Irad Young

Irad Young (Hebrew: עירד יאנג‎‎; born 25 March 1971) is a retired Israeli-American professional football (soccer) player.

Playing career

Young began his playing career as a youth in New York. He was a member of the United States U-16, U-18 US National Team pool. Young graduated from Syosset High School where he was an NSCAA First Team High School All American and a Parade Magazine All-America soccer player. Syosset made it to the New York state high school championship, losing in overtime, during Young's senior season. He holds the school's career record of 54 goals. Young attended George Mason University. Young earned, All-Conference Honors twice, All-Virginia, and All-South his senior year and was inducted into the GMU Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012. During his senior year, he assisted fellow Israeli, Tamir Linhart, to upset his 13th Ranked GMU team over No. 1 Ranked University of Virginia 2-0. This assist broke the school's career assist record (21) and tied the single season record (9). Young also became the first GMU player to reach the 20 goal 20 assist plateau.

Young was signed by Hapoel Haifa of the Israel Premier League, the same club his father, Roby Young captained and starred throughout the 1960s, for the 1993–94 Liga Leumit season. Young's best game came in Romania against FC Petrolul Ploesti where he was man of the match assisting on all three goals for a shocking 3-0 win against the European powerhouse. After his time in Israel, Young was drafted by the Washington Warthogs of the Continental Indoor Soccer League in 1994. Young spent two seasons with the Warthogs recording 11 goals and 22 assists. On July 30, 1997 Young signed with the short-lived Baton Rouge Bombers of the Eastern Indoor Soccer League. During the team's two years of existence, Young led the league in assists both seasons as the Bombers twice went to the championship series. Young was a two-time All Star and runner-up for MVP in 1997. Young retired from professional soccer to focus on his graduate degree.

Coach

Young has become an elite youth soccer coach in the Washington DC area. He has coached the Herndon Arsenal, BRYC Nighthawks, SYC Jr. Royals, and Herndon Real Jr. to VA State Championships. Young was named Virginia State Coach of the Year in 2001 after taking the Nighthawks to 16th in the USA, the Arsenal to 12th in the USA, and the Oakton HS Cougars to the State Finals. ^[1] .^[2]

References