Letter to the Alumni

from Nomads DOC, Derek Armstrong and his wife Mary Armstrong:

Since 1980 we have been involved in running the Nomads Soccer Club.  This year will be the first year I have not coached an individual team.  This has not been a job for me but a lifestyle choice made by the entire Armstrong family.

We have devoted most of our adult lives to the Nomads players can attain great things on and off the field.  Most of the Alumni are still connected through Facebook and our annual Alumni Game at Thanksgiving.  You have become part of our extended family and we have enjoyed watching you grow in to successful businessmen with families of your own.  Some of you have continued to be involved in youth soccer as coaching staff and come back with your teams to our tournaments each year.  We look forward to meeting up every opportunity that we can.

After over 40 years we still endeavor to watch as many games as possible and help with tournament.  My role as Director of Coaching will now be focused on Curriculum Development and Mentoring both coaching staff and players.  As Nomads Board Members we continue to ensure the longevity of the Club and invite Alumni to join us.  If you would be interested in participating in the Club as a Board Member we have put a registration application below.

Your involvement in the Club will continuing to affect our current players in that they are providing inspiration and continue the legacy that you created.

We have enlisted the assistance of Sports Engine to create a new web site that will incorporate some terrific communication tools.  This will serve as a tool to bring Alumni together.   Please take the time to register as a member of our Alumni so the party can begin.

Mary and I look forward to your involvement and hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Derek & Mary Armstrong

858-349-0869

When booking your travel, please put in the Nomads IATA # 05669344 so that we can get a 10% commission back to the Club. Its a simple way to help us raise funds.  Most booking forms have a box called TRAVEL AGENT, just enter this code in that box.

Managerial and coaching career

Derek started coaching at Fleetwood F.C. in the inaugural season of the Northern Premier League as player-manager. He was there for 5 seasons and left after winning the Northern Premier League Cup beating Wigan in the semi-final, and Maccelsfield in the final. He had coaching/manager positions with Chorley F.C., Netherfield A.F.C., Blackpool Mechs, and Lancaster City before joining Allan Brown at Blackpool FC in the 1975–76 season as reserve coach. In 1979 he was moved to first-team coach for eight games when Jimmy Meadows had a short spell as manager before returning to coaching the reserves again when Bobby Collins joined the staff. In 1980 he worked for Notts County F.C. for a season, scouting upcoming opponents for the championships season in which Notts County were promoted to Div 1.

In the United States, he became an assistant coach with Columbus Magic in Ohio in 1980, before moving to Nomads Soccer Club in La Jolla California in 1981. He became the first paid youth soccer coach in the United States when he joined the staff of the La Jolla Nomads.  In 1986, Armstrong helped to found the San Diego Nomads in the new Western Soccer Alliance. The Nomads won the Western Soccer Alliance titles in 1987 and 1989, and were also runners-up to Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the 1989 National Professional Championship.  In 2001 the Nomads were asked to manage the San Diego Flash franchise in the A-league by the league, the side under Armstrong reaching the play-offs. He continues to work for the Nomads, currently as Director of Coaching and Board Member. 

College soccer 

He was also coach of the UC San Diego (UCSD) men's soccer team from 1983 to 2007, during which time the Tritons won three national titles.  In the fifth game of the 2007 season, he coached his 500th game with UCSD.  Prior to taking over as coach in 1983, the Tritons had had only one season with more wins than defeats in their seven-year history. Armstrong transformed the side to the extent that the first season with more defeats than wins under his tenure did not come until the 2001 season. His cumulative record of 326–138–48 makes him the winningest coach in UCSD history. He retired as Tritons coach in September 2007 with the advent of the US Soccer Academy starting that season. Also contributing to his retirement from UCSD was the fact he had an impending knee operation which could not be put off.

USMNT U20 coach

In 1987 Armstrong coached of the United States under-20 side in the World Youth Championship (now known as the FIFA U-20 World Cup) in Chile. Derek holds the unique distinction of being the first USA coach to beat Mexico at the world cup level. They knocked off Mexico, 3–0, in the 1987 CONCACAF tournament in Trinidad. The team qualified for the World cup in Chile.

US club soccer 

He was one of the founding members and chairman of US Club Soccer in its early years, he retired from this position in January 2009.