Growing up in London with a dad who was a dedicated fan of a professional soccer club, the Tottenham Hotspurs, now San Diegan Simon Hayward knew he was destined for the sport.
Hayward, the current director of coaching for the Coronado FC, the Coronado Youth Soccer League, said his father was born very close to the former Tottenham stadium, White Hart Lane.
“I was born in London myself and so I was always going to be a Tottenham fan,” Hayward said.
More than a game
However, to Hayward, soccer is more than just a way to compete or even pass some time.
“I believe strongly in the ability for sports to teach valuable life lessons to young people,” he said. “The classroom and school are vital parts of education, but there are some things that are easier to teach on the sports field and the two can work very well hand-in-hand. I love using sport to help young people grow up and develop into decent, well-rounded young adults.”
It is this ideal that the Coronado Youth Soccer League is focused on. Hayward explained that he believes when adults make sure to shift the focus of youth sports from winning to growing, that is where the magic happens.
“There can be too much focus on winning, this applies in both the UK and the U.S.— and probably most of the world — and this can create a fear of making mistakes. Learning happens when we support people through making mistakes, the mistakes are a vital and necessary part of the learning process,” Hayward said.
The journey to Coronado
Hayward has been coaching the game of soccer since he graduated from the University of Exeter in 2001 overseas, working with both professional and youth teams in England.
After a handful of Southern California vacations, he explained that he fell in love with San Diego, and more specifically, the island of Coronado where he has been directing the league since November 2023.
“I love the culture that comes with the great weather we have here, I enjoy an active, healthy outdoor lifestyle and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do a job I love in a place that I love,” he said. “Having played a part in making two youth soccer programs in England very successful, I plan to play my part and work hard here to make this club as successful as possible.”
Crown City Classic
The Coronado Youth Soccer League will host the second weekend of the Crown City Classic youth soccer tournament on Aug. 3-4. The first weekend was July 27-28.
Hayward said that the event is the first time the teams have competed this season.
“We are all excited to get our players and teams on the field,” he said. “Our coaches have been doing a wonderful job of implementing a new approach at Coronado FC this season, I’m confident that I speak on behalf of the club to say that we are all excited by the progress that is happening.”
With the second weekend of the tournament approaching, Hayward and the rest of the soccer league hope to show off the island and all it has to offer.
“We hope that all of the teams competing and visiting have a great experience, we hope the event attracts people to Coronado and showcases our beautiful island and we appreciate all of the Coronado residents’ understanding as we take up a lot of field space across these two weekends,” Hayward said.
