Quick Facts
Biography
Stephen Negoesco or Stephen Negoescu (born September 12, 1925) is a Romanian American former soccer player and coach.
An international figure in the field of soccer, Stephen Negoesco has been hailed as the best coach in U.S. college soccer, and led the University of San Francisco to more than 544 victories (over 700 if you add exhibition games), five NCAA championships (the 1978 championship was later vacated because of an ineligible player), and the U.S. Open Cup (the Dewar Cup).
Between club and intercollegiate play, Negoesco's teams have won more than 2,500 games and more than 50 championships. As player and coach, Negoesco has over 3,000 lifetime victories.
Coach Stephen Negoesco has been inducted into The National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, New York; The West Coast Soccer Hall of Fame; The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF); The National Soccer Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame; The WCC Hall of Honor (West Coast Conference); as well as receiving numerous awards and commendations mentioned in the 'Achievements' section of this article.
Early life and playing career
Born in New Jersey, Negoesco returned with his father to Romania after his mother's death to be adopted by his aunt and uncle, where he discovered and took up soccer. His skills would later help him survive and escape imprisonment by the Nazis during their occupation of Romania during World War II; he was interned in 1940 when the Germans learned of his American connections. Negoesco played in the Romanian Football League, then returned to his birthplace in New Jersey in 1945.
Settling in California, Negoesco enrolled at the University of San Francisco in 1947 where he studied biology. He also resumed playing soccer, coached by Gus Donoghue. Negoesco led the Dons to the 1949 California collegiate title and the 1950 NCAA co-championship with Penn State, and he also earned two All-American honors during this period.
After graduating in 1951, Negoesco taught in the San Francisco Unified School District for twenty-five years. During that period he was also hired as USF's men's soccer coach in 1961, a post he would hold until his retirement in 2000. Negoesco would go on to coach the Dons to 544 victories, 22 conference titles, and five NCAA titles (1966, 1975, 1976, 1978, and 1980), the 1978 championship was later vacated because of an ineligible player.
Among the players he mentored were former All-Americans John Doyle and Andy Atuegbu, as well as former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo.
After his retirement from coaching men's soccer, Negoesco was inducted to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003, National Soccer Coaches Association of America hall of fame in 2003, joining his former coach, Gus Donoghue, Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF) in 2009 and the West Coast Conference Hall of Honor (WCC) in 2010. In 1982, Negoesco Stadium on the USF campus was named in his honor.
Soccer - playing and coaching
Playing Experience:
1942-45 JIUL F.C. First Division Romania (Regular Season)
Player Olympia, Bucharest - Junior Championships (870 Games)
Player Carmen, Bucharest - Second PlacePlayer Bucharest Junior Team, Romania National Champions
1943-45 Sportul Studentesc - First Division Romania - Summer League 1946 Karney Scots - Orange, New jersey
1947-49 Olympic Club - San Francisco, CA
1947-51 University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 1949-51* Pan America F.C., Team Captain - San Francisco, CA
January 1, 1950; USF vs. Penn State (2-2); First Soccer Bowl in Sportsman Park, St. Louis; 4300 Spectators National Co-Champions 1952-60 Mercury A.C., Team Captain - San Francisco, CA 1960-61 Hakoah A.C., San Francisco, CA 1962-63 Viking A.C., Player Coach - San Francisco, CA
1960-61 Hakoah A.C., San Francisco, CA 1962-63 Viking A.C., Player Coach - San Francisco, CA
Coaching Experience:
Junior Teams
1953 Park Merced Panthers(16 Games)
1954 Hilltoppers (12–14 years); Ideal Auto (12–14 years) St. Brigits (CYO)
1954 Salesian Boys Club (CYO)
1954-60 Mercury Junior (Two Teams; 14 & under and 15 to 18 years of age)
1955-56 Mercury, League Champions & Northern California Cup Champions Mercury, State Champions & U.S. California Cup Champions Northern California Golden Gate League Cup Mercury, Northern California Champions
1957-58 Mercury, Junior League State Champions Northern California Golden Gate League Cup
Northern California Champions
Coaching Junior Teams Experience:
1958-59 Mercury, Junior State Cup Champions (Continued)
1960-61* Hakoah, Cup Champions & League Champions (30 Games) Northern California Champions U.S. National Junior Cup Champions (First on West Coast)
1960-63 Hakoah Junior (2 Teams)
1963-66 PAL Dons Junior (2 Teams) - PAL Dons (14 & under)1985-86 Dixie Stompers, U-19 - North Bay League Champions, 1987,1988, 1989, 1990; North State Finals, 1988,1989
1986-90 Santa Rosa United - North Bay League Champions Northern California Runner-Up, 1987, 1988, 1990
2003 Marin Catholic High School, Kentfield, CA - League Champions
Coaching
(Senior Club)Experience: (460 Games)
San Francisco Italian Athletic Club (1963-1977)
1966-67 Division Champions
1967-68 Division Champions
1972-73 Division Champions
1973-74 Division Champions
1974-75 Division Champions, California Champions
1975-76 Division Champions, State Cup Champions, National Open Cup Champions (Dewar Cup) First on West Coast
1976-77 League Champions
Coaching (Collegiate)
Experience:
University of San Francisco (1961-2000)
1963 League Champions (782 NCAA
1965 League Champions Games
1966* League Champions;
Western Champions Plus *200 NCAA National Champions additional
1971 League Champions Exhibition
1973 League Champions Club, JC, & 1974 League Champions Pro Games)
1975* League Champions; NCAA National Champions
1976* NCAA National Champions, League Champions
1978* League Champions; NCAA National Champions (Vacated ineligible player)
1979 League Champions
1980* League Champions; NCAA National Champions
1981 Western Regional Champions
1982 NCAA Quarter Finalists
1983 NCAA Quarter Finalists
1984 Western Regional Champions
1985 League Champions
1986 Western Regional Champions
1987 Western Regional Champions
1991 Western Regional Champions
1993 Western Regional Champions, NCAA Quarter Finalists
1994 Western Regional Champions
Education and credentials
Education:
B.S. in Biology, University of San Francisco, 1951 M.S. in Biology, San Francisco State University, 1954 Biology Teacher, San Francisco Unified School District, 1955-1982.
Credentials:
Coaching Certificates
1944 Romanian Football Federation
1978 Coaching Course Mexican Football Federation
1979 USSFA Coaching License B
Achievements
Honors:
1947-60 Played on many Northern California All Star Teams
1948-50 All American at USF; First Team All American on West Coast
1950- U.S. National Team, East vs. West (West 3 - East 2), St. Louis, MO
1950 USF Co-Captain, National Collegiate Soccer Bowl, St. Louis, MO
1952-60 Captain, Mercury A.C., San Francisco, CA
1959 Member of University of San Francisco Hall of Fame
1961 Key to the City of San Francisco presented by Mayor Christopher (has also received numerous commendations from the City of San Francisco and The State of California for his work in Soccer)
1970 Member of the California Soccer Federation North Hall of Fame
1977 USF Maraschi Society Award (USF)
1982 Negoesco Stadium at USF, Dedication in his Honor
1983 Commended by California Governor Deukmejian
1983 Commended by United States President Ronald Reagan
1988 Father William Dunne Award (USF)
1993 Coach of the Year Award
1995 Lifetime Member NSCAA
1995 NSCAA Commendation
1996 NISOA Merit Award
2000 West Coast Conference Award
2001 San Jose Earthquakes Recognition Award
2002 NCAA The Bill Jeffery Award
2003 National Soccer Hall of Fame
2003 NSCAA Hall of Fame (National Soccer Coaches Association of America)
---- USF Hall of Fame (information to be completed)
2009 Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF)
2010 WCC Hall of Honor (West Coast Conference)
Other:
+ Initiated the San Francisco Junior Soccer League in 1953
+ Began Serra High School Soccer in the first Peninsula High School League in 1959-60
+ Was Secretary for the San Francisco Junior Soccer League until 1966
+ Executive Board Member Northern California Soccer Association, 1950-54
+ Participated as Player or Coach in approximately 3,722 soccer games
+ Conducted numerous clinics for soccer in California for youth coaches
+ Guest Speaker for many groups, i.e. CYO, Rotary Club, CYSA, CYSF, Kiwanis, etc., on countless occasions
+ Coached as many as 11 youth, college and adult teams in one year for several years
+ Was the Northern California All Star Coach before and during USSFA Coach Dettmar Craemer
+ Coached several All Star teams from San Francisco including USF against the Mexican, Dutch and South Korean Olympic Teams, etc.
+ Prepared the U.S. Olympic tryout teams during Dettmar Craemar time in Northern California
+ For 10 years, conducted free summer camps for San Francisco youth at USF
+ Conducted Army Clinics for Youth Coaches in Korea, Washington and California
+ Coached over 3,000 games
+ First Collegiate, Division 1 Coach to win 500 games (544 total)
+ Lecturer on Soccer Analysis for the USF Physical Education Dept. 1980-96
+ Total Participation at all levels 3722 Games
Current activities
Lectures Internationally (among topics)
- Comparative Evolution of American and International Soccer
- Club Soccer Development - Inception and Culmination
- College Soccer - Evolution and Goals
- Soccer - Strategy and Tactics
- Soccer Systems - Choices
- Technique and Skill in Youth Soccer
- Evolution of Youth Soccer on the West Coast
Conducts Soccer Coaching Clinics and Training Camps
Publications
- Soccer by Steve Negoesco, College Textbook published by Brown & Benchmark