(Story taken from NCAASports.com site)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Birmingham Southern men’s soccer head coach Preston Goldfarb will add to his lengthy coaching resume this summer by mentoring the Junior Boys’ USA Soccer Team that will compete at the Maccabi Games in Israel beginning July 12.
The Maccabi Games, sometimes referred to as the “Jewish
Olympics”, will be held for the 18th time next month, and
attracts the most outstanding Jewish athletes from around the
world.
“It’s the third-largest sporting event in the world
behind the Olympics and the World University Games,” said
Goldfarb, who has coached at BSC for 26 years. “It happens
every four years, the year after the Olympics. Normally, there are
between 50 and 70 countries that come, and between 7,000 and 9,000
athletes that attend from all over the world. The United States has
done it for a long, long time, and in essence it is supporting
Israel, more than anything.”
It is not Goldfarb’s first opportunity to coach in the
Games, as he was originally asked to head the team in 2001.
However, the war in Israel escalated, and safety became a concern
that caused many coaches and athletes to back out of the event,
including Goldfarb.
“A friend of mine went a long time ago and told me about it,
and I started looking into a bit,” said Goldfarb. “When
the opportunity arose in 2001, I jumped at it because I thought it
would be a rewarding experience. At that time, my son Sean would
have played for me. That time it didn’t work out, but now it
has. I think it is going to be a really unique experience for
us.”
Sean will serve as his father’s assistant coach at the Games
– the first time he will be helping his dad coach –
before attending law school next fall.
“He has a passion for the game,” said Goldfarb.
“I coached him when he was little, and then again in college
and he did exceptionally well. This is a first time for us to coach
together, so short of coaching him, which I found to be a rewarding
experience for both us, to have him by my side making decisions is
basically the highlight of my career.”
There are three divisions of competition at the Maccabi Games
– Open, Junior and Youth – with the Junior being the
15-16 age group. The Men’s Open USA squad will be coached by
University of Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl.
“I haven’t coached this age group in probably 35
years,” said Goldfarb. “I mainly chose that group for
recruiting purposes, selfishly. I felt like now that we’re
Division III this is a great opportunity to get involved with kids
that have a passion and pretty grades and have the money to attend
a school like ours.”
In addition to having Sean along for the trip, Goldfarb’s
daughter Aly will compete in the Open division in four track and
field events – the 400 meters, 800 meters 4x400 meter relay
and pole vault. Aly, who was a member of the North Carolina track
and field team in her freshman year, competes for the BSC track and
field team, and her times and vault heights were good enough for
her to be one of nine women selected to compete for the U.S.
“We feel very fortunate,” said Goldbarb.
“She’s looking forward to the opportunity.”
Goldfarb and the Junior Boys’ soccer squad will leave on
June 26 to train in Israel before the entire 900-athlete U.S.
delegation arrives. The American group will then enjoy a six-day
tour of the country before competition begins July 12, and the
opening ceremonies are held July 13. Goldfarb’s team will
open with Canada, and has a tough draw with Israel, Mexico, Germany
and South Africa in their bracket.
“I think the U.S. will do well (overall),” said
Goldfarb. “Normally, Israel wins more golds and silvers and
bronzes than anybody, but in the history of the event the U.S. has
won the second-most medals. For Israel, basically their entire
national teams compete in all the events, so they have a decided
advantage because they train together year-round.”
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