Eddie Soto

Infobox Football biography
playername= Eddie Soto
fullname =
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|6|14
cityofbirth =
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Forward
youthyears = 1991
1992-1994
youthclubs = Chapman University
Cal State Fullerton
years = 1995
1997-2000
clubs = Los Angeles Salsa U-23
Orange County Zodiac
caps(goals) =
manageryears = 1997
2001-2003
2004-2005
2006
2006-
managerclubs = Long Beach City College "(assistant)"
Cal State Fullerton "(assistant)"
Long Beach State "(assistant)"
Cal State Fullerton "(assistant)"
UCLA "(assistant)"
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Eddie Soto (born June 14, 1972) was a U.S. soccer forward who spent five seasons in the USISL and has served as an assistant men’s and women’s collegiate soccer coach for eight seasons.

Youth

Soto played for the North Huntington Beach youth club, winning the 1991 James McGuire Trophy as the U.S. U-19 national champion. [ [http://www.soccertimes.com/facts/usa/youth_soccer.htm McGuire Cup winners] ] He was also a amember of the U-18 and U-20 national teams. In addition to his national team and club commitments, Soto attended Cerritos High School where he was a two time Parade Magazine high school All American and the 1990 California 3A Player of the Year. Soto graduated from Cerritos in 1991 and entered Chapman University that fall. [ [http://www.chapman.edu/athletics/men/soccer/archives/schoolRecords.asp Chapman University Men’s Soccer: All-Time Records] ] He played one season at Chapman before transferring to Cal State Fullerton where he played from 1992 to 1994. He scored thirty-eight goals in his three seasons, earning second team All American recognition in 1992. [ [http://www.nscaa.com/awards-detail.php?it=I&yr=1992 1992 All American lists] ] His thirty-eight goals places him second on the school’s career goals list. He graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.

Professional

In the fall of 1995, Soto signed with the Los Angeles Salsa U-23 in the USISL. The team folded at the end of the season. In February 1996, the MetroStars of Major League Soccer selected Soto in the eighth round (79th overall) of the Inaugural Player Draft. The team waived him on March 26, 1996. A gap exists in his career at this point as he signed with the Orange County Zodiac in 1997. In March 1998, a second MLS team, the San Jose Clash selected Soto in the second round (23d overall) in the 1998 MLS Supplemental Draft. Once again, the team released him in the preseason. In 2000, the Zodiac was renamed the Wave. Soto left the Wave at the end of 2000 season and spent some time with the USA Pro Beach Soccer Team before retiring from playing.

Coaching

In addition to playing, Soto also coached at the collegiate and youth soccer levels. In 1997, he was the assistant coach with the Long Beach City College women’s soccer team when they won the California State Championship. [ [http://athletics.lbcc.edu/athletichome/womenssoccer.cfm Long Beach City College women’s soccer] ] In 2001, he was hired as an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton. In 2004, he moved to Long Beach State as an assistant. On July 12, 2006, UCLA hired Soto as an assistant coach, but he also spent that season with Cal State Fullerton. In addition to his collegiate coaching, Soto has spent over thirteen years as a youth soccer coach.

References

External links

* [http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/soto_eddie00.html UCLA Bruins coaching profile]
* [http://longbeachstate.cstv.com/default/lbst-default.html Article providing Soto’s early career information]