Coach Jonny Mercado joined Laker Nation in the Fall of 2023. Coach Mercado brings great experiences from the club level and the high school level to this position for Coach Petersen.
Before his time at Clayton State, Jonathan was an Assistant Coach for Providence Christian Academy, St. Pius X Catholic High School, and the Greater Atlanta Christian School. Coach Mercado also held several leadership roles at the club level for the Gwinnett Soccer Academy (2013-18), TOCA Football (2016-20), Southern Soccer Academy (2021-23), and is most recently involved with the Concorde Fire Soccer Club.
Mercado holds various certifications which includes a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Coaching “E”, “D”, and a National Youth License.
From 2009-13, Coach Mercado also had a successful playing career at Presbyterian College. In his four years on the Blue Hose men’s soccer team, Jonathan played in 60 matches, scored six goals and tallied 15 total points. He also added 52 shots and three assists. Jonathan attended high school in Lilburn, Ga. at the Providence Christian Academy. There, he won the team’s Golden Boot award in 2009 with 16 goals as a senior and in 2007, he led his team to a second-place finish at the GHSAAA State A/AA Tournament.
Coach Mercado holds a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Foreign Language and studied Physical Education and Coaching from Presbyterian College.
