Aug. 16, 2003
Alvin Alexander – a 10-year veteran of coaching at the highest levels of youth soccer – has joined the Notre Dame women’s soccer staff as the program’s primary assistant coach, head coach Randy Waldrum announced today.
Alexander spent the previous 10 years as a highly successful coach at several youth and collegiate levels in the Dallas area, including two years as the men’s soccer coach at the University of Texas at Permian Basin.
The addition reunites Waldrum with one of his former college teammates, as the pair played together at Midwestern State (in Wichita Falls, Texas) during the late 1970s – with Alexander earning All-America honors while finishing as Midwestern State’s all-time leading goalscorer.
“I have known Alvin for 30 years, going back to our days when I was at Irving MacArthur High School and he played for one of our rivals at Arlington Lamar, and he embodies the primary qualities that I was looking for in filling this important position on our staff,” says Waldrum.
“Alvin has the loyalty, character and work ethic that are so important for success in the college game. He also has tremendous recruiting connections with club and ODP soccer – not just in Texas but throughout the nation – and brings great technical knowledge to the table as well.
“In particular, I think you will see our attacking players benefit greatly from his insight and training techniques. When you have someone like Alvin who has played and competed at such a high level, it truly rubs off on those around him and our players should become noticeably better by working with him.”
Alexander founded the Black Magic Soccer Club in 1989, with that program growing to 11 teams (comprising both men’s and women’s squads) while emerging as one of the strongest clubs in the West Texas area. He served until 1999 as the Black Magic club’s director, with his responsibilities including the recruitment and training of coaches while also assisting in the development of some 50 players who earned college scholarships.
Most recently, Alexander was the head coach in 2002-03 for three different teams (under-13 and under-15 girls and under-11 boys) with the Dallas Texans, one of the nation’s premier soccer club programs. His experience also includes eight years (1993-2001) as a staff coach and trainer for the North Texas and Midland Olympic Development Programs, in addition to serving four total years (’99-’03) as a soccer coach at the Oakridge School in Arlington, including two seasons as the girls varsity coach.
“It is a great opportunity to work with a highly respected coach and good friend such as Randy Waldrum and I feel very well prepared for working at such a prestigious university as Notre Dame,” says Alexander.
“I always have admired Notre Dame for what it stands for and it truly is a wonderful place. I also am very impressed with the skill level of the players in the program and with their commitment to being elite student-athletes. Notre Dame soccer is at the highest level and that certainly is something which I aspire to – and I’m very excited to be a part of it.”
Alexander’s many other club-soccer contacts include being the girls development coach and head coach for three American Eagles Soccer Club teams in Colleyville (’01-’02) after serving in a similar capacity with three Arlington Strikers boys teams (’99-’00), with his director’s duties including the hiring of supervising of the entire Strikers coaching staff.
The Arlington native coached the men’s soccer team at the University of Texas at Permian Basin from 1995-97, when the soccer program made its debut at the Odessa school. His time in Odessa also included roles as a head coach and player with the Permian Basin Mirage, a professional indoor soccer team in the SISL.
Alexander was a team captain and earned Texas college all-star honors in each of his four seasons at Midwestern State (1975-78), adding All-America honors as a junior in 1977 while ranking among the nation’s top-10 goalscorers in three of his seasons. He ended his career as Midwestern State’s all-time leader in goals scored (58) and later received his bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State, in applied arts and science.
In addition to three seasons with the Permian Basin Mirage (’93-’95), Alexander played professionally in the late 1970s with the ASL’s Los Angeles Skyhawks and Indianapolis Daredevils. His pre-college days included club soccer playing experience with the Irving White Star and Dallas Longhorns.
Alexander’s undergraduate days included training in Leeds, England, during 1975 (under the direction of the Leeds United coaching staff). He also was a head coach and trainer for a 1991 Argentina Rosario international tour while serving as the head coach and organizer for a 1998 tour of Leon, Mexico.
He holds a USSF national “B” license and has attended various coaching workshops and seminars, in addition to serving as a USSF referee from 1991-94 and recently serving as a visiting coach for soccer camps held at Notre Dame, Baylor and Texas Wesleyan.
Alexander and his wife Susan were married in 1979 and are the parents of one son and three daughters: 22-year-old twins Toby and April, 20-year-old Amber (currently a junior at UT-Arlington) and 12-year-old Alexis.