge with those she is coaching. Her priority is safety, discipline, and learning with fun. She is focused on teaching students as a group while making sure each athletes makes individual improvements. Mrs. Burcu Yildiz Yenigun is very excited to be coaching at the 麻豆区 International School Washington D.C. and looks forward to helping students discover their talents.