Soccer coach loved

Shannon Gibson

Anyone from the Newport Beach area that has been associated with

soccer probably has heard of infamous “AMEBA” soccer coach Jim

Noonan.

Jim Noonan, who was 69, passed away March 3 following an

unexpected illness. He was born in Mexico City on Oct. 31, 1935.

Noonan, who was loved by the community for his passion for soccer,

enthusiasm, and charismatic demeanor, was the “AMEBA” soccer coach to

hundreds of Newport Beach youth.

For the past 25 years, Jim was a part of American Youth Soccer

Organization and club soccer. He started coaching AYSO in 1977 when

he and his family moved to Newport Beach from Palm Springs.

In 1981, he started the Corona del Mar high school girls soccer

program where he coached for five years. During that time he coached

his two daughters, Stephanie and Jennifer Noonan. In 1986, Jim

started coaching boy’s club soccer where he formed the “AMEBA” soccer

club.

During his coaching career, Noonan coached nearly 2,000 players

from the local area. About 30 All-CIF players went to play in

college, but more importantly graduated and received degrees.

Coach Jim wasn’t any ordinary soccer coach. He was known for his

distinctive coaching style and spent numerous hours day and night

preparing creative game plans.

Not only did he teach the fundamentals of the game but he also

taught leadership, time management skills, and responsibility while

emphasizing character and commitment.

During all the years of coaching, coach Noonan had only one

perfect season and that didn’t mean winning. That year his team

finished 0-14. Jim told a colleague in a recent conversation, “no one

ever said that a perfect season meant winning.”

“All that matters is that I am able to make a positive influence

in the life of a young person.”

For all the players who played for coach Noonan, they knew that it

wasn’t so much about winning or losing, it was more about having fun.

One of the valuable lessons he taught his players is that in order

to win or be successful in life, it can’t come from one individual.

He would say that you’re only as good as the weakest player on the

team.”

He was known for his unique style and crazy wild adventures like

the time he drove his team in his beat up station wagon (“The Hog

Mobile”) through a car wash and halfway through, put all the windows

down.

He was also known for his thoughtfulness and kind gestures.

He held soccer sand tournaments and awarded the grand-prize winner

five tickets to Disneyland.

Whenever there was a big rivalry championship tournament, Jim

would make his players run out on the field and they took off their

first shirt and the second shirt would say, “Rest in Peace,”

referring to the other team.

Jim humorously would send notes to the other coaches to intimidate

them.

Coach Noonan would take his team to get ice cream after every game

and he always would get his players McDonald’s dollars for the player

of the game.

“He was like a second dad to me,” said Lisa Mahoney, a former

Corona del Mar high soccer player. “I don’t think I would be the

person today if I hadn’t known him. I feel lucky that he came into my

life at a young age. He was a mentor for young women and he treated

everyone fairly.”

She recalls fond memories of playing on his team and after all the

games they went to McDonald’s and had food fights in the car.

And Coach Jim would never scold and scream. He never seemed to

mind after a game that his kids would pile in with muddy, dirty

cleats, or that kids trashed his vehicle and painted the outside of

his “god-awful station wagon.”

He just did things differently and had a lot of fun.

At the award ceremony for the last boys team he coached, he

selected his daughter Stephanie’s soccer team to dress up and be the

award presenters.

His teams became his family. He loved each and every one of them

and it was evident that he cared even driving and picking up kids to

bring them to practice. He would do whatever was needed to go beyond

the extra mile.

He was a character, one who loved and embraced life.

Coach Noonan kept everything. Scrapbooks from his team, doctor’s

notes, notes from players who tried to get out of practice, and even

report cards. At the end of the year, Jim would always write his

players a kind note praising their efforts of that season.

To him it was the little things that mattered.

Noonan was a self-employed Certified Public Accountant for the

past 28 years, working out of his Newport Beach office. Jim is

survived by his four children: Kelly Stern of Kona, Hawaii, Jym Jr.

of Palm Springs and Stephanie and Jennifer of Newport Beach. He is

also survived by his mother Alice J. Brill of Los Angeles and his

brother Randy Noonan of Greenwich, Conn.

Please contact a family member for information on the service.