Bio

Rafael Simmons is in his third season leading the Barton men’s soccer program, as well as, taking over the women’s program for the 2024-25 seasons.

The seventh coach Barton’s now twenty-third season, Simmons’ has compiled a 16-4-2 record against conference opponents with a 32-9-5 overall record in his two prior seasons.

Last season Simmons led the Cougars to the program’s 12^th KJCCC title compiling a 9-1-2 record and his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor.  Rising to No. 5 in the country, a late penalty kick spoiled a Region/District Championship crown but the Cougars received an at-large berth in returning to the national tournament for the sixth time in program history.

Playing with a two-man disadvantage in second half play, the Cougars dropped a golden goal opening match to Indian Hills before rebounding with a late go-ahead goal knocking off No. 2 Salt Lake setting up a three team mini-pool in order to advance to the national semifinals.

Getting revenge on Indian Hills by prevailing in penalty kicks, Barton’s run to the final four ended on a golden goal as Salt Lake got the final avengement ending the Cougars’ season.

Barton concluded the year at 18-4-4, the most victories since the 2018 national runner-up squad and the 6^th most wins in a single season.

In addition to Simmons’ second Coach of the Year honor, sophomore Lucas Constante was named the All-KJCCC/Region VI Offensive Player of the Year and a 1^st Team NJCAA All-America performer with defenseman Henrique Cruz landing on the national 2^nd Team.  The pair mark the third time in the past six seasons the program landed two on the national award list in becoming the 22^nd and 23^rd All-America award winners.

The duo were among ten Cougars on the All/KJCCC/Region VI post-season team, six on the first team with Constante and Cruz being joined by defenseman Kimito Fritz, forward Loic Kanku, and midfielders Augusto Militao and Nicolas Galanis. Forward Maxence Voinier and goalkeeper Dennis Bottcher were selected to the second team with defender Lucas Dos Santos and midfielder Diego Sano landing on the honorable mention list.

In addition to the KJCCC/Region VI honors, Voinier made an impression on the national stage in being named to the twelve man 2023 NJCAA Championship All-Tournament team.

Simmons first season on the hill did not disappoint leading the 11th ranked Cougars to the Jayhawk West crown with a conference best mark of 7-1-1 before seeing the season conclude in a heartbreaking 1-0 double overtime loss to 13th ranked Johnson County in the Region VI/Plains District Semifinals finishing the season at 14-5-1 overall.

Earning the Jayhawk West Conference Coach of the Year award in his inaugural season, Simmons’ Cougars captured two of the top three conference postseason awards within their eight KJCCC West selections and three Region VI honors. Sophomore, Kotaro Natsume led the postseason accolades earning the West Defender of the Year as the 5’6” defender from Shizuoka, Japan helped Barton post five shutouts throughout the season.

Simmons arrived to Barton from Tulsa, Oklahoma, having spent the previous two years with the Tulsa Soccer Club as the Director of the Elite Clubs National League Regional League and coach of two elite teams.  Simmons was also one of the assistant coaches for the semi-pro women’s team (Tulsa SC) of the Women’s Premier Soccer League, capturing the 2021 WPSL Red River Conference North title with four players drafted into the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League).  Additionally, one of Simmons’ former youth players at Tulsa SC was recently called up into the United States U14 Youth National Team Camp.

A familiar face to the KJCCC and coaching against the Cougars, Simmons was the head coach at Neosho County Community College from 2015 through the 2019 season. 

On the men’s side, Simmons led the Panthers to the 2017 Jayhawk East title and a No. 5 national ranking, compiling a 57-35-3 overall record and 28-21-1 conference mark.

Taking over the women’s program in 2016 struggling to field players, Simmons revitalized the Panthers to end a 37-match winless streak across to seasons in rising to the program’s first ever national ranking in just his third season.  Overall Simmons’ Lady Panthers’ record finished at 11-36-1 in conference play and 22-48-2 overall.

At Neosho, Simmons guided 28 players to All-Conference selections, 13 players to All-Region honors, and 11 players received Scholar All-American honors.

Under Simmons’ leadership, over 30 players transferred to 4-year collegiate programs in his last 3 seasons. Coach Simmons recruited top student-athletes nation-wide including players from USSDA academies, ECNL clubs, and Gatorade Players of the Year.

While at Neosho, in 2017 Simmons served as the assistant Coach for Ozarks FC in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).

Collegiately, Simmons was a two-time All-Region selection at Crowder College, moving on to earn All-Conference honors at NAIA powerhouse Ashford University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and Coaching.

Simmons began his coaching career as the head varsity coach at Prince of Peace College Preparatory in Clinton, Iowa, before moving on to Dakota Wesleyan University helping the Tigers to their first winning season in ten years. Working primarily with the defenders and goalkeepers, Simmons’ defense posted twelve shutouts and conference and national player of the week honors in his two seasons.  While at DWU, Simmons completed his Master of Arts in Education and Policy while holding multiple other coaching positions at different levels including Head Coach of the Dakota Alliance Soccer Club and the Dakotas Olympic Development Program (ODP). 

A United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma certified, Simmons also holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) B License and is currently pursuing his USSF A-Senior License.

Before coming to the United States, Simmons spent time playing in the youth academy of Bristol City FC and with the English Southern League side Bristol Manor Farm FC. During that time Simmons had the opportunity to participate in the English F.A. Youth Cup, English F.A. Cup, and the English F.A. Vase.

Native of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, Simmons moved to Bristol, England, at ten years old before entering the United States to compete collegiately and attain his education degrees.

Fluent in both English and Portuguese, Simmons and his wife Sarah who is now in her second season as assistant coach for the volleyball team, have two sets of twins, Mikael and Mylah and the two year younger duo of Annika and Avery.