US Soccer Hall of Fame Player Eric Wynalda Joins DLVSC

Eric Wynalda has joined the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club  (DLVSC) as a Staff Director and coach the 2004 Gold Boys team. Wynalda is the former coach of the Las Vegas Lights and a member of the US Soccer Hall of Fame. As a Staff Director, Wynalda will be developing DLVSC players and teams to compete at the highest level.  DLVSC is now considered one of the top clubs in the country for developing players. That development is showing results on the field.  Wynalda has a diverse history as a coach.  He also coached  the Atlanta Silverbacks of the NASL and Cal FC in the US Open Cup.   

Wynalda is best known for his play on the field.  He made 106 appearances for the United States National Team and scored 34 goals.  He played in three World Cups and scored a goal in the 1994 tournament.  He was selected as a member of the  CONCACAF team of the decade for the 90s.  Wynalda was the first American born player to play with a top team in the German Bundesliga. Wynalda played for both FC Saarbrüeen and VfL Bochum.  In 1994 Wynalda was selected to play for the San Jose Clash where he scored the first goal in MLS history. Wynalda also played with Miami Fusion, New England Revolution and Chicago Fire. Wynalda was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004. 

When his playing career ended, Eric began a lengthy career as an analyst/commentator for ESPN and ABC Sports then Fox Sports.

The Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club was founded in 2004 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) youth soccer organization. For years, the club has developed some of the most successful players from Las Vegas including current New England Revolution player and former Glasgow Rangers Matt Polster and former USL player Blake Malone, Christain Volesky and Robbie Sagel.  DLVSC  develops players from age 6 years old to 19 years old, both boys and girls. The club is the co-host of the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup.  This year, the club won 2 NV state championships and competed in the USYS National league as well as the National League Desert Conference.  The club plans to compete as the only non-California team in the SoCal league.

“The reasons why I wanted to come to Downtown are very simple, it is because they have always had a direct line of what they wanted to do, what their mission was, and their vision, to help the kids in this town get better.” says Eric Wynalda about his decision to join the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club.

Wynalda  goes on to say, “I would like to help the younger kids most, that foundation. Too many times in this country we alter the path of getting players better faster, so my role here will be to get the players better, to get the coaches better and to help the families understand the pathway opportunities for their players”.

The DLVSC season will be having player tryouts the first week of June.  Players interested in being part of the team should email the club for more information or visit the DLVSC website at downtownlvsc.com

DLVSC is excited to have Eric Wynalda as a new staff director.  His vast experience and knowledge of the game will benefit all of the players within our soccer community.