Jan. 21, 2015

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Eddie Lewis, who logged more than 80 career caps with the United States Men’s National Team during a 14-year professional career, will serve as one of the featured clinicians at the 2015 National Soccer Coaching Seminar, scheduled for March 6-7 on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The annual coaching seminar will again feature a panel of distinguished clinicians taking part in the two-day event, which will include Lewis, Notre Dame men’s head coach and 2013 NCAA champion Bobby Clark, and Fighting Irish women’s head coach Theresa Romagnolo.

Lewis made his international debut as a midfielder for the USMNT in 1996 and appeared in a total of 82 matches for the national side during his career, scoring 10 international goals. He saw action in two World Cups during his U.S. tenure, making two starts each during the 2002 and 2006 tournaments. In his final active season with the USMNT, Lewis captained the U.S. against Barbados on June 22, 2008, scoring the team’s only goal in a 1-0 victory.

Lewis competed in the first match in Major League Soccer (MLS) history, making his professional debut with the San Jose Clash on April 6, 1996 in a 1-0 win over D.C. United. Lewis played his first four professional seasons in San Jose, scoring nine goals over 115 matches, and was named one of the MLS’ Best XI in 1999.

In 2000 Lewis traveled across the pond to England, signing with Fulham of the Football League First Division. Following three seasons with Fulham (2000-02), he ventured next to Preston North End, scoring 15 goals for PNE from 2002-05. Stops with Leeds United (2005-07, named 2006-07 Leeds Player of the Year) and Derby County (2007-08) led Lewis back to the MLS, where he played his final two full professional seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy (2008-10). After scoring three goals in 48 appearances for Los Angeles, Lewis officially announced his retirement at the end of the 2010 MLS season.

Lewis was a four-year letterwinner at UCLA from 1992-95, tallying 30 goals and 28 assists, while appearing in the 1994 NCAA Men’s College Cup and earning 1994 and 1995 Soccer News All-America citations during his Bruin career. A three-time all-conference performer (1993-95), he led UCLA in both goals (11) and assists (10) as a senior in 1995, helping the team reach the second round of the NCAA Championship.

Since retiring from competitive soccer, Lewis received his U.S. Soccer “B” coaching license in 2010 and has innovated the TOCA training method, which incorporates a touch trainer with a reduced size soccer ball to enhance muscle memory through a variety of ball handing drills. The TOCA touch trainer and implementation of a reduced size ball for training evolved out of Lewis’ personal program that began by throwing tennis balls at a wall, later utilizing a tennis ball machine, during precision training sessions throughout his professional playing career.

EDDIE LEWIS CAREER NOTES

Collegiate Playing Career

University of California at Los Angeles (1992-95)

-1992 NCAA Second Round
-1993 NCAA First Round (Second Team All-Conference)
-1994 NCAA College Cup (Soccer News All-American, Second Team All-Region, First Team All-Conference)
-1995 NCAA Second Round (Soccer News All-American, First Team All-Region, First Team All-Conference)

Professional Playing Career

-San Jose Clash, Major League Soccer (1996-99; 1999 MLS Best XI)
-Fulham Football Club, Football League First Division (2000-02)
-Preston North End Football Club, Football League First Division (2002-05)
-Leeds United Football Club, Football League Championship (2005-07; 2006-07 Leeds Player of the Year)
-Derby County Football Club, Football League Championship (2007-08)
-Los Angeles Galaxy, Major League Soccer (2008-10; 2009 Western Conference Championship, 2010 Supporter’s Shield)

International Playing Career

-United States Men’s National Team (1996-2008)
-Logged 82 career caps, and scored 10 goals in international play
-Appeared in the World Cup with the USMNT in 2002 and 2006

For more information on the 2015 National Soccer Coaching Seminar, contact Notre Dame women’s soccer assistant coach Dawn Siergiej at 574-631-5870 or greathouse.1@nd.edu.

–ND–