SOCCER DREAMS; ASS'AD HOPES TO DEVELOP MINOR-LEAGUE TEAM IN VALLEY.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

True to his style, Marwan Ass'ad hit the soccer field running.

He's on the field working with a West Valley Soccer Club team. Then he's on the field giving private lessons. Then he's running around seeking support for his latest dream: a minor-league soccer team in the San Fernando Valley.

Except for the occasional comment (``Oh, that's a tragedy'' about the football coach being fired), there's little time to dwell on events involving Cal State Northridge.

``I'm working like, the whole summer,'' Ass'ad declared this week as he spoke on a cellular phone from some field, somewhere. ``Nothing like teaching people how to play soccer. I've got the private lessons, the camps, the clinics. I'm full.''

Ass'ad, 45, likes it this way. He was busy in his 16 years as the CSUN men's soccer coach, so why should his post-CSUN years be any different?

When he resigned Dec. 31, he had compiled a 192-102-26 record with the Matadors and built CSUN into a Division II power. The Matadors reached the NCAA Tournament six straight seasons and were national runners-up in 1987 and 1988.

Ass'ad also led CSUN into Division I and was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's Pacific Division Coach of the Year in 1993.

Perhaps his most notable accomplishment came without reward. When Northridge dropped men's soccer in June 1997, Ass'ad helped raise the money to keep the sport going before the state bailout came through.

In 1997, Ass'ad rebuilt the Matadors and went 12-5. However, since CSUN wasn't affiliated with a conference, it was left out of the NCAA Tournament.

Now Ass'ad has turned over the Northridge program to Terry Davila, a four-year starter at CSUN from 1988-92 and Ass'ad's top assistant from 1995-97, and he believes the program is in good hands. There are other dreams to pursue.

Foremost is that minor-league soccer team, perhaps a team from the U.S. International Soccer League or the A-League. Ass'ad thinks it can be done within five years.

He envisions this cycle: Younger players get better and become CSUN soccer fans; Northridge develops into a Division I power. The development is helped by Davila taking over the program and recruiting more local talent. As Northridge becomes a power, it draws more fans, including more children who will want to start playing or get better.

In five years, he reasons, there will be such a fan following that a minor- league team would become viable.

``I believe the Valley can support that from March to August,'' he said. ``Then Northridge will (play) from September to November, then Christmas and people will lay off, and then they come back again in March.

``I want to be involved. If we have the kids who are talented, we want to give them a chance to develop their intelligence and their capabilities. When kids are 14, they will know so much. When they are 16 or 17, they (will be) stars. By 18, they (will be) as good as pros.''

Where is the talent pool? Why, his club teams, of course. But there are enough other clubs in the area from which to draw.

The plan is far from fully developed. Ass'ad lacks money to make his dream come true. However, he has the drive to get other people's money involved, and some believe in him.

``It's a workable idea,'' said Jeff Thomas, president of Cott Manufacturing and father of Chaminade goalie Katie Thomas. ``Despite what some naysayers promote, soccer is the wave of the future.''

Thomas likes the way Ass'ad wants to build a club from the youth up. He said in England, the Premier League and First Division teams in the English League such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are nothing more than extensions of clubs.

Thomas said he hasn't put together any business plan with Ass'ad yet but doesn't believe the costs would be that high. The key, he said, is building a large soccer-loving community that would support a team.

As examples, Thomas points to the A-League teams in Hershey, Pa., and Rochester, N.Y. Those teams never draw more than 20,000 fans, but Hershey regularly has 10,000, and Rochester had to expand its stadium.

Duplicating a similar success in the Los Angeles area will be tougher, but Thomas believes Ass'ad has the talent and motivation to get the job done.

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Photo

PHOTO Former CSUN men's soccer coach Marwan Ass'ad hopes to start a minor-league soccer team in the San Fernando Valley within the next five years.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer