Alan Errington is entering his tenth season as head coach of the UFV men’s soccer program in 2014. In 2012 he coached the Cascades to first place at the University of Victoria’s “Keg Classic” tournament against stiff competition, and in 2013 his squad took home a Canada West bronze medal (the first CW medal the program has received).
Errington has had coaching success at all levels of the game from amateur to professional teams. He is a coaching legend in Canadian soccer.
His coaching career began with the BC Provincial Program, where he has guided the teams to four National Championships with Under-16 and Under-18 teams.
Errington coached the Vancouver Whitecaps from 1978-1982 and was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame with the 1979 Soccerbowl Champions. Errington was coach of the Reserve Team Program until 1982, during which time he was responsible for the development of young Canadian players, many of whom progressed to play with NASL first-division teams (including the Whitecaps).
He was a staff coach with Canada’s 1986 World Cup team, which is the only Canadian squad to have qualified for World Cup play.
Errington has coached with the Canadian Youth Team and moved up to coach alongside Bob Lenarduzzi as assistant coach with the World Cup and Olympic Teams from 1988-1996.
He was also Lenarduzzi’s assistant coach with the Vancouver 86ers from 1986-1988, winning four consecutive championships and a North American championship. The team also made the record books with a 46-game undefeated streak.
Errington was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame again, with the 86ers team, for its 1989 season record.
Next up was a coaching stint with the Abbotsford Soccer Club, where his Under 17-18 team won back-to-back provincial and national championships, the first team in Canada to do so in the history of the competition.
Errington then turned his efforts to coaching at the university level and has been here at UFV for 9 years. The last 7 of those years have been at the CIS level.
In addition to his role as coach at UFV, Errington is also coach of the Abbotsford Mariners PDL team in the summer, as well as being the colour commentator for Vancouver Whitecaps games on television and radio.
