Alan Mayer, one of the many stars of San Diego soccer
|
|
John Napier on San Diego Sockers Players From the Past
I was driving home one night in my (soccer mobile “Van”) from practice and listening, as I always do to John Kentera, known as "Coach" to most listeners on the radio. Mr. Kentera is a credit to sports radio; he knows his sport topics and is well tuned to every sport.
Kentera has recently become the General Manager of the San Diego Sockers and was asking a question to his listeners. He asked his fans to call in and name a couple of past Sockers goalkeepers and win tickets to a Sockers home game. That really started to play with my mind, and my immediate thought was the past and where are these former San Diego Sockers players now!
For those of you that don’t know the history of the San Diego Sockers, the soccer team started off as the Baltimore Comets in 1974, they moved to San Diego as the San Diego Jaws in 1976. Then the team moved to Las Vegas as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers in 1977, before moving back to San Diego as the Sockers in 1978, where they have been in residence ever since.
In their early years, this was outdoor soccer played at Jack Murphy Stadium, and then the team moved into the arena to win all those indoor soccer championships.
Many, many players have passed through the doors in all those years.
My two years in the old NASL were spent with the Comets in 1975, and the Jaws in 1976 I had long retired before the Sockers returned to play soccer in San Diego. It was hard to track down some of the former players.
From my old Jaws team, some of my team mates have passed on including our team coach then Derek Trevis, and one of my favorite players Trevor Hockey, “many old time soccer fans will remember Trevor as the original wolf man”.
Years go by and things happen. A few years ago I got a call at home from Len Renary another Jaw, also played with the Cosmos, he was coming to San Diego with his college team to play at ASIU at the time, we sat for hours talking about old times, and where players had disappeared to. It was a lot of fun.
I was in Las Vegas a few years ago coaching an ODP team, and this tall man is calling me over, the obvious words were “you don’t remember me do you”? I said no, but it turned out to be Gary St.Clair, my old goalkeeper who is the college coach at San Jose State and has been there over 20 years. I had not seen Gary for over 30 years!
Another one of my goalkeepers at the Jaws was Alan Mayer, he went on to play with the Sockers and had a good career, and I believe he is back in Kansas City now working in insurance. Alan was the first goalie ever to wear the goalie helmet), he was a very brave goalie, but ended up with a lot of concussions! Other Jaw players such as Dennis Wit enjoyed a long career in the game, also playing a few games for the US National team. Brian Joy returned to become a successful business man in Scotland, and his son Ian Joy who was born in San Diego, now plays for Portland, after a long career in Germany and England.
My old friend Seamus McFadden the present USD head coach was also on our playing staff back then with the Jaws. We see each other quite a few times a year, we always comment “well that is another year older” but I know we both feel good about the direction we have taken in our lives. Seamus can be especially proud of his many success stories at USD.
Living in San Diego, especially if you are involved in youth soccer, there is probably not a week goes by without seeing some of the living legends of the San Diego Sockers by gone years. I am so happy that so many of them decided to give back to the game and help our young players develop their skills.
I am in contact frequently with former Sockers Brian Quinn and Raffi Ruotolo as I coach at FC San Diego. Brian is a house hold name in this city, has enjoyed a great playing and coaching career, and still has that passion and drive, which I know will always be there. Brian and I are originally from the same part of the world, Northern Ireland. Raffi is originally from Italy, and has had great success in youth soccer since his retirement from the professional soccer circuit.
Some of the great names of the past are all around us. The one and only Julie Veee is still coaching at Encinitas Express, and doing TV work for the present Sockers.
Guy Newman is also at Express. When I see Guy, I always ask about his father Ron, probably one of the most “if not the most” successful coaches this city has ever had. Ron Newman is doing well I 
believe Guy told me he was living in Florida. He will never be forgotten in this soccer city.
Jean Willrich can be seen in Poway most days. Gary Collier and Paul Dougherty run the fields at Rancho Santa Fe.
Cha Cha Namdar has been in charge at Scripps United for many years, and a close neighbor to David Banks at Nott’s Forest. Rene Ortiz is working in the South Bay with that next generation of young players. Vidal Fernandez is across the bridge in Coronado.
Further north, Jacques LaDouceur works with the youth in Temecula, and really works hard with all the kids in all walks of life. Zoltan Toth “Zolly the goalie” is still diving and giving back to the community with numerous clubs.
Ralf Wilhelms is still involved in youth development in the city. Let’s not forget Kevin Crow who has been involved in many business ventures locally. I am told that Thompson Usiyan is still in the area, and Volkmar Gross lives out in the east county. George Kataklidis became a very successful business man in San Diego (Daphne's).
Waad Hirmez and Alex “Keder” Filipovic and Gus Mokalis can be found coaching up north in the Coast league, along with another great Sockers goalkeeper Victor Nogueira.
Paul Wright (who has his training company; Speed to Burn) and Sean Bowers are still playing with the present Sockers and both are a real credit to the game with their longevity.
One of my favorite Sockers of all time was the great Kaz Deyna, (played for Poland in the 1974 world cup and they finished 3rd in the world) what a player, unfortunately Kaz passed away too young, but the magic he left on the soccer fields of San Diego will never be forgotten. Steve Zungul was given the name “Lord of all indoors” what a goal scoring legend. Steve still lives locally in Escondido.
Other great players moved on to accomplish much in their lives. Hugo Perez had a great career; he now works for US Soccer in the San Francisco area. Fernando Clavijo followed his playing career with a great coaching career, and has had many high profile positions with MLS teams.
Ty Keough was in broadcasting, for many years we saw him in our living rooms. Erik Geyer was also a very successful professional coach, we will always remember Erik, and nothing much passed by the big man. I believe Erik is still living in North County.
Laurie Abrahams spent some time with the Sockers, he now coaches up at Irvine College, and I did some coaching in ODP with Laurie.
The great Branko Segota had a great club and International (Canada) career; his partnership with Zungul devastated teams, he ended up back east coaching professional clubs at the minor league level.
Other former players such as Gerry Ingram went back to home town Hull England to be closer to family, as did Martin Donnelly who returned to his home town Belfast NI.
Former goalkeeper Jim Gorsek went back to Portland. Peter O’Sullivan who played out door in 1980 now runs a guest house in Spain.
Gary Etherington who started out in the great NY Cosmos team with Pele now lives up in the Temecula area and has been involved with soccer distribution companies for many years. Chugger Adair the local boy that played for both SDSU and USD is now coaching college back east.
There are SO many players that have NOT been mentioned above and “I will probably hear about it” some maybe keeping a low profile and still in the area, I apologize if they were not mentioned.
Some of the younger Sockers fans will not remember some of these names, but they are the history of the franchise and will never be forgotten. Those glory years of the 80s when the San Diego Arena was rocking, it was something that may never come back.
Some fans don’t realize that the great Hugo Sanchez and Leonardo Cuellar Mexican Internationals played here for the Sockers out door in 1980/81.
“I would really love to see a vote taken by the fans of their favorite Sockers players of all time that would be something special.” SO many great names to choose from. Thank you John Kentera for opening my mind up to the past!
For fans who want to go down memory lane, there are numerous web sites; one of my favorites is www.nasljerseys.com
To find out more about today's San Diego Sockers, please click San Diego Sockers on SN
Updated with additional images @ 10:50 AM
John Napier Girls 95 ODP Head Coach
ShareThis
Print
