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FRISCO - The morning commute for John Gall just got a bit longer.
After 15 years of leading Marcus High School’s powerhouse soccer program, Gall has joined FC Dallas Youth in a full-time capacity as the Boys Director of Coaching, bridging the gap between the Academy program and the FCD Youth teams at all age groups as the club continues to develop players for both professional and collegiate careers.
“I think it's key for us to understand the pathway for the players and I think the great opportunity that I have is to make sure that coaches and players alike understand that there is a clear pathway [of development] within our club,” he said. “Being involved with the Academy teams allows me to pass on information to the Premier teams and some of the teams in the Youth organization.”
A UK-native and former trialist with the then-Dallas Burn in the late 90s, Gall played for the USL Pro’s Texas Toros until a coaching opportunity came about in 2001 that he just couldn’t pass up – the head job at Flower Mound Marcus High School. The program had, at he time, made state playoffs in 10 straight seasons, and under Gall the Marauders made the playoffs in each of his 15 years - extending the streak to 25 straight postseason appearances while capturing two state titles and a national championship along the way.
While coaching at Marcus, he continued to work in club soccer around the metroplex. Almost two years ago Gall began helping out some of the FC Dallas Youth teams and eventually the Academy teams, where his son, Gavin, plays on the U-13 side. Then, in November, another opportunity came about that he just couldn’t pass up.
“It really was a great situation for me. I was coaching very talented players, but I was also enjoying the relationships I was developing with those players because you get to work with them for four years - they come in as babies, as freshman, and they turn out as good, young men as seniors,” Gall said. “But the last couple of years being around FC Dallas, I've certainly found my niche. I've found a place that I feel very comfortable, I trust everyone that I'm involved with here at the club and it does feel like home.”
Now full-time at FCD, Gall’s new role will prove crucial in the development of future professionals and collegiate standouts in the years to come. Serving as an intermediary between the Academy teams and the rest of the FCDY boys teams, he will work to implement the coaching and skills training from the oldest Academy teams all the way down to the youngest FCDY teams in Frisco – continuing the pathway of development from top to bottom at the club and helping identify players that could make the jump to the Academy.
And while a future pro or two might be within the ranks, the overall goal is to continue to develop the best young men, both on and off the field, for whatever their individual soccer paths might hold.
“I certainly want to provide that assistance and help in any way that I possibly can,” Gall said. “We want to make sure that players of all different levels find their pathway - some players have aspirations to be a professional, some have aspirations to be college players, some have aspirations to play the game because they enjoy it. We have to nurture all of those areas, and I think what I certainly want to achieve is [for families] to know we're here to help.”
