Irvine Valley's Martin McGrogan was recently named the California Community Colleges Soccer Coaches Association Southern California men's coach of the year.
He helped guide the Lasers to a standout season in 2015. IVC won the fourth conference title in program history, was ranked as high as fifth in the state and reached the Southern California Regional final match.
McGrogan has been the coach of the Irvine Valley men's soccer team since its start in 1991. He has had success year in and year out.
Under McGrogan's leadership, Irvine Valley has also won two state championships - 1993 and 2003. The Lasers finished as state runner-up in 1992.
McGrogan won his 300th match at the college this season when his side defeated Norco, 4-0, on Oct. 23.
McGrogan's Lasers ended the 2015 year with a record of 16-3-5 overall.
Irvine Valley had a 16-match unbeaten streak until its 2-1 loss to Mt. SAC in the regional final.
The Lasers went unbeaten in their conference, ending with a record of 11-0-3. McGrogan was also named as the Orange Empire Conference coach of the year.
But McGrogan's main focus is taking care of his student athletes. McGrogan has two main goals for them - to help them attain their educational goals, and second, to play competitive soccer.
McGrogan has been fortunate to have many of his student athletes transfer to four-year institutions (several with athletic scholarships) such as UC Irvine, University of Denver, University of Portland, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Lutheran, Chapman, Concordia, Cal State Los Angeles, UC Santa Barbara and Vanguard, just to name a few.
In addition to the student athletes who have continued their educational goals, Irvine Valley men's soccer has also had two players compete in Major League Soccer: Brad Wilson (Los Angeles Galaxy), and Ryan Tinsley (Kansas City Wizards and Chicago Fire).
IVC has also been represented in the professional indoor soccer league by Matt West (Anaheim Splash). West, who went on to play for the Utah Blitz in the USISL, is now the successful head coach of the Mater Dei High girls soccer program.
"It's really been an honor and a privilege to be coach here," McGrogan has said. "I am really very grateful. It's been a lot about longevity and also having so many incredible people here on the coaching staff, from Clyde Best to Billy McNicol and David Kemp, Jovan Stojanovski, Laurie Abrahams, Pat Callaghan, Matt Tutton, Chris Gould, Shaun Harris, Peter Carey, Joe Supe, Robbie Earle, Simon Davies and Alex Zotinca and now with Tom Lancaster, Claudio Trabattoni and Gerald Morel.
"I've been able to work with some of the best coaches around. There has been just unbelievable support."
