#3 - Jeff Illingworth: The co-founder and co-director of coaching at CV Manchester will increase his influence in the local community with the unveiling of his book, “Desperate Soccer Moms [And Dads],” a tale of his first 15 years of coaching in San Diego. In Part I of the paperback, the England transplant offers a candid look at the politics and inner workings of youth soccer in all the club’s he’s coached for, which includes Mission Bay Soccer Club, Hotspurs, La Jolla Nomads and Surf. In Part II, he plans to delve into the development of the DMCV Sharks into a local powerhouse and then co-founding CV Manchester right next door in 2001. The hoopla began in 1981 when he arrived in San Diego. The soccer community has never been the same. Illingworth’s former players include Chuggar Adair, TK Inbody and Frankie Hejduk. Both on the field and off, Illingworth is known for his whit and humor, which begged a successful standup comedian career in England.

In the case of my club CVMSC we have many children away on family vacations which is understandable during Summer school break. A more unique situation involves my U13 boys team playing in the upcoming Surf Cup Tournament. We currently have 14 very strong players on the roster, if we were to advance to the Finals on the Monday, we would be required to play 6 tough games in three days!!! Even avoiding injuries, we have seen from past experience that few of the players can perform at top level in the Semi Finals and Final game without regular breaks.  We know we need at least 16 or 17 players should we continue to advance requiring us to borrow 2 or 3 TOP Quality players. Problem 1, we don‘t really need them for the first game because my own regular 14 players are fresh and fit. Maybe the same for game 2! Can you really ask elite players to sit out and wait 2 games? What happens if we don ‘t advance and we only play a Total of 3 games? Also note that two of the boys (and their families) are travelling from Las Vegas to San Diego a 600 mile round trip just to play for us! Keeping our own parents and players happy is obviously vital, at the same time being fair to these quality borrowed guys and in this case all the players are high quality.

In past problems when teams have borrowed players with much greater skills than the regular team members, obviously the coach is tempted to play the borrowed star player to hopefully achieve greater success during the game and in the tournament. To lessen potential problems the coach should have a frank open discussion with the parents on their team before borrowing players. The coach should also have the same discussion with the players on their own team. It is also vital to be clear with the borrowed player and parents what the playing time policy will be throughout the tournament. It should be understood that the borrowed player and parents is giving up their weekend to help out the borrowing team.

I will let you know how it works out after the Surf Cup is over.

If you have opinions or have experienced these types of issues share with me the end result.

Best wishes for a great season,
Jeff Illingworth

During his career as a comedian Jeff toured South Africa for three months in 1974, entertaining in Durban and Capetown. Reading his book Desperate Soccer Moms, you will appreciate his great wit and storytelling genius. This great book takes the reader from laughter to tears of sadness as the incredible events unfold during Jeff’s first 15 years in his new home in San Diego.  In the seemingly blissful world of coaching youth soccer in Americas Finest City, the never ending politics and parental interference is frightening.  Just how much a simple, pro-youth soccer coach touches the inner soul of so many soccer families is stunning.

Jeff and his then wife Pauline, fell in love with San Diego during a vacation to California in the 1970’s and decided to make it their home in 1981.  Arriving with no jobs, no work permits and no real friends, they set out on their challenge to create a new life in the USA.

With youth soccer in its infancy, there seemed little opportunity for a successful career in coaching. This is the story of this mans incredible involvement in helping the program to reach world class level so quickly through 15 years of stunning successes and heartbreaking losses.

Jeff is currently Director of Coaching at Carmel Valley Manchester Soccer Club (CVMSC) in San Diego. Jeff co-founded the club in 2001 beginning with 5 teams.  CVMSC now has 25 teams and is one of the top competitive youth soccer programs in the USA.

The views and opinions in this book are Jeff Illingworth’s alone and not in anyway connected with CVMSC Board of Directors, nor his partner, the head coach at CVMSC.

Christiano Ronaldo & Jeff Illingworth

Jeff Illingworth with the worlds greatest soccer player Christiano Ronaldo (Ronaldo is the guy on the left)

Jeff immigrated to San Diego, California in July 1981 from the hotbed of soccer Manchester, England. Since 1981, he has been totally involved in the incredible growth and development of youth soccer in Southern California – an area believed by many experts to be home to many of America’s top youth soccer programs. Not only has Jeff coached at these programs, he is responsible for founding and developing several of his own programs. With 27 years experience, Jeff’s career has seen him achieve incredible highs and success, mixed with painful failures and heartbreak.

This book is not about pointing fingers or giving blame. It is a frank, factual, and vivid description of this mammoth cultural phenomenon – US Youth Soccer. Few parents know or understand the incredible, behind the scenes, politics and power struggles that occur daily in many soccer programs.Fortunately, the purity of the game of soccer always rises above these negatives.

The “beautiful game” played by beautiful kids.

“Soccer is not about life and death. It is more important than that!”
Bill Shankley – Liverpool Manager, 1970’s