Great Coaches on Great Soccer: Marine Cano, Soccer Coach Extraordinaire

SoccerNation caught up with Marine Cano, former professional soccer player and current coach at Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, California. Cano played 9 years with teams in the ASL, NASL, MISL, and WSA, both outdoor and indoor, and was the first AYSO player to make the U.S. National Team.

Coach Marine Cano Soka University of America

For the past 27 years, Cano has coached both the Division I and Division II college soccer. Cano’s experience includes time as assistant coach at El Camino Junior College, UC Berkeley, and UCLA, as well as head coach at CSU Dominguez Hills and UC Irvine prior to Soka U of A.

Coach Cano holds a USSF “A” license as well as a National Advanced License, and has enjoyed more than 300 career wins at the collegiate level, including the 1991 NCAA Division II women’s soccer championship with CSU Dominguez Hills. In 2006, Cano became the first Director of Soccer for the new Soka University of America and is currently developing the program to compete at the highest levels.

SN: How did you discover soccer?

Marine Cano: “Soccer had to grow on me a little bit. I remember when my mother signed me up for AYSO and drove me to the field.  I didn’t want to get out of the car.  I cried.  When I finally got on the soccer field, I was hooked. I chased after the soccer ball and broke out of the pack to score goals.”

“Originally, I was a field player, but when the coaches threw me in goal, everything really just started to blossom for me. I ended up having a great career. I played ten years as a professional soccer player, and I was the first kid out of AYSO to make the U.S. National Team in 1976. 

SNN: You were on the very first AYSO team. What was that like?

Marine Cano: “Yes, I was on the first team ever in AYSO history, back in 1964 in Torrance, California. My team was the first team AYSO formed, and it was called the Panthers.”

“This was when no one really knew what soccer was. Soccer was just so exciting for me.  Several of these original AYSO players went on to professional careers, and some are still in the game coaching college and coaching pro.”

SNN: How did your AYSO team do?

Marine Cano: “One of the funny things is that my first AYSO team was pretty doggone good, and we won the league two years in a row. We’re the reason why AYSO changes teams every year to start over so no one copied that.

SNN: How did youth AYSO soccer prepare you for being a professional soccer player and becoming a coach?

“I was a skinny kid with asthma. What my early experience taught me was that anything was possible.  No one thought I could turn pro. AYSO allowed me to play. I played a lot and I developed as a player, and as a goal keeper.”

“I was fortunate to have a couple coaches that came over from Scotland to coach me, and taught me the game of soccer and pushed me to become a really good player. AYSO gave me a lot of confidence.”

SNN: You played both indoor and outdoor soccer during your career. Did you have a preference, and if so, why?

Marine Cano: “Indoor soccer and soccer played on the field are both fun, but outdoor was my game.”

“Indoor soccer is really exciting and it was a change of pace, which was great, but I’m a purist. I love outdoor soccer, and indoor was in the off season so I could be a pro year around.”

“Right after I played outdoor soccer professionally and the season ended, I would then start playing indoor soccer.  Because soccer players didn’t make a lot of money back then, if you could back it up [by playing both indoor and outdoor] you could make a living and play soccer. It was really enjoyable.”

SNN: I noticed that you began coaching while you were still playing. What was it that attracted you to the coaching side of soccer?

Marine Cano: “It’s very interesting how your career starts. I hurt my knee playing and had it operated on. My trainer for my knee therapy was the trainer at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and he told me they were looking to start a women’s program. I went over to interview and I was the only one they interviewed. I became the women’s coach in 1984. I was a part college coach and as well as soccer pro so I could make a decent living.’

“Later, I became the Director of Soccer and for ten years I coached men’s and women’s soccer. My women’s team won the 1991 National Championship for Division 2.”

“After that, I became the Director of Soccer for UC Irvine and the women’s coach, and was in charge of the men’s program with Athletic Director Dan Guerrero. I coached the women soccer team for 12 years.

SNN: You coached women’s soccer at CSU Dominguez Hills and UC Irvine. How did you get involved with the soccer program at Soka U?

Marine Cano: Soka University was being built, and I actually saw it being built. I live right next door. The former Athletic Director talked to me about the position. When Mike Moore became Athletic Director, I went over and said “Hi” to him and interviewed. I got the Director of Soccer job. And I’ve been at Soka for five years. I’ve been coaching for a long time.

“Soka wanted someone who could coach both programs, which I’ve done. My experience is second to none at the college levels; Division 1 and Division 2. And Soka wanted to then build an NAIA program. I think I was their number one choice to come in and build it.”

Soka Univeristy of America Men's Soccer Team 2011

SNN: Soka competes as an independent in the NAIA. What are your goals for the program in the next three years?

Marine Cano: “That’s a good question. The women’s program has been going for two years. The men’s program has been going for three years. We only have 420 students so it’s kind of difficult recruiting, because it’s a highly academic school. We were ranked 10^th in California as the best university, Stanford being number one. Soka University of America just moved up, and we’re 9^th now. We’re ahead of a lot of the big UC schools and private schools. So my recruits can’t all get in.  Some of the soccer players are not accepted to Soka.”

“The women’s team has been struggling, but they’re very competitive. The men’s team actually had their first winning year this year. If we had won our last three games we could have gone to the playoffs. We just don’t have enough players yet, but next year we could be very good.”

“My boss, Mike Moore, and I have a list of six schools that are also independent. We’re looking to put these schools together to have our own conference.  In three years, we can be one of the top soccer programs in the country. I have everything I need. We have a beautiful soccer field, we have the weight rooms, we have everything we need, and it’s just players we need. I would think, in the next two or three years, we’ll be able to get in all our recruits and be able to compete for a top 10 ranking.”

“We have great kids, and our recruits are very good. There are three players on my men’s soccer team who could play Division 1 anywhere. For sure.”

SNN: What has been your biggest thrill as a player or coach?

Marine Cano: “As a player, first, all the great friends that I’ve met, all the traveling I have been able to do.”

“Like I said, soccer players didn’t make much money back in the day, but boy, I travelled everywhere, from Europe to every state getting to play a great game.”

“Then as a coach, to work with young adults, young men and women, to help guide them in their lives, that’s one of the biggest rewards I could ever, ever, ever have as a coach. To watch these soccer players graduate and to know they’re going to go out and be good people and do good things in the world.

SNN: Soka U is putting on a Youth Soccer Skills clinic in May. What are your goals for this clinic?

Marine Cano: This is the third year we’ve held this soccer clinic.  Last year, we had about a hundred kids.”

“What I love to do is coach, whether I have a five-year-old girl or an eighteen-year-old college player.”

“When soccer players come to Soka U of A for our clinic, we’re going to teach them how to play this game. It’s only two hours, but we’re going to teach them the correct form of dribbling at speed, teach them how to collect the ball, teach them how to pass the ball, teach them how to play the game, and to finish with the game and have a blast.”

SNN: What would you say to young players just getting into soccer?

Marine Cano: “I’m from the old school, but one of the things you do as a young player is you work at it. Soccer is going to be great and fun. It’s very social, and that’s good. But soccer can be difficult. So you have to practice and do a little bit more every time you practice and try to get better.”

“You can never, ever, ever stop getting better.”

“I tell all the players to keep working at it. Get a ball out. You don’t need a coach, you need a wall and you need a ball. Practice your shooting, practice your passing, practice your dribbling. Just have a lot of fun and try to get better. Always try to get better. And you never know. Like in my case, you never know. Try to get better, and I did that all the time, and next thing you know I have a pro career and next thing you know I have a coaching career. Not saying that’s what anyone else wants to do, but you have options.”

“Soccer teaches you a lot of character, a lot of discipline, and a great work ethic. Soccer provides great life training.  When you go out in the world and you go get a job, you’re going to work hard, you’re going to be on time, and you’re going to stay late to help out.”

SNN: Any other thoughts for our readers?

Marine Cano: “Let me just throw this out. We’re the Lions, we’re the Soka University of America Lions. We have the Lions Soccer Academy, and I bring in kids of all ages, starting at five-years of age, to Kevin Hartman, the professional goalkeeper from Dallas who comes to train with me.

It is one of my joys to train soccer players. A lot of players come and train with me and go on to play for other colleges. I am happy to get them fit, get them ready for their college season. And teach the younger players how to play soccer.  This is really one of the greatest joys.