John Tapia-Owens, Lead Youth Development Phase Coach, England Futsal & Head Coach, England Partially-Sighted Team

John is a UEFA A–licensed football coach and a leading figure within England Futsal. He currently leads youth development and runs CPD sessions teaching coaches how to transfer futsal’s technical and tactical principles into mainstream football.

Since April 2025, John has also served as head coach of England’s partially-sighted national futsal team—the Para Lions. He works closely with players to refine communication structures and tactical clarity in a highly adaptive environment, drawing on his futsal background to transform playing style and performance.

John’s dual roles underline his mission: leveraging futsal’s precision and creativity to elevate both youth football coaching and the development of high-performance para athletes