Tom Turner

Coaching License(s):       USSF National C License

Youth Coaching Experience:

            2000 to present         Eastside FC Coach

            1994 to 1999             Greater Renton Jr. Soccer Association Coach

            1976                           Lake Hills Boys U19 – Finalist in the State Finalist

Other Coaching Experience:

            Sammamish High School for 3 years as Head Coach and when soccer became an official “letter” sport, it was decided that a teacher should be the head coach. At that time, I became an Assistant Coach to Gary Eilers.

Coached at Northwest Soccer Developments – the first soccer camps put on by the original Seattle Sounders.  Initially run by Barry Watling and Adrian Webster, it was later taken over by Roy Sinclair and Bernie Fagan.  In the morning, we ran kids of all ages through various technical training.   In the afternoon the Sounders would show up and everybody would scrimmage. 

Playing Experience:   This is my humble history as a Northwest Soccer Pioneer.

            Played on various teams in the GSSL first and second division.

            Tried out for the original Seattle Sounders of the NASL.   Jimmy Gabriel, Dave Gillet and Hank Liotart were impressive to see. A player from my GSSL Club team, Roger Goldingay was the only Northwest player to make the Sounders.

Sammamish High School

                        Coached by legendary Eastside Soccer Association coach Mike Manser.  Played in the first ever KingCo League game, Sammamish vs. Newport.  Only 4 schools participated in KingCo soccer that year. 

   Played in my first soccer game, ever, for Valumart in the Bellevue Boy’s Club League.       I believe this was the first year of youth soccer on the East Side.  This later grew into the Eastside Jr Soccer Association which included the Lake Hills, Bellevue and Newport Soccer Clubs.

Collegiate Soccer:

Bellevue Community College – Coached by Geoff Wall. 

                        This was the first year for soccer in the CC’s.  We won the league, and I scored two goals in our come from behind for a victory in the championship game.

Coaching Summary:

I want the kids to love this game as much as I do! Training should be fun by making it active and competitive as well as instructive.  Young players need to develop their skills before they can be effective in a team situation.  Activities in small groups (i.e. 4v4) enable more touches, more chances to try their skills, more action, and therefore more fun.  Most development occurs in training, and games are their chance to showcase and express themselves as individuals and as a team.

Most Memorable Soccer Highlight:      

Being a true northwest soccer pioneer, and an old soldier in the soccer revolution, these milestones in soccer’s history have been very emotional for me.

1974 - The Seattle Sounders first game in Memorial Stadium, before a crowd of 10,000 fans!!!!

1976 – Soccer sells out the Kingdome!

Soccer continued to grow and gain acceptance, thanks to a large extent to the fact that women discovered the sport. 

1994 - Perhaps the greatest moment - sitting in sold-out Stanford Stadium, watching the USA play Brazil in a World Cup game on the 4^th of July!!!!

1999 – The US women win the World Cup with huge media fanfare!

Personal/Other:

            Born and raised in Bellevue, Washington. I am married to fellow Eastside coach Nancy Turner.