Britt Hafner brings over 35 years of extensive soccer experience to New Haven Youth Soccer. His journey began at just 9 months old when his dad started to encourage him to kick the soccer ball. He entered the sport at just four years old in a program much like our Learn to Play. Over the years, Britt progressed through various levels of travel recreational soccer before making the jump to a top premier program at the age of 12 as a multi-positional player with a specialty focus as a defensive player. Even as a premier soccer player, Britt remained a multisport athlete playing basketball, baseball, and tennis.

Dedicated to soccer, he earned an Academy Contract Offer with Leeds United in England at age 13 as a left defensive back. Britt’s playing career also spanned Olympic Development Program (ODP) teams, JV and Varsity high school teams where he was heavily recruited by college programs. Due to injuries, Britt selected academics-focused Ohio Northern University, where he played intramural soccer while rehabbing. He later transitioned into coaching as an Assistant Coach for the Women’s Club soccer team at Ohio Northern University. Around the same time, he began giving back to his hometown community by volunteering as a coach across multiple sports with Dublin Youth Athletics in Dublin, Ohio.

After college, Britt’s passion for competing led him back to the field. He co-founded, coached, and played for his own co-ed team, Tony Hogan FC, which continues to thrive well past his retirement from active play, concluding a 26-year playing career. Britt joined the NHYS family in March 2025 with 9 years of coaching experience and is excited to continue coaching and helping players find or keep their passion for soccer.

Coach Britt’s approach to player development is rooted in fresh perspectives, technical excellence, and fostering a genuine love for the game.

Britt is a Co-Founder and CEO of CYCLYN Biosciences, an emerging biotechnology company specializing in scalable, plant-based production of medical-grade recombinant proteins. With over 15 years of marketing and business development experience across industries, he specializes in many creative skills and strategic buisness planning. He has extensive experience working with several multinational organizations with work experiences across 13 countries including in-country work in Italy, Mexico, and France and remote collaborative projects in the United Kingdon, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, and Japan. He speaks fluent French and spent time living and studying in Paris during college. His experiences support his emphasis on teamwork, mentorship, accountability, and leadership across both athletics and business.

Britt has played alongside and against athletes representing six different national teams. His coaching lineage also includes coaches who helped develop former England international Kalvin Phillips.

I enjoy painting, sketching, and appreciating art, and I’m classically trained at guitar, having played in a variety of bands over the past 27 years. When I’m not on the soccer field, you can usually find me cheering on Ohio State Football, Columbus Crew Soccer, or obsessing over my Cleveland teams: The Browns, Guardians, and Cavaliers.

“For those looking to truly excel at this sport, learn and develop skills on your non-dominant foot too! Having a good touch or a strong shot from both feet sets you apart from the competition and gives you more opportunities on the field”.

"New Haven Youth Soccer is an incredible organization that truly cares about the kids and their growth. Ultimately, our goal is to help every player realize their soccer dreams, whatever they may be, while helping them grow into confident, respectful, and well-rounded young adults along the way."

— Coach Britt Hafner