THE KICK STARTER; SANTA CLARITA'S SCALERCIO IS SPREADING WORD ABOUT SOCCER.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

For Tony Scalercio, cultivating the future of American soccer is a 365-day-a-year job. It sometimes means juggling five jobs at once, driving to San Diego one weekend and flying to Idaho the next, all in the name of promoting the sport and trying to keep some of America's best young athletes on the soccer field.

``I played Little League and soccer with Eric Karros in San Diego,'' Scalercio said. ``When he got older he chose baseball, and now he's the first baseman for the Dodgers. If he would have stayed with soccer, he would probably be unemployed right now.

``The young players in this country are better than the young players in any other country, but when they reach their teens, we start to lose them to other sports.''

Scalercio, a 33-year-old Valencia resident, has made it his mission to sell the sport to America's youth. In addition to his walk-on jobs as girls' coach at Valencia High and men's assistant at The Master's College, Scalercio coaches two boys' teams for the Southern California Soccer Club in Agoura and is director of coaching for the Santa Clarita Elite Soccer Club.

``I've played at the highest level in America,'' said Scalercio, who played for the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League in 1985 and 1986, ``and I've been fortunate enough to be successful in coaching and expressing my style to young people.

``I love working with kids and sharing my experiences and giving something back to them, so I have the best of all worlds.''

But Scalercio might get the most enjoyment from his position as a regional staff coach for the U.S. Olympic Development Program. This weekend, he will travel to Nampa, Idaho, to evaluate players from 11 states and help assess their chances of making the Olympic team.

In this role, Scalercio gets to work hands-on with young people who see soccer as something more than a hobby, which unfortunately is how most talented teen-agers view the sport.

``Since I was a child, soccer has always been growing and it continues to grow,'' Scalercio said. ``But what we need in the U.S. are young athletes who are committed to soccer. Kids today have Michael Jordan, Dan Marino, Mike Piazza. . . . If kids had these huge idols to look up to in soccer, we would be in much better shape.''

It isn't just a pipe dream because Scalercio has a plan. It begins with a strong professional league, something to attract the top-caliber athlete and keep them from following their heroes in other sports.

``It's like anything else in life,'' Scalercio said. ``If there's no reward at the end, the players won't make the commitment. If we had a strong league and minor-league teams underneath to develop and scout players, there would be a reward.''

Scalercio, who recently traveled to Europe in part to view how young players are coached and developed overseas, came back impressed. He feels that American soccer will only be a success if its home-grown talent can be developed at an early age.

``In England, they have 9 year-olds in soccer schools, they go to class during the day and train with coaches at night, so there can be a compromise,'' Scalercio said. ``We will continue to be a step behind if we have to wait for players to get out of college to receive a high level of coaching and competition.

``I think getting an education is very important, but these kids, who are 16, 17, 18, they are in the prime age to really start learning the sport. We can educate these kids at the same time we educate them in soccer.''

Scalercio's resume suggests that few are more qualified for the task. He holds a National A license from the U.S. Soccer Federation, the highest credential awarded, and an A license from UEFA, the European soccer federation. But Scalercio, who is rearing three children with his wife, Nicole, admits that his lifestyle can be tough.

``I love the game and I'm always watching it and learning from it, but sometimes at the end of a tournament I am physically and mentally drained,'' Scalercio said. ``We just drove back from San Diego, where I coached a team, and sometimes I'll be coaching or watching 12 games a week, but by the time Monday rolls around, I'm ready to get going again.''

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PHOTO (Color) Tony Scalercio stays busy coaching a smorgasbord of youth soccer teams and preaching the gospel of the sport to all who will listen.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News