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| The Week's 10 Most Popular Stories |
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| OC's Most Influential: Numbers 26-30 |
By: XK Staff
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Posted: Friday, September 4, 2009 7:42 am
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Click here for XK OC Soccer News' homepage!
XK OC Soccer News combed the county, spoke to all the movers and shakers, and whittled down OC's most important and recognizable soccer names to the 50 Most Influential Soccer People around. To learn more about the list, click here!
We've hit the halfway mark this week, and below we give you Nos. 26-30. We'll continue unveiling five new people every Friday until we get to Number 1. If you've got some thoughts or comments, let us know.
Nos. 46-50
Nos. 41-45
Nos. 36-40
Nos. 31-35
See the schedule
30
Doug Swanson
West Coast FC Coach
Doug Swanson
.jpg) The well-respected coach at West Coast FC heads the GU-11, GU-12, GU-14 and GU-15 teams - all among the best teams in the age groups in Cal South.
Swanson, who played at UCLA from 1982-86, was a midfielder for the Bruins and a key member of the 1985 National Championship team. He also played in the National Professional Soccer League from 1988 to 1996, with stints in Canton, Ohio and Buffalo.
His near 20-year coaching career has seen him be an assistant at the university level with Fredonia State in New York and Cleveland State. Sawnson also coached youth soccer in Ohio for almost 10-years, including as General Manager and Director
of Coaching for the Emerald Soccer Club in Cleveland.
He returned to California at the beginning of the decade where he landed with West Coast FC and has remained since, becoming a main component in the club's rise to becoming one of the best in the country.
29
Platini Soaf
Coast Futsal League; West Coast FC Coach
Making a of list the players and coaches Platini Soaf has influenced would take up quite a bit of space. More room than is available in the brief descriptions that go along with each of the people in OC's Most Influential soccer people.
Currently, Soaf is the head coast for West Coast FC's GU-13, GU-15, GU-16 and GU-18 teams. He also runs the Coast Futsal League and has his hand in various camps, academy's, teaching clinics and is involved with professional league's.
Soaf has been a Regionl IV ODP coach for girls, an assistant coach for Mexico's women's World Cup team in 1999, a men's Cal South ODP team that played in Germany, a coach with the San Diego Surf, and numerous other entities with a worldwide reach.
He has coached in Europe, taken a team to Africa and done clinics in Asia. A tireless ambassador of the game, Soaf has been with the highly successful West Coast FC since 2000.
28
Andy Thomas
Mater Dei High Boys' Coach; Laguna Niguel SC Director of Coaching
Thomas enters his second season at the helm of LNSC, and third overall with the club--one of the largest in Orange County. Come winter he’ll be heading into his second season as Mater Dei High’s boys’ head man, looking to improve on a first-round exit in the CIF-SS Division I playoffs last year.
However, Thomas’ prep résumé isn’t short on accolades. He led Laguna Beach HS to three CIF titles — 1997, 1998 and 2001 — during his seven years at the helm.
Thomas’ club history is quite decorated as well. He’s won numerous CSL League titles with Laguna Niguel, and the previous clubs he’s been with. Before LNSC, Thomas coached at Laguna Beach SC and West Coast FC.
Thomas came to the U.S. in 1993 from England, where he played soccer as a youth and tried out for various pro teams, including Manchester United when he was about 15.
27
Roger Castle
San Clemente SC Coach; Mission Viejo High Boys' Coach
A 20-year coaching career spanning youth and adult leagues puts Castle's name toward the forefront of OC soccer figures, due to his experience and openly strong-minded nature. During his time he's built Mission Viejo High's boys' team into one to reckon with in the competitive South Coast League and put his stamp on San Clemente SC's squads.
.JPG) Castle started off coaching at Mission Viejo SC before moving to the ISC Strikers. From there he joined Mission Viejo HS as well as San Clemente SC, where he also served as club president.
26
Bob Ammann
Cal State Fullerton Men's Coach; Canyon PSA Goalkeeping Coach
Call Ammann Mr. Titan. The coach’s roots with Cal State Fullerton date back to 1983, when he was a keeper for the Titans until 1986. He posted 12 career shutouts as a player for Fullerton, including six in the 1986 season when the squad captured its first NCAA Division I playoff berth after winning the Pacific Coast Athletic Association championship.
After numerous professional stints at various clubs — including Neuchatel Xamax of the Swiss First Division, Brighton and Hove Albion FC in England, the Edmonton Brickmen of the Canadian Soccer League, and the Los Angeles Salsa of the American Professional Soccer League — Ammann returned to Fullerton as part-time coach.
Bob Ammann
.jpg) He took over as head coach in 2005, replacing Al Mistri, and has since posted records of 7-11-1 in his first season, 7-10-3 and 5-14-1.
In 2009 Canyon PSA brought Ammann on as goalkeeper coach, focusing on working with coaches and players.
Click here for more on the 50 Most Influential!
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| Tags: Andy Thomas, Bob Ammann, Canyon PSA, CS Fullerton, Doug Swanson, Laguna Niguel SC, Mater Dei, Mission Viejo SC, Platini Soaf, Roger Castle, San Clemente SC, West Coast FC |
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