“I created a team. I put the team in the league. To be honest, it was a project that I started building with my roommate, because we were both soccer-passionate. It’s funny that my senior project [at Mount Mercy] was something similar. I got to put it into reality.” — ENRIQUE CORTINA
Cortina’s responsibilities didn’t stop when planning Storm FC was finished. Because of the skills learned at Mount Mercy, he supervises the public relations department and all of the team’s communications. He also helps build the roster for the team, takes care of contracts and player needs, and is the public face of the team within the league.
“I met my wife and being with her now is one
me I should look into it if I wanted to be the
But soccer isn’t confined to his day job.
of the things that will always make Mount
person in charge of the company here.”
During his senior year at Mount Mercy,
Mercy a good experience,” Cortina said. “At home we put both of our diplomas next to each other, and that way we will always have Mount Mercy. It’s a part of us.” Because of the support he received from Mount Mercy’s tight-knit campus community, Cortina was prepared for what would be next in his journey: becoming general manager of Storm FC, a men’s semiprofessional
Cortina was head coach for Marion High
Cortina was then introduced to Jose Reygadas in Miami, who is now his boss. The two started a partnership and his
School’s varsity soccer team. It was then he added coaching to his list of passions.
adventure into the world of professional
“In my free time I coach a team of teen
soccer in the U.S. began.
girls,” Cortina said. “When I don’t have to work on the club, I’m coaching soccer. My
“I started this team from zero,” Cortina said. “I created a team. I put the team in the league. To be honest, it was a project
life is soccer, and I’m kind of lucky my wife likes soccer too.”
that I started building with my roommate,
Without his time at Mount Mercy, Cortina
because we were both soccer-passionate.
admits his life would be very different
It’s funny that my senior project was
from what it is now. His decision to attend
“The future of U.S. soccer is huge,” Cortina
something similar. I got to put it into reality.
the university ultimately shifted his plans.
said. “Back in Spain, a friend who was working
I presented this project to my boss, he
He is looking forward to what the future
for a soccer club wanted to expand to the
liked it and gave me the green light and
holds, and knows soccer will always be
U.S. He shared his vision with me and told
I went for it.”
a part of it.
soccer club in Florida—a program Cortina built from the ground up.
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